The story of Emily Grierson is a tragic one. Born to a family who ôheld themselves a little too high for what they really wereö, Miss Emily has always been subject to the will of her father (Faulkner 624). Left penniless and alone after the death of her father, jilted by her betrothed, Miss Emily takes refuge in her home that becomes a source of mystery and intrigue to the townsfolk. When Miss Emily dies, the townsfolk discover that corpse of Homer Barron in her upstairs bedroom. Her isolation, jilting, and lack of control over her life have driven Miss Emily to murder. The story of Miss Emily demonstrates that failed love can do tragic things to the human soul.
We find out that Miss Emily is from one of the ôaugustö families in town, living in a home that was once admired but has become an eyesore of disrepair after years of neglect. We discover that despite her insistence on keeping up appearances about her ôhigh and mightyö family, Miss Emily is really a heartbroken old woman whose experiences in love have driven her to homicide. We see that Miss EmilyÆs obedience to her father in her youth has robbed her of any chance of finding real happiness in love. As the townsfolk think of her; ôWe remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people willö (Faulkner 624).
Because Miss Emily adhered to her fatherÆs dictates as a young woman, she has given up a number of chances for finding love. She did not have the will to break away from her fatherÆs control, something that respectable ladies from respectable families did not consider in her era. Because of this, she has become desperate to find love with a Yankee laborer, Homer Barron. Homer courts Miss Emily for some time, including a trip to the jewelers, which results in the townsfolk assuming the two will soon marry. However, one day Homer just disappears...