The analysis of a short story "a rose for emily” by william faulkner

In “ A Rose for Emily” the narrator talks about a woman who has a mental illness that is labeled idiosyncratic this illness caused her to suffer and struggle immensely with her instability and with evolving in what happens to be the world around her. Emily was sheltered by her father, he kept her secluded from the rest of the town and she wasn’t allowed to have a social life. Being having these unfortunate conditions she wasn’t so liked, she was misunderstood and no one wanted to be tolerated with her. Unfortunately, Emily lived in a town where people really didn’t want to bother with her “ I’d be the last one in the world to bother Miss Emily” (pg. 630 p #20)). She was left alone having to deal with her lonesome self and her father. Miss Emily’s father a who is a prestigious man is one of the causes of Miss Emily’s senseless behavior. Emily’s father kept her secluded from the rest of the town only causing her to be more miserable. Emily wasn’t allowed to socialize with people in her town nor was she allowed to date anyone “ We remembered all the young men for her father had driven away” (pg. 630 #25)

Keeping her secluded and distant from interacting with other people did not help her condition but in fact it made it more difficultfor her. I strongly believe that if Emily were allowed to socialize being her age things would have gone a lot more smoothly because it’s found that social relationships are important for mentally ill persons. “ Social relationships are important for anyone in maintaining health, but for the mentally ill is it especially important” (E. Stobbe 2006)Emily’s father was a really controlling person, he had a strong case of influence over Emily which the community saw. He would intentionally try to frustrate Emily’s attempt to find her a husband so that she would no longer be under his selfish control. He couldn’t take the idea of anyone having his daughter’s attention for his personal reasons and conclusions. However, Emily desperately wanted to be free of her father’s control because it had to do with some of her uncontrollable behaviors. Emilywanted freedom and she tried to find that through the men that she was surrounded by and interacted with. The only relationships Emily ever had in this short story were with men, which is quite ironic considering the fact that Emily’s father banned males from having any exposure or connections with her.

There were three men in her life which was Tobe who they labeled her “ Negro Servant”, Homer the man she could potentially marry and lastly her Father. Emily and Tobe seemed to have a really direct relationship that was on a much deeper level than him being her Negro Servant. Emily didn’t call him “ Negro Servant” but instead she called him by his birth given name which shows a sign of esteem for him, Tobe is also the only man aside from Homer that is allowed in Emily’s home they were all close to one another. Tobe at the time was Emily’s friend, he was her go to because she had no one else. For many years he genuinely cares for Emily and inclines to her needs. Because of his supportive and loving ways towards Emily, the surrounding people around didn’t think anything of their relationship which put a stopto the townspeople bothering Tobe about Emily and her conditions.

Homer here in the short story was stated to be a “ big, dark, ready” foreman from the North. He worked at a construction company that arrives in Jefferson to pave the sidewalks, Homer became really popular in the town, he was a social drinker at a local Elk’s club. He seems to have been a lady’s man and even Emily falls for his charm which lead the two to become romantically involved with one another. They would ride together on Sundays in Homer’s “ yellow-wheeled buggy” which all seems to be so nice. However, it was spread around the town that Homer not being a “ marrying man.” Emily didn’t want to be separate from Homer that she poisons him and keeps him in her house where he later died. Emily was attached to him because he had been the first guy who she was ever connected to in such a way.

The rising action takes place when there is a discovered stench that is coming from Emily’s home which was about thirty years prior to the tax conflict and also when just two years or so after Emily’s father passes away. Also the other fallen action is when her father believes that no one is good enough for his daughter which then he passes away and leaves her by her lonesome. Being that she suffered this mental illness it suffocated her actions when things took place. Emily goes and hoards her father’sbody for many days before she allowed people to take her father and bury him away. All this seems so strange. This rising action helps us understand the story’s climax.