The characters in Faulkner's 1958 book "A Rose for Emily" are situated in the South's historical development and subsequent degeneration. The narrative centers on Emily Grierson during the Civil War and a time of physical, social, and economic decadence in the neighborhood. At that point, Faulkner concentrates on Emily's existence and uses a variety of lenses to illustrate it. Bipolar disorder, which is discussed from the perspectives of psychological, historical, and social aspects, was clearly a significant challenge.
In the late 19th century, bipolar illness replaced both mania and melancholia in a medical definition. Also, several years have seen its diagnosis labeled as "manic-depressive disorder," however, it got replaced by bipolar disorder following the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition (DSM-III). In essence, Bipolar disorder gets attributed to extensive mood incidences that comprise of pessimistic depression to euphoria or ill-tempered mania, whereby each session gets bookended by asymptomatic free periods known as euthymia (McKinnon et al. 2013).
Social Lens
In light of increasing empirical proof, many experts have talked about the spread of depressive illnesses that have multiplied in modern times. Nevertheless, the discourse concerning the fundamental causes for heightened rates of depression could get explained by a reflection of the alterations in genetic components of populations. Alternatively, the changing elements of the environment that comprise of changes in social patterns and role aspirations make a significant consideration. Given the significance of costs of social relationships that get connected with mood disorders, constituting capacity for reduction and impairment becomes a bit challenging.
Therefore, it requires a great understanding of the social underpinnings of Bipolar disorders.
In that regard, focusing on the story of "A Rose for Emily," the narrator acknowledges the community. It included minor areas that it was discreet to appraise groups such as "ladies" and "senior citizens" of the location, the narrator makes it that the readers get the dominant picture of the society at Jefferson.
Well in the case of Emily Grierson, the situation that her father prevented her from getting a boyfriend and the general marital status of Emily posed a significant risk of depression. Apparently, the history and marital status had the potential connection with the prevalence of mood complications. In fact, after the husband, Home Barron leaves for a while, Emily is unable to overcome her fears that Barron would leave her and consequently develops bipolar disorder.
Indeed, separated and currently widowed, Emily has had several challenges that increase modified odds of both significant depression and bipolar disorder. Similarly, the socioeconomic component in Jefferson could have been a major contributor, especially for Emily who had been exempted tax payments due to low measures of income or occupation. It is a high-risk issue for a health condition that constitutes of mental disorder. According to Williams and Neighbors (2006), the link between socioeconomic status and mood complications is weak, however, by factoring in the aspect of income, standards of education and joblessness, the association translated to higher proportions of bipolar disorder.
Psychological Lens
Numerous mental disciplines could get impaired in persons with bipolar disorder. The occurrence of a dysfunction before the emergence of mood symptoms could signal risk for the genesis of the full syndrome of the disease. From the research of McKinnon et al. (2013), it gets argued that when all domains get included, cognitive impairment has gotten a substantial concern as a probable endophenotype for bipolar disorder. Therefore, it appears evident in Emily's traits of withholding his father's body for three days and more importantly, the alleged murder of his boyfriend and surprisingly, keeping his corpse in her house for an estimated 40 years in spite of the horrendous stench (Napierkowski, 2011).
Furthermore, the public assertion that Emily was not only a "damsel in distress" but also, an obstacle and nuisance to progress, indicates the psychosocial aspect of emotional dysfunction elicited by both the public and Emily. Emotional comprehension and empathy are components of a psychological role that infer impairment in individuals with bipolar disorder (McKinnon et al. 2013). Actions that include a purchase of arsenic and lack of emotional understanding about the potent substance or rather the lack of compassion implies obvious symptoms of mood disorder.
Historical Lens
The influence of mental wellbeing on issues dealing with reconciliation in Southern part after the Civil War is evident in Jefferson County. The judicial system and governance by various policies that illustrate slavery as well as accumulation of war escapades, vulnerabilities of people and also, resilience issues get taken into consideration. It is evident when the community noticed about the horrible stench from Emily's house and yet could not confront the public nuisance due to the reconstruction of the history of Southerners (Jarvis, 2012). Faulkner endeavors to survey the township communities of Jefferson and is able to relate various traits that authorities have on Emily, and the emerging generations tend to prove major disparities from their forebears.
Conclusion
It is evident that Emily and the entire society of Jefferson had encountered various challenges during the Civil War and these must have consequently, had adverse outcomes like bipolar disorders amongst other complications of health and well-being in Jefferson.
References
Faulkner, W. (1958). A rose for Emily. USA: Verlag, F. Schoningh. (pp. 170-179).
Jarvis, E. (2012). Changing psychiatric perception of African-Americans with affective disorders. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200, pp. 1031-1040
McKinnon, M. C., Cusi, A. M., MacQueen, G. M. (2013). Psychological factors that may confer risk for bipolar disorder. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 18(1-2), pp. 115-128.
(Ed.) Napierkowski, M. R. (2011). "A rose for Emily: Introduction." Short Stories for Students, 6(2). Detroit: Gale, pp. 1-23.
Williams, D. R., & Neighbors, H. W. (2006). "Social perspectives on mood disorders." In Stein, D. J., Kupfer, D. J., and Schatzberg, A. F. (eds). Textbook of mood disorders. USA: The American Psychiatric Publishing, pp. 145-158.
