People often hold to tradition, but does that mean tradition is correct? Over time, many things in life change, but sometimes things remain preserved. The past is the past and cannot be altered, but things can deteriorate, both for nature and man. Gender representation has come a long way in the last hundred years. To this day, life is still not the same for either group. Genders have for millennia represented certain duties and created images that people associate with both, and they will not disappear overnight or in a century, perhaps not even in a millennium. These typical obligations have been preserved by literature throughout history. One such story is “A Rose for Emily,” written by William Faulkner in 1930. There are observations that have meanings that go beyond simply being a word with a definition. These gender role-based symbols and keywords are present throughout the story. Among the many hidden in the story, the most important symbols and keywords are an “apron”, a “kitchen” is also mentioned, and finally the word “desert” is used. Aprons have many connections, but especially with women. The idea of ​​women being rulers is their most associated role. The suggestion that women's only job is to take care of the home is nothing new. Some references are found everywhere. For example, the narrator explains that the town mayor created a law that states, “No Negro woman should appear on the street without an apron” (Faulkner 3). While unrelated, it speaks to racial segregation, but in doing so it also references the fact that people play the standard female role in the kitchen. The author chose to use an apron because during this time most women did not have any work outside of their home. Women have never been allowed to do... middle of paper... even change. So if a mother chooses to stay at home or a man feels the need to support his family, or vice versa, there is nothing anyone can tell him otherwise. Society has come a long way, overcoming the barrier of gender roles imposed on people from the day they were born. Hopefully one day people will not associate a specific role with either gender and these roles will be known for exactly what they are, roles, not gender roles. Works Cited1. “A rose for Emily”. William Faulkner. 1930.2. “A rose for Emily.” New York University. NYU.edu, 2006. Web. 27 February 2014. http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/wAnnotation?action=view&annid=124423. “The Beginning of the Suffrage Movement” http://www.brynmawr.edu/library/exhibits/suffrage/beginnings.html4. http://www2.ivcc.edu/gen2002/women_in_the_nineteenth_century.htm