Word Entry- "The Ghostly Voice of Gossip in Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily'"

1. 1.       “Her private life becomes a public document that the town folk feel free to interpret at will, and they are alternately curious, jealous, spiteful, pitying, partisan, proud, disapproving, admiring, and vindicated.” (407)
2. 2.       I think the author used the word vindicated to prove that the townspeople think very poorly of Emily.
3. 3.       Definition: “To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof” (TheFreeDictionary)
4. 4.       I think I was a little of from my guess compared to the definition of vindicated. I understand why the author, Judith Fetterley, used the word. I noticed the word is in past-tensed. Fetterly could be referring to the last scene in “A Rose for Emily”.  The townspeople invaded Emily’s home and were no longer suspicion of the odd things that has happened in the past. I think that is the part where all the past events fall into place with evidence. It explains the reasons why Emily bought arsenic and for Homer's decaying corpse in the home.