“She didn't want to listen to them (795)”, but they listened to her. They have listened and watched Miss Emily's entire life – frowning, sympathizing and, at times, even smiling for her. These ever-vigilant beings, the curious citizens of Jefferson, share and provide a backbone to this twisted story in William Faulkner's gothic tale, A Rose For Emily; although the opinions expressed about Miss Emily differ significantly based on generation and gender, their opinion expressed as a whole expresses that they see Miss Emily as shocking, unacceptable, and “fallen (792).” Faulkner's emphasis on narrative pushes the mystery further. Along with the disturbing secret that Emily hides, Faulkner hides the identity of the narrator or narrators. The citizens, as a whole, are the narrator, but throughout the piece it is suggested that the mouthpiece of the city changes. For example, in Part I, the narrative appears to come from a member of the older generation as he watches the "next generation, with its more modern ideas (788)" come to an unsatisfactory conclusion regarding a solution to the odor coming from estate of Miss Emily. However, in Part IV it is suggested that the narrator for the townspeople is a woman concerned with Emily's relationship, her material purchases, and the details of her decadent appearance. The pronoun “we” is used in place of “I” suggesting that the opinions expressed are the general consensus of the entire city – such as “we believed it had fallen” – the entire city sees it as a failure of what it would have could have been. When the pronoun "I" is used, it typically expresses that the speaker "I" is against the wishes of the citizen speaking or perhaps the entire city. “I” is mainly used by Miss Emily, showing that she is an outcast in the eyes of her society. Justice Stevens also speaks in the first person singular when he fights to uphold Miss Emily's respect, deeming the suggested actions “unnecessary (790).” The different citizens shape the reader's thoughts and emotions towards Emily: being a citizen is the reason the story exists. They are an essential part of Emily's story and so their opinions, fully credible or not, must be taken into account in the mysterious case that is Miss Emily's life. The people of Jefferson have always had a certain curiosity about the events of Emily's life. and despite the years the curiosity continued.