ABSTRACT:“A Rose for Emily” is one of the most famous and representative short stories by William Faulkner. It tells the whole tragic life of a heroine, Emily Grierson. This thesis focuses on a discussion of some major thematic images which have sharpened the writer’s presentation of the pain and tragedy in this short story. In light of the historical development of the South of America, this paper also explores the relationship between past and future and offers a literary view to the present study of the scientific concept of development.

Key Words: Faulkner; thematic image; tragic element

摘要:《献给爱米莉的一朵玫瑰花》美国南方作家威廉·福克纳最富盛名的一部短篇小说，描写了女主人公爱米莉悲惨的一生。作者用了一些主题意象作为表现手法来表现短篇小说《献给爱米莉的一朵玫瑰花》的悲剧性。论文从意象入手，解读和分析小说中的主要主题意象，进而揭示作者通过使用主题意象来增强小说的悲剧性。此外，文章从美国历史上南方的发展为思路，探讨过去和未来的关联，为科学发展观提供一个外国文学的例证。

关键词：福克纳；主题意象；悲剧性