Faulkner was born in 1897 and died in 1962. He grew up in a small town in Mississippi, which is the setting for many of his novels and short stories. Faulkner's family had lost power and money during the Civil War. His work is deeply rooted in the story of the South, tackling issues such as race, gender, and class, as you'll notice in A Rose for Emily, which was published in 1931. Also, this story is considered Gothic. Gothic literature includes elements that verge on Horror and Romanticism. A Rose for Emily, in other words, is a tad bit creepy.