A Rose For Emily: Characters

Emily Grierson is the main character of the story. She  is the last surviving member of an old Southern family. The narrator compares her to an “idol in a niche…dear, inescapable, imperious, tranquil and perverse”. Emily is born to a proud, aristocratic family sometime during the Civil War; her life in many ways reflects breaking up of the Old South during the reconstruction and the earlies twentieth century. Her father plays an importing part in shaping her character, because he chases away all her potential husbands, because none of them are “good enough”. However she later causes a scandal when she falls in love with Homer Barron, a workman, who is from lower social class. Such relations were unacceptable in her society. So, the town’s traditions drive Miss Emily mad and force her into unhuman act of killing Homer.

Personally I don’t condemn her for her action, she was afraid that Homer would leave her and the town would mock her. And the Faulkner attitude is as following: “ I feel sorry for Emily’s tragedy: her tragedy was she was an only child, an only daughter; at the time when she could have found a husband, could have had a life of her own, there was probably some one, her father, who said “No, you must stay here and take care of me”. I pity Emily. I don’t know whether I would have liked or not, I might have been afraid of her. Nor of her but of anyone who had suffered, had been warped, as her life had probably been warped be a selfish father.”

Homer Barron a foreman from the North. Large man with a dark complexion, a booming voice, and light-colored eyes. A gruff and demanding boss, he also wins many admires in Jefferson because of his sociable nature and good sense of  humor. She develops interest in Emily and soon townspeople view him as a poor, if not scandalous, choice for a male. He disappeared in Emily’s hause…

Mr. Grierson – Emily’s father. Controlling father, he wanted the best for her daughter especially the best husband for her.

Tobe – Emily’s servant. He dutiful cares for her and tends to her need. After Emily’s death he walks out of the back door and never returns.