ipl-logo

Emily Grierson Struggles

1917 Words8 Pages

In the story, “A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner, Miss Emily Grierson’s struggle with her family, her town, and herself makes her do things that are out of the ”norm.” Her struggle makes her act inhuman and deranged. Emily is a living a very sheltered life. Miss Emily struggles, in this story, with herself and the society around her. Emily Grierson became very heartless in the eyes of the reader and even a little demented all because of her sheltered lifestyle, closed environment and, conflict with the townspeople. She knew that the people of her town were talking about her. However, she ultimately let their gossip influence her life. Some think that Emily’s actions were based on the townspeople’s attitudes toward her. Others may say that her father shaped her …show more content…

Homer Barron. Homer was “day labor." This was different for Miss Emily and the townspeople, because Miss Emily was a Grierson and she was not supposed to ignore noblesse oblige. Miss Emily disregarded it anyway. The reader notices that Miss Emily is proud of Homer. “[Brooks and Warren] indicate that her pride is connected with her contempt for public opinion. This comes to the fore, of course, when she rides around about town with the foreman whom everyone believes is beneath her." (Brooks & Warren 158). The townspeople were happy for Miss Emily. Homer was like the rest of them, a commoner. They felt that he brought Miss Emily down to their level. The reader could see that Homer made Miss Emily happy. This was also apparent to the townspeople. They could see that Emily loved Homer. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She was determined not to lose Homer the way she lost her father. “She is obviously a women of tremendous firmness of will” (Brooks & Warren 158). Miss Emily was going to get it no matter what it took to do it. The reader can see how firm she is when she goes to purchase the poison to kill Homer. “She completely overawes the

Show More
Related

Similarities Between Louis Mallard And Emily Grierson

1145 Words | 5 Pages

One can assume her marriage was not a good one. Miss Emily Grierson was abused at a young age by her father Mr. Grierson. Emily grew up under the shadow of her father and it haunted Emily for a long time. Many people grow up differently, and the way they grow up could affect the person they become

Read More

Saving Sourdi Character Analysis

720 Words | 3 Pages

Miss Emily has had problems keeping a lover.  Once she falls in love with Homer Barron, she finds out he does not marry anyone.   The big revealing secret after Miss Emily passes is that she murdered Homer to keep control over him.  

Read More

Dorothy Hamlett Research Paper

304 Words | 2 Pages

Originally when the community found out Emily was interested in Homer, they were happy that she had found someone because she seemed hopeless. However, the happiness did not last long. The townspeople began to feel

Read More

A Rose For Emily Insanity Analysis

371 Words | 2 Pages

The townspeople overlooked her insanity because they believed she was only grieving. After this, she mostly hid in her house only coming out occasionally until Homer Barron and his crew of laborers came into town to build sidewalks. Homer and Emily began seeing each other even though people said she was too good for him

Read More

Compare And Contrast A Rose For Emily And A Good Man Is Hard To Find

1094 Words | 5 Pages

Not only that, as Homer becomes a popular figure in town and is seen taking Emily on buggy rides on Sunday afternoons, it scandalizes the town and increases the condescension and pity they have for Emily. They feel that she is forgetting her family pride and becoming involved with a man beneath her station. Even though Emily is from the high class family, it does not mean that she is living up to the pleasant lifestyle. As a matter of fact, she is actually living a gloomy and desolate life, which is essentially the opposite lifestyle expected for Emily's rank in society by the townspeople. Although Emily once represented a great southern tradition centering on the landed gentry with their vast holdings and considerable resources, Emily's legacy has devolved, making her more a duty and an obligation than a romanticized vestige of a dying order.

Read More

How Does A Rose For Emily Grierson Change

743 Words | 3 Pages

Emily increasingly disconnects from her community, more and more throughout the story. Miss Emily suffers from schizophrenia because she shows the symptoms of withdrawing from society. Throughout Emily’s life, her father, the townspeople highly respected, kept Emily clothed in believing no

Read More

Social Norms In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

1752 Words | 8 Pages

We learned that Miss Emily had been to the jeweler's and ordered a man's toilet set in silver, with the letters H. B. on each piece” (Faulkner 82). Emily appeared to be preparing herself for marriage, and word spread quickly throughout the town. She began adapting to a lifestyle with her newfound love which enthralled those around her because she had so greatly tarnished her family name that had once strongly represented the old south’s traditions. This leads everyone to believe that Emily is finally taking on a life of her own apart from her father’s reign, and stepping outside the boundaries of societal norms. Once she begins to get comfortable, Homer takes matters into his own hands skewing her desired path to marriage that would once more reinforce tradition.

Read More

The Role Of Conformity In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

716 Words | 3 Pages

Because her family was prominent in the town of Jefferson, Emily Grierson was watched her entire life and wondered about by everyone. The townspeople had a lot to do with Emily’s changing mental condition because they constantly gossiped about everything that happened in her life. It generally

Read More

Suspense In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

806 Words | 4 Pages

“We remembered all the young men her father had driven away” (453). Miss Emily’s father drove away young men interested in her, not allowing her to have a love life and therefore a life outside of him. This controlling treatment of Miss Emily by Mr. Grierson coincides with Emily’s fight to control her love life with Homer. “Because Homer himself had remarked - he liked men, and it was known that he drank with the younger men in the Elks’ Club - that he was not a marrying man” (454). If it weren’t for the fact that Miss Emily murdered Homer, he would have left her, therefore she used the murder as a way to keep him close to

Read More

Change In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

925 Words | 4 Pages

Meeting Homer Barron was her biggest change from her old self, because her father did not allow her be in any relationships, but she went out in public with Homer “driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy and the matched team of bays from the livery stable” (454). Consequently, this was only because she was living in her own reality and believed that Homer would be the one to marry her. Homer was “not a marrying man” (454) and would not marry Emily, but she refused to accept the denial of marriage from him, so she killed him to keep him with her forever. She stayed within her house to keep herself in the Old South. When she told the men to see Colonel Sartoris, she was not aware that “Colonel Sartoris had been dead for almost ten years” (452) at that point.

Read More

William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

924 Words | 4 Pages

Meeting Homer Barron was her biggest change from her old self, because her father refused to let her be in any relationships, but she went out in public with Homer “driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy and the matched team of bays from the livery stable” (454). Consequently, this was only because she was living in her own reality and believed that Homer would be the one to marry her. Homer was “not a marrying man” (454) and would not marry Emily, but she refused to accept the denial of marriage from him, so she killed him to keep him with her forever. She stayed within her house to keep herself in the old South. When she told the men to see colonel Sartoris, she was not aware that “Colonel Sartoris had been dead for almost ten years” (452) at that point.

Read More

The Power Of Death In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

889 Words | 4 Pages

The short story a “Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner describes Emily Grierson, the main character to give the reader an impression of a desperate yet innocent woman at first glance. After the story has been read, the reader’s point of view will change to become very unsatisfied . In this short story “ A Rose for Emily,” an unexpected series of events in a post-Civil War South portrays the power of death through a very strong yet unbalanced woman. As Emily is depicted through the narration of the townspeople, point of view and characterization is enhanced in detail to create a puzzle for the reader to analyze. Emily Grierson is not described as a normal character.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Miss Brill And Emily Grieron

1015 Words | 5 Pages

When Emily’s father dies and shortly after Homer’s disappearance follows, we see a depressed and a lonely Emily who never leaves the

Read More

A Rose For Emily Literary Analysis Essay

1390 Words | 6 Pages

The townspeople strongly disapprove and speculate that Emily buying arsenic at the drugstore was a way out of this toxic relationship and was probably for the best. Emily then shows her face again to buy extravagant gifts for Homer that include engraved shaving kits, a suit, and a nightshirt. The townspeople believe that at this point marriage is evident. Homer leaves town and then is seen returning and entering Miss Emily’s house. Once he enters, he’s never seen again.

Read More

A Rose For Emily Literary Analysis Essay

1065 Words | 5 Pages

Miss Emily was very much an outsider ever since her father died. She was practically the talk of the town for years. In the short story, it talks about how the townspeople always talked about her and worried about her well being.

Read More

More about Emily Grierson Struggles

Related Topics

Open Document