Class Struggles and the Psyche of Emily.
Deep within ourselves, lives the sub-conscious. Throughout our lives, our deepest, darkest desires push outward, determined to reach achievement. Like hot lava, obsessive urges seep out of us, inching closer to realization. Passion, the ultimate desire, can be ones greatest motivator and still be ones biggest isolator. Freud conceived that the wishes of the subconscious are repressed by the ego or consciousness (Coleman, p.352). The ego releases these urges through dreams, slip of tongue, and works of art (Sutherland, p.215). William Faulkner's work of art, A Rose for Emily describes the complex web of strife between people and their repressive connections despite different classes as the analysis of the main character, her lover, and her servant indicate. .
Emily, the main character, is a woman so strong that every other character's dysfunctionality stems partly from their involvement with her. She comes from an upper class family as her home and attitude assert; nevertheless, the struggle to stay in this class level is difficult as evident in her obsessive nature with class and her refusal and possible inability to pay taxes. Emily also has a family history of mental illness as obvious in the suicide of her great aunt. .
There is nothing said about Emily's mother which could suggest that her mother died or left, further adding to Emily's feelings of abandonment and loneliness. She is controlled by pride and loneliness. When her father died, severe psychological damage occurred in Emily's mind. For her, his death caused her sub-conscious to seek companionship and wished to grieve. Her consciousness reacted by using repression as a defense mechanism. This primal repression (Coleman, p.632) forbids wishes of the sub conscious to reach the consciousness. Ultimately, her want to feel sad was repressed by her refusal to accept her fathers death.
He is the new man in Emily's life. ... His strangeness further reveals Emily's eccentricities and perhaps even shows Emily's failure in her own eyes. ... Emily's cousins stay with her, but Emily does not reach out or connect with them.. ... This is Emily's breakdown. Because in the story, the reader knows that Emily dies, it is feared that Emily will kill herself. ...
Homer Barron was thought to be Emily's future husband. Unfortunately for Emily, Homer was not the marrying type. ... Her father scared away any gentlemen that called on Emily. ... After Emily died, a few of the townspeople went in to Emily's house. ... It shows that Emily could never let go of him. ...
Homer Barron was thought to be Emily's future husband. Unfortunately for Emily, Homer was not the marrying type. ... Her father scared away any gentlemen that called on Emily. ... After Emily died, a few of the townspeople went in to Emily's house. ... It shows that Emily could never let go of him. ...
"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner is set in a small Southern town during the post-Civil War era. ... It is not until the end of the story when Emily dies, that her murderous act is discovered. ... Emily's pride is a major contributor to her inability to change. Emily's stubborn nature is prevalent throughout the story. ... Emily's servant was her only company and even he never conversed with her. ...
In the short story, "A Rose for Emily- Faulkner describes how mysterious Emily's life is and how nothing is what it seems. First there is a watch that represents Emily's time of life. ... The invisible ticking watch that Emily wears represents time. ... Toby is always there for Emily. When Emily is sick Toby is always there for Emily. ...
However, he only creates thorns in Emily's life. ... Afraid of being alone, Emily desperately clings to her father's lifeless body. This reluctance is the first indicator of Emily's insanity. ... Infuriated and emotionally disturbed, Emily decides to poison Homer. ... The druggist breaks the law just because she is Emily Grierson. ...
There are many underlying themes in A Rose for Emily. ... Emily's father exhibits a great deal of control early in this story, which does a great deal of emotional damage to Emily later on. ... Her father does not think about what his actions may have done to Emily in the long run, nor do I feel that he was the best father he could have been to Emily. The townspeople exhibit a great lack of understanding and respect for Emily. ... Emily, for obvious reasons, is the focal point of the story. ...
An Essay for Emily "A Rose for Emily" by Willam Falkner is a short story about the life of a woman named Emily. ... Emily also guarded her fathers corpse for three days, refusing to believe he was dead. Emily refuses to accept change in her life. ... Emily closes herself off to the younger generation, refusing to acknowledge their existence. ... As she ages, Emily slowly shuts out the outside world out in favor of her own version of reality. ...
(Emily 352) Emily's mothers name was Emily Norcross Dickinson, she was a submissive timid woman. (Emily 352) Emily had an older brother and a younger sister. ... Over the years Emily grew very close to Susan, Emily considered her to be her best friend. Susan lived right next door to Emily; She was a very big influence in Emily's life. ... (Emily 352). ...
