Mental Illness In Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” tells the story of a woman named Emily Grierson that has a mental illness to which she lives in the South where a rigid lifestyle will determine the expectations regarding a person’s behavior and the way society will them. Miss Emily is the daughter of a wealthy upper-class gentleman who is influential to the community. Many accommodations are made for Miss Emily’s extraordinary behaviors due to Mr. Grierson’s standing within his community. Miss Emily’s marriage to Homer Barron is seen as a disgrace in the “Old South” lifestyle because of her husband is a Northerner and day laborer. Miss Emily sees her marriage as a way to redeem herself as being seen as a housewife. Miss Emily being seen as a housewife is expected as the sole purpose of a woman in the “Old South” society. Miss Emily represents women in the “Old South” society who are unable to find happiness because of the lifestyles set by the general society, which prevents Miss Emily of seeking medical help. While reading Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”, readers can easily …show more content…
African-Americans are seen as sub-humans, oppressed, greatly mistreated and enslaved. As you read Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”, readers will come across extreme prejudice and racism as seen the short story. “They were admitted by the old Negro into a dim hall from which a stairway mounted into still more shadow” (Faulkner). The author shows his intentions with the use of the derogatory term “negro”. Even after the Civil War and slaves are given his/her freedom, African-Americans are still oppressed for basic human rights. Racism is still around in the “New South” but is slowly diminishing one day at a time. In the “New South”, everyone is entitled to basic human rights no matter race, gender, or