A Rose for Emily: Analysis on the Theme of Psychological Bondage

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A Rose for Emily
Introduction
People tend to behave differently based on certain circumstances in the society. In the story of Miss Emily, “Arose for Emily,” there are various themes and behavior in several circumstance of her life. The story initially commences with the death of Emily. The burial provides the situation of the house Emily lived in, including her servant and her issues with taxes. As the story develops we see how Emily lived in a smelly house to an extent that the official from the city uses lime (Faulkner 4). The story also explains the behaviors of Emily that were greatly influenced by her father who was very strict. He never allowed men to call on Emily. The death of Emily’s father is the main turning point in her life; she becomes more isolated. In the subsequent parts of the story, Emily’s lover is introduced as Homer who came to town for construction purposes. According to gossips in town, Homer was expected to marry her, but this did not happen. Instead, Homer disappears allegedly killed by Emily. The story concludes with the reaction of the town people towards Emily’s death, helping in the development of several themes of the story (Faulkner 4).
Summary
A Rose for Emily is a story about a young woman named Emily Grierson that took place in the early nineties in the Southern part of America, in Mississippi. She grew up during the Civil War with her father who was the only family member she had. Emily’s life is greatly influenced by her father as we can see how he controlled most of what she did. Consequently, when he died, Emily could not accept his death easily because she was fond of her father. As much as Emily Grierson was admired by the community, she was at a loss when it came to dealing with her emotions. Most of her life was private as she lived in seclusion avoiding any interaction with people and also not making any adjustments in her life. Based on this factor, the author described Emily as a fallen monument because the town people had too much expectation on her, owing to her social status, but her actions portrayed the opposite of what the community expected of her (Faulkner 7).
Emily’s actions are different as indicated in the story where some of the dark secrets of death surround her, starting with her father, then her lover, ending with her death. All these deaths are examples of the mystery involved in the story. For example, the mysterious disappearance of Homer, Emily’s lover, and several other actions including her activities prior to the disappearance of her lover are some of the circumstances that could not be explained. One of the most horrible things was her attraction to Homer even though he had died. At the end of the story, the reader realizes the different aspects that can be seen in different stages as the story develops that explain the contrast between societal perspective and what is real (Faulkner 7).
The Theme of Psychological Bondage
The reaction from the town’s people is evidence of how Emily constantly lived in a bondage that she could not get out of. She preferred to stay away from the public, isolating herself from people based on how her father had treated he...