Emily is a woman that has had a hard life. Her family made it so that she was held inhigh regard in the public eye.
She was not suppose to encounter relationships that werebelow her stature. The town, being the antagonist, drives Emily to her insanity becausethey will not allow her to lead a normal life. They liked the show they were watching arefused to give it up. The narrator explores how Emily is defined in her position in the town by hername and her father.
People in our town, . . . , believed the Griersons held themselves alittle too high for what they really were.
(pg. 83) Emilys father had been controllingduring her early life and had stopped all suitors from visiting her. we had allremembered all the young men her father had driven away, . . . (pg.
84) Emily isforced to live in a house were her father will is paramount to her own. When he dies weunderstand this lose is almost to much for her to bear. Miss Emily met them at thedoor, dressed as usual with no trace of grief on her face. She told them her father wasnot dead.
(pg. 84) The denial of her fathers death is explained by the narrator: and weknew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, aspeople will. (pg. 84) The narrator also explores the way in which the towns people define Miss Emilyas a tradition, a duty, and a care, . .
. (pg. 81) This definition is narrowly drawn. Herrank is one of the representatives of those August names, . .
. (pg. 81) When shebegins her relationship with Homer Barron, his name shows irony because he is describedasa northerner, a day laborer, (pg. 84) the towns people are appalled.
Then someof the ladies began to say it was a disgrace to the town and a bad example to the youngpeople. (pg. 86) The towns people go as far as to send the Baptist preacher, the townsmoral leader, to chastise Emily regarding this relationship. Emily refutes thischastisement and quickly flaunts her relationship with Homer.
The next Sunday theyagain drove about the streets, . . . (pg. 86) Having been rebuked, the ministers wifeenlists the aid of Emilys cousins to pressure Emily back into the role they feel she shouldplay.
They do arrive at which time Emily buys poison. The towns people feel placadidafter Emily buys the arsenic. So the next day we all said,She will kill herself, andwe said it would be the best thing. (pg.
85) The towns people it seems would have Emilyplay by their rules as have been defined by tradition and duty or commit suicide. Emily at first tries to break away from the defined role after her father dies byestablishing a relationship with Homer Barron. When she sees how the community reactsshe is torn between maintaining her stature and connecting to man in a relationship. Thisconflict ultimately leads her to madness. She buys the arsenic not to kill herself but tokill Homer Barron.
However, she cannot bear to relinquish their relationship and sokeeps his corpse in her bed where she has murdered him. Her denial for death which isforeshadowed in her fathers comes into play here as she is able to play her societal rolewhile keeping her sweetheart forever in her bed. As you can see because of her father, her social stature, and the town she wasdriven to insanity. Without all of these variables Emily might have been able to lead anormal life. Living up to others expectations is not an easy thing to do.
We can all learna lesson from Emily, living up to others expectations is not as important than thehappiness of our own.English Essays
