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Miss Emily Grierson's Behavior

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Miss Emily the Enchanted Rose Miss Emily Grierson, the main character in William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily,” is an abnormal Southern woman by any audience’s principles. “Emily Grierson’s history, from the time of her father’s death to her own death at the age of seventy-four, is the focus of Faulkner’s narrative.” (Arnsberg, 126) Throughout the story Miss Emily’s inconsistent and peculiar behavior has left readers questioning her mental state. “The problematic of Miss Emily’s mental state is her failed interactions with the male characters.” (Arensberg, 127) The most important male characters are first her father and second Homer Barron. The townspeople also are seen as a problem by enabling her behavior by being in denial …show more content…

“Homer Barron, a Yankee- big dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face,” took the lead in this sidewalk project. (Faulkner, 312) The townsfolk began to see Miss Emily again while she went out with the Yankee man. At a first glimpse the ladies of the town were happy to see Emily out and about taking curiosity in a man but that was short lived. “Of course, a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northern, a day laborer.” (Faulkner, 312) Based off Southern traditions Miss Emily dating Mr. Barron is frowned upon. The women of the town were concerned that bad examples were being set forth to the younger generation. The ladies did not want this relationship to work so they call in Miss Emily’s kin hoping they could put a stop to this affair, after their plan for the minister to end the relationship failed. The townsfolk believed their idea of having the cousins stop the relationship was unsuccessful due to Miss Emily buying items from the store that showed signs of a married woman. They were ready for Mrs. Emily’s cousins to leave. They disliked the cousins due to their “I’m a proud, rich, Southern woman that is better than you attitude.” Once they left Mr. Barron’s made one final appearance and then never seen again causing Miss Emily to become reclusive like before when her father had

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