A Rose For Emily

3 Pages 704 Words

The Character of Emily


In the story "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, Miss Emily is the main character, the protagonist. Several main points surface with regards to this character. It is apparent that Emily does not like change or advancements in technology. She cannot be alone as, it is evident, she always needs a man in her life. Emily’s family, the Grierson’s, are a prominent and wealthy family in town. Being a descendant of the Grierson family, Emily expects exceptions to be made for her and demands respect. Emily is a monument in the town; everyone knows of her and is always wondering what she is hiding.
When Miss Emily was thirty years old she appeared to be slender with haughty black eyes (Faulkner, 58). When she had been sick for a long time and came back her hair was short, which made her look young (57). Later in her life, Miss Emily had grown fat and her hair was turning gray, like pepper and salt iron gray (57). Her physical appearance seemed important, yet she was never described as being clean. She was presented in a way that left you wondering that something did not seem right about her. One thing never changed about Miss Emily's appearance; that being she always held her head high with dignity.
Emily Grierson had many notable traits. She was respected by the town and was known as an idol. Her personality traits painted a picture of her being better than others; as stated, none of the young men were good enough; she thinks she is better than everyone (57). When people came over, she did not ask them to sit down, coming across as being rude. She was very strong-minded; she would not let people bother her about her taxes. Miss Emily also had a lot of unusual or wretched traits. She was a hermit, never leaving her home; she kept herself secluded from outside her domain. Emily did not want to be alone even when her father died; she did not release the body for three days. She a...