William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily " reveals Emily as "a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town " (Faulkner 233). Having been the daughter of the captain, she saw herself very superior to the other people in the town. Simply flouting the laws, pretending that life altering events did not happen, and not taking the time to think about others defines her lifestyle. Emily's inability to face everyday reality leads us to understand the twisted death at the end.
In every city, it is a normal thing for everyone to have to pay their taxes every year. When the city council tries to civilly send a letter to Emily, saying that she must pay her taxes, she responds saying that she does not owe anything. Even after the city council shows up at her house, she still absolutely rejects their order. Everyone in the city has to pay their taxes, but Emily thinks she is above that. Once she wins the argument, it is proven that the people of the town are scared to stand up against her. If everyone went about these issues this way, no one would have to follow the rules, and there would be no organization. Yes, Emily's father was of great importance to the town, but that should not exempt her from paying taxes. This is the first time we see that she thinks she is of greater importance than the rest of the people in the town.
While it appears that Miss Emily is just ignorant, I think that her problem could run in the family. Emily had a great aunt, old lady Wyatt. The town remembered her being very outlandish. Emily seems to resemble her a lot. We do not learn what kind of crazy old Lady Wyatt exactly was, but it is said that the town thinks "the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were " (Faulkner 235). Between her great aunt, father, and herself being eccentric, I think that this is a hint of hereditary characteristics.
Emily grew up with her father, who was abnormally controlling over her life.
