Sociological Analysis Of A Rose For Emily

William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,” delves into the sociological and psychological realm of Emily Grierson. Emily lives in denial of change, and it is difficult for her to accept. Time stands still in Emily’s world because of her isolation from reality outside the house (Sullivan). Emily’s father’s constant reminders that no man was good for her resulted in a life without love for a significant other. The death of her father takes a toll on her mentally, and foreshadows her experience with the death of Homer Barron. THESIS Emily's inability to accept change and the domination of her father in their codependent relationship results in the transference of her feelings to Homer Barron and her dissent in mental instability and downfall.

Critique

She was sheltered her entire life by her controlling father, keeping her from making her own decisions. She lived a life independent from the rest of the town due to her aristocracy. She was held to a certain standard by the town. Once her father died, she was alone and had no clear example of what true love looked like since her father was very possessive over her. His possessiveness over Emily permits itself to how she displays love, resulting in Homer’s death (Heller). Soon, a man by the name of Homer Barron entered her life and filled her emotional void. He was described as a handsome, “big, dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face” (Faulkner 32). Although Barron was from the lower class, Emily fell in love with him. He became her oral fixation of comfort. Homer acted as a replacement for Emily’s father, and he adopted the same overprotective, controlling attitude her father had for her. When Homer wanted to leave Emily, Emily felt that she was was losing control over him, leading her to kill him. Even in death, Emily found a way for her and Homer to continue to be together. She kept his body in the basement and slept in the same bed as him as if nothing had changed. Emily’s denial and acceptance of death and change are the repercussions of her upbringing. In addition to her refusal to change, she makes sure nothing does change.There is a correlative idea called Transactional Analysis, which consists of three prongs: persecutor, victim, hero. She took on the same characteristics of her father. The confined child becomes the possessor. How Mr. Grierson treated Emily is ultimately how she treated Homer. The roles of rescuer, persecutor and victim switch between the three