Introduction
A Rose for Emily is a famous short story by William Faulkner. It has many controversial and grim themes that have attracted substantial commentary and analysis. One such theme is the oppression and victimization imposed upon the characters of Emily Grierson, Homer Barron, and Tobe. In light of the circumstances surrounding their lives, I see the character of Emily as the primary victim of the story.
Plot Summary
A Rose for Emily depicts the story of Emily Grierson, an eccentric aristocrat, through an unnamed narrator. He explains the events and circumstances of Emily’s life, including her odd relationships with her father and Homer Barron, her lover. Another person Emily often comes in contact with is Grierson’s Black servant, Tobe, who tends to their family’s house.
At some point, Homer Barron stops appearing in town and is believed to have returned to his original home in the north. After Barron’s disappearance, Emily’s contact with townspeople ceases until she dies at 74 (Faulkner VI). Only then is it discovered that Emily has poisoned Homer and kept his corpse in her bedroom.
Emily Grierson
Most discussions of the short story center around Miss Emily Grierson – an object of the town’s intense scrutiny, gossip, and speculation. On the outside, she exhibits the stereotypical qualities of the aristocratic southern woman. However, it strongly contrasts with her dark secrets that form the basis and climax of the story.
The story’s grim discovery suggests that Emily is a necrophiliac. Typically, necrophilia implies a sexual attraction to dead bodies (Kumar 607). In a broader sense, however, the term describes a strong desire to control another person in a profoundly personal or romantic relationship (Kumar 609). Thus, by taking Homer’s life, Emily can finally satisfy her obsessive desire.
Homer Barron
Homer, akin to Emily, is considered a stranger, an outsider, and a subject of gossip. Homer is different from the rest of the townspeople because he is a Northerner, while the story occurs shortly after the Civil War in the American South. In addition, he is a simple day laborer, which breeds speculations regarding his Sunday outings with Emily, a representative of a higher social class.
Emily becomes attracted to Homer due to his ability to stand out from the townsfolk. However, Homer cannot fully answer Emily’s feelings due to his commitment issues: according to the narrator, “he was not a marrying man” (Kumar IV). This, combined with his profound impact on Emily’s life, has, in many ways, determined his fate.
Tobe
Tobe tends to be the least noticeable of a few people in constant contact with Emily. It is known that he was Grierson’s cook, gardener, and also acted as their retainer. Tobe remained loyal to Emily and fiercely respected and protected her privacy.
It can be seen in Tobe’s unwillingness to provide details of Emily’s life to the townspeople, even during her years of isolation. His last appearance in the story is when he lets people into Grierson’s house shortly after Emily’s funeral. After that, he leaves the house through the back door and is never seen again.
Oppression and Victimization
In my opinion, the primary victim in the story is Emily Grierson. Undoubtedly, the fate of Homer Barron is unenviable, to say the least. In turn, one can endlessly speculate on what occurred in Tobe’s head as he tended to Emily, being fully aware of her actions. Nevertheless, these characters’ decisions were primarily driven by their own will, which is not true for Emily.
Mr. Grierson’s overprotective tendencies robbed her of opportunities for socialization and everyday life (Danese 239). The disruptive psychological patterns initially forced upon Emily became her “new” normality. Thus, Emily’s condition was not her fault, which makes the oppression she received from the townspeople groundless. Consequently, I consider Emily Grierson the actual victim of the circumstances.
Conclusion
Childhood traumatic experiences have, in many ways, predetermined Emily Grierson’s future life. If not for her father’s behavior, she might have had a chance to fit in with the townspeople, form proper relationships, and avoid total isolation. In this regard, she is much more exposed to circumstances than Homer and Tobe, which is why I consider her character the most victimized in A Rose for Emily.
Works Cited
Danese, Andrea. “Annual Research Review: Rethinking childhood trauma‐new research directions for measurement, study design and analytical strategies.” Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, vol. 61, no.3, 2020, pp. 236-250.
Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily. Perfection Learning, 1990.
Kumar, Pradeep, Sushma Rathee, and Rajiv Gupta. “Necrophilia: An Understanding.” The International Journal of Indian Psychology, vol. 7, no.2, 2019, pp.607-616.