William Faulkners
A Rose for Emily
Literary Analysis
In William Faulkners story A Rose for Emily his main character Miss Emily Griersons deranged behavior leaves the reader questioning her mental status.
Emily comes from a family with high expectations of her a sort of hereditary obligation (30). Emily has been mentally manipulated by her as so indicated in the line of the story we did not say she was crazy then we believed she had to do that we remember all the young men her father had driven away (32). There is already proof of mental illness in the family remembering how old lady Wyatt, her great aunt, had gone completely crazy last (32).
The first indication the narrator gives us of Miss Emilys illness is when Emilys father passes away and the ladies of the town go to her home to offer their condolences. Emily opens her door dressed as usual with no trace of grief on her face (30). She tells them that her father wasnt dead, for three days she did this. When they were about to resort to law is when she finally broke down and they quickly buried her father.
When Emily refuses for three days to part with her fathers corpse a neighbor woman complained to the mayor, Judge Stevens, about the odor coming from Miss Griersons property. The following day there were more complaints in regard to the strong odor. That evening a meeting was called Send word to her to have the place cleaned up. Give her time to do it in, and if she dont. (31) To which the judge responds will you accuse a lady of smelling bad? (31). The following evening four men went to Miss Emilys home, broke open the cellar door and sprinkled lime around the home to eliminate the odor.
Another clear indication of Miss Emilys mental instability occurs when members of the Board of Aldermen visit Miss Emily in an attempt to collect taxes. She looked bloated, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough as they moved from one face to another (30). The image we visualize of Miss Emily is one of someone who has sunken into a state of depression, neglecting her own personal well-being. During the conversation Miss Emily tells the men See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson (31). Colonel Sartoris has been dead for almost ten years. Emilys behavior not only shows mental instability but also that she may be delusional and confused.
She was sick for a long time. When we saw her again, her hair was cut short making her look like a girl (32). Through this image the narrator portrays Emily regressing back to her youth. It is at this point that Miss Emily is being seen around town with a young contractor named Homer Barron.
Emilys behavior takes another dramatic strange twist when she visits the druggist and requests some poison. The druggist asked Miss Emily What kind? For rats and such? (33). to which Emily responds I want the best one you have. I dont care what kind (33). It is at this point that we truly begin to question if Miss Emily has foul intentions.
She will kill herself She will marry him She will persuade him yet (33). These statements were made in regard to Miss Emilys relationship with Homer Barron. Homer himself had stated that he liked men, he was known to drink with the younger men in the Elks Club, and that he was not a marrying man.
In light of Homers feelings toward marriage Emily had been seen in town at the jewelers purchasing a mens toilet set in silver with the letters H.B. on each piece engraved in silver. Two days later following this purchase she bought a complete outfit of mens clothing including a nightshirt. They are married (34).
Homer Barron leaves the home of Miss Emily; however, he is last seen entering her home at dusk through the kitchen. The next time that Miss Emily is seen she had grown fat and her hair was turning gray- iron gray (35). Miss Emily appears to have gone through another episode of depression living her life as a recluse in the home left to her by her father.
Upon the death of Emily Grierson when the ladies of the town entered her home for the final time they found Miss Grierson in one of the downstairs bedrooms. The townspeople however knew that there was a bedroom upstairs. Upon the violent breaking down of the door to the bedroom they noticed on the dressing table the mans toilet things backed with tarnished silver, silver so tarnished the monogram was obscured. Among them lay collar and tie, as if they had just been removed. Upon a chair hung the suit, carefully folded; beneath it the two mute shoes and the discarded socks (35).
The man himself lay in the bed (35).
The final paragraph of William Faulkners story sums up how mentally ill Emily Grierson truly was. For a long time we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace. What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt (35). Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it- a long strand of iron gray hair (35). As the narrator mentions the indentation of the head and a finding of the iron gray hair we come to realize that Miss Emily was sleeping in the bed with the corpse of Homer Barron. Her insanity lead to his murder, perhaps Miss Emily learned of Mr. Barrons feelings in regard to marriage. Was the murder of Mr. Barron Emilys way to insure that she finally has a love that will never leave her?
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