A Rose for Emily: Short Review

In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”, Emily Grierson had a very strict relationship with her father. Although there is only a brief description of him, he plays a significant role in the development of her character. The nature of Emily’s relationship with Homer Barron was very scandalous because he is a Northerner and it doesn’t appear as if they will ever be married. After the death of her father, she became dependent on him. Emily became empowered by her actions in the story, provoking her to kill Homer. Faulkner portrays this in the story by…. ? Miss Emily was raised to be very reliant on the only male figure in her life, her father. Emily's relationship with her father can be perceived in what the narrator describes as “the tableau" they had constructed of her: Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung door” (A Rose for Emily, 2). The "tableau" symbolizes his violence and dominance, and her childlike femininity. He was controlling, refusing to let her live a life of her own. As well as a husband since had driven “all the young men” away (A Rose for Emily, 3). At that moment it’s visible to the reader that her father is selfish. Once he passed away, she had no one to be dependent on anymore, yet she couldn’t be independent since a strong male figure was no longer in her life. he has to come to terms with having no money and a large isolated home. Homer Barron was a foreman who was in town helping out with the paving of sidewalks. Emily became infatuated with him and would have probably married him. Unfortunately, for her he was not the marrying type. The town became very aware of Miss Emily’s relationship with him, but embarrasses her by playing with her emotions and refusing to marry