The Hidden Motive: “A Rose for Emily”
Faulkner’s story of a daughter who was born into wealth in the deep South, “A Rose for Emily” leaves the reader with the impression that no one will ever know if the meaning of the story directly relates to the motive for the murder of Homer Barron. Faulkner’s use of first person plural narration, left the reader in suspense with a need to be the detective in the case of the noble women who murdered her lover. Since Tobe, the servant, ran off as soon as Miss Emily passed, he was the only witness to what took place over many decades (Faulkner 5). Thus, the case may be hard to crack with the complexity created by the narration of only the events the townspeople remember and the jumbled chronological order of those events which weaved a web of confusion for the reader, leaving a concern for Miss Emily’s psychological state. This analysis will disclose supportive clues and symbolic evidence supporting a hypothesis that Emily Grierson’s psychological state is the motive for Homer’s death, and that Emily’s relationship with her father caused Electra Complex which in turn resulted in the murder of her lover. First, when looking at the era and the setting of the events the reader may wonder if the abrupt change in the family’s lifestyle played a role in their mental stability. The story takes place in the mythological city created by Faulkner that lies in the deep South called Jefferson, Mississippi, the county seat of Yoknapatawpha County (Norton 298). Miss Emily lived on what was once the most prestigious street in town in the house her father had built in the 1870s (Faulkner 1). Thus, insinuating to the reader that their immense wealth must have come from the labor of slaves. The stature of the home once stood as a statement of wealth, but now was encroached upon by a mecca of industrialization described by the narrator as “an eyesore among eyesores” (Faulkner 1). The chronology of Miss Emily’s life transpired during the period after the Civil War but prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Appropriately, during this time the honorable lives of the slave owner’s families were turned upside down by the predilection that their whole lives have been nothing but a disgrace. From taking this direct hit on their Southern pride it may be expected that psychological incongruities may prevail. Additionally, the story told us of Emily’s Great Aunt, who went completely crazy and related her condition to the stature the family proclaimed (Faulkner 2). Even though Miss Emily still had Tobe as her servant, the house was a vision of neglect and decay that most townspeople avoided, this avoidance served as symbolism of Miss Emily’s …show more content…
The father-daughter relationship seemed to reflect an emotional distance as the father was always seen standing in front of Emily with his horsewhip, while she stood in the foreground all dressed in white (Faulkner 2). In contrary, Emily’s intimacy towards her father presented itself upon his death, when she could not admit he was dead and refused to have the body removed from the home (Faulkner 2). Although, the townspeople did not describe her at that point as being crazy, they said she “broke down” (had a psychotic occurrence in which she retreated from reality), and that she had “to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will” (Faulkner 2). Immediately following her father’s death, Emily recoiled into her childhood by cutting her hair short and isolating herself in the house like an abandoned orphan (Faulkner 3). At this point the reader can directly connect these events with Electra Complex. For those who are unfamiliar Carl Jung derived a theory that during a girl’s development they may have an increasing love for their father accompanied with increased animosity for their mother. The complex was named after a Greek goddess whose mother murdered her father and the goddess (Electra), retaliated and murdered her mother. Which raises the questions; Did Emily have Electra Complex? Did she not want to share her father’s attention with anyone? Could that be the reason her mother was never mentioned in the story and her Great Aunt went completely
Faulkner’s story of a daughter who was born into wealth in the deep South, “A Rose for Emily” leaves the reader with the impression that no one will ever know if the meaning of the story directly relates to the motive for the murder of Homer Barron. Faulkner’s use of first person plural narration, left the reader in suspense with a need to be the detective in the case of the noble women who murdered her lover. Since Tobe, the servant, ran off as soon as Miss Emily passed, he was the only witness to what took place over many decades (Faulkner 5). Thus, the case may be hard to crack with the complexity created by the narration of only the events the townspeople remember and the jumbled chronological order of those events which weaved a web of confusion for the reader, leaving a concern for Miss Emily’s psychological state. This analysis will disclose supportive clues and symbolic evidence supporting a hypothesis that Emily Grierson’s psychological state is the motive for Homer’s death, and that Emily’s relationship with her father caused Electra Complex which in turn resulted in the murder of her lover. First, when looking at the era and the setting of the events the reader may wonder if the abrupt change in the family’s lifestyle played a role in their mental stability. The story takes place in the mythological city created by Faulkner that lies in the deep South called Jefferson, Mississippi, the county seat of Yoknapatawpha County (Norton 298). Miss Emily lived on what was once the most prestigious street in town in the house her father had built in the 1870s (Faulkner 1). Thus, insinuating to the reader that their immense wealth must have come from the labor of slaves. The stature of the home once stood as a statement of wealth, but now was encroached upon by a mecca of industrialization described by the narrator as “an eyesore among eyesores” (Faulkner 1). The chronology of Miss Emily’s life transpired during the period after the Civil War but prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Appropriately, during this time the honorable lives of the slave owner’s families were turned upside down by the predilection that their whole lives have been nothing but a disgrace. From taking this direct hit on their Southern pride it may be expected that psychological incongruities may prevail. Additionally, the story told us of Emily’s Great Aunt, who went completely crazy and related her condition to the stature the family proclaimed (Faulkner 2). Even though Miss Emily still had Tobe as her servant, the house was a vision of neglect and decay that most townspeople avoided, this avoidance served as symbolism of Miss Emily’s …show more content…
The father-daughter relationship seemed to reflect an emotional distance as the father was always seen standing in front of Emily with his horsewhip, while she stood in the foreground all dressed in white (Faulkner 2). In contrary, Emily’s intimacy towards her father presented itself upon his death, when she could not admit he was dead and refused to have the body removed from the home (Faulkner 2). Although, the townspeople did not describe her at that point as being crazy, they said she “broke down” (had a psychotic occurrence in which she retreated from reality), and that she had “to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will” (Faulkner 2). Immediately following her father’s death, Emily recoiled into her childhood by cutting her hair short and isolating herself in the house like an abandoned orphan (Faulkner 3). At this point the reader can directly connect these events with Electra Complex. For those who are unfamiliar Carl Jung derived a theory that during a girl’s development they may have an increasing love for their father accompanied with increased animosity for their mother. The complex was named after a Greek goddess whose mother murdered her father and the goddess (Electra), retaliated and murdered her mother. Which raises the questions; Did Emily have Electra Complex? Did she not want to share her father’s attention with anyone? Could that be the reason her mother was never mentioned in the story and her Great Aunt went completely