Name: James A.

Meguiso EAPP
Strand/Gr./Sec.: STEM 12 – St. Dominic Dela Calzada

SOCIOLOGICAL CRITICISM|A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

In his story "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner describes the life of Miss Emily. Emily is resistant to
change and finds it difficult to accept it. Emily's world is trapped in the old time due to her isolation from the
reality outside the house. Emily's father's constant reminders that no man was good for her resulted in a life
without love for a significant other. Her father's death has a psychological impact on her and foreshadows her
experience with Homer Barron's death. The story shows that women are seen as inferior to men. 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.

Miss Emily's family once enjoyed a high reputation in the community. The new residents of the town feel
sorry for her because she is elderly and lives in an old, dilapidated house. Her father is a strict parent who won't let
her leave the house and who was unable to match her with the ideal partner. She was thirty years old when her
father died, and because she only had a small knowledge of the outside world, she refused to leave the house,
leaving her helpless and all by herself. After her father passed away, she was able to see the world for the first time,
and she soon fell in love with Homer Barron, a new contractor in town. With the arrival of Homer Barron, she
experienced emotional fulfillment. Homer was described as a "big, dark, ready man with a big voice and eyes
lighter than his face"(William Faulkner). Emily fell in love with Barron despite his lower-class background. He
evolved into an odd obsession and her verbal comforter. Homer took on the role of Emily's father, and he adopted
the same overprotective, controlling attitude toward her that her father did.

The time comes when homer wanted to leave Emily, Emily felt she was losing control of him, so she killed
him. She became the same characteristics as her father. Even after she died, Emily managed to keep Homer and
herself together. She kept his body in the basement and slept in the same bed with him as if nothing had changed.
Emily's early life has resulted in her denial as well as acceptance of death and change. She doesn't just say she
won't change; she makes sure that nothing changes.

Every member of the family must respect each other, and the family's head should only limit the family
member in everything that he thinks it's immoderate behavior. Every woman must fight back to reclaim their
rightful place in society. They should work hard to enforce their rights and establish due justice and equality in
society, as well as to eliminate ignorance and stupidity, poverty, forced marriage, and all other women-related
programs and laws.