Briefly analyze the character of Emily Grierson, the protagonist of A Rose for Emily.
AS A DESCENDENT OF THE SOUTHERN ARISTOCRACY, EMILY GRIERSON IS TYPICAL OF THOSE IN FAULKNER'S YOKNAPATAWPHA STORIES THAT ARE SYMBOLS OF THE OLD SOUTH BUT ALSO THE PRISONERS OF THE PAST.(1) FIRSTLY, SHE DEPENDED ON HER FATHER AND CLANG TO HIS MEMORY BY REMAINING UNMARRIED BECAUSE OF DOMINANCE OF HER FATHER AND HIS RIGID IDEAS ABOUT SOCIAL STATUS, BY KEEPING HIS PORTRAIT IN A PROMINENT PLACE IN HER LIVING ROOM, BY REFUSING TO RELEASE HER FATHER'S DEAD BODY FOR BURIAL AND BY ASSUMING HER FATHER’S DOMINEERING TRAITS.(2) SECONDLY, EMILY WAS ECCENTRIC IN REFUSING TO ACCEPT THE PASSAGE OF TIME OR THE INEVITABLE SOCIAL CHANGE BY REFUSING TO PAY TAXES, BUYING POISON AND OFFERING NO EXPLANATION AND REFUSING TO COOPERATE WITH MODERN POSTAL SERVICE.(3) THIRDLY, EMILY DEMONSTRATES HER DEFORMED PERSONALITY AND ABNORMALITY IN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER SWEETHEART. HER REFUSAL TO ADAPT HERSELF TO THE NEW ORDER AND HER DEFIANCE OF THE OLD ORDER ARE NOT JUST PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO CLING TO THE PAST, BUT DEVELOPED INTO OBSESSION AND HOMICIDAL MANIA BY KILLING HOMER BARREN IN ORDER TO KEEP HIM.
