The writers of both “Richard Cory” and “A Rose for Emily” make the decision to use an unusual narrative perspective: first person plural.  The choice of such a narrator emphasizes the sense of alienation both characters experience in the towns they call home.  The characters are very different from one another, as are the towns they live in and the reasons for their being “left out.”  Nonetheless, both characters experience a tragic downfall.  Write a comparison/contrast essay in which you will consider the ways in which these writers use point of view as well as other strategies such as setting and characterization to explore the question: Are the townspeople responsible for the tragic outcome of these characters’ lives?