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Jennelle John-Lewis
Mrs. Pettay
English 112
20 May 2016
A Rose for Emily Literary Analysis: Gender Perspective
Emily Grierson, the protagonist in A Rose for Emily is the prime example of a male
dominated societys views and aspersions of women. A Rose for Emily explores Miss Emily,
who otherwise raised could conceivably be a bold outspoken character is bogged down by the
environment she grew up in, most notably by the men she has been surrounded by.
The story takes place in the Old South which is an era and area of male dominated
ideals, feminine restraint, and racist attitudes. While the women in the story are not necessarily
treated badly, it comes across they they are not nearly as respected. In the first paragraph the
author states the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women
mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house. This sentence in itself sets the stage for
the roles throughout the story. Men are equated to respect while women are equated to curiosity.
However, this is not a new ideal. Since biblical times we have seen this correlation. Take for
example Adam and Eve. Adam, the prodigal son of God created is His vision of himself obeys
Him when asked not to eat fruit from the forbidden tree. On the other hand, Eve, created by God
for Adam is curious and eats the fruit of the forbidden tree and ends up getting them both
excommunicated from the Garden of Eden. This key distinction is important for the story. Along
with a stereotype of being gossipy, none of which are significant aside from Miss Emily which
brings in the question of a possible fear of female dominance in the author.

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Traditional gender roles are closely followed in this story. The man being recognized as
the so called breadwinner, while the female assumes the role of the caregiver and has less
authority in the grand scheme of things. Further solidifying these roles, the text offers, Just as if
any man could keep a kitchen properly. This quote asserts that the womans role is in the
kitchen, which is why a man would not be able to keep a kitchen properly.
Renee Curry raises another important point about the credibleness of certain characters
based upon gender. Although Miss Emily is the only significant female character that exists in
the story, while several specific and uniquely important male characters exist, there are a few
female characters who do weigh some bit of importance throughout. Curry, from the text brings
up the situation of the smell in Miss Emilys house. The initial complaint of the foul order
coming from Miss Emilys home is a complaint by a female neighbor, to whom the Mayor
replies, It wont be necessary. Meaning that it will not be necessary to put a stop to the odor
protruding from Miss Emilys home, however, shortly after the same complaint is brought to the
attention of the Mayor by a man to which the response is different. Once the man made a
complaint action was taken and after holding a meeting it was decided that the men go deal with
the issue themselves. Only after a man made a complaint was the issue taking seriously, which
again speaks to the respect of man and the curiosity of women.
Curry also raises the question of the gender of the narrator. The narrator remains bisexual
because it allows for more effective storytelling. By leaving the narrator genderless, Curry
explains, the narrator is not obligated to tell the story through disengendered eyes. There is no
bias against or for Miss Emily, its simply effective story telling. Curry also attests that the
creation of a bisexual narrator on part of the author helps to ease the attitudes of the authorship.
Faulkner, the author of A Rose for Emily, has set this story in a time era where women are

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inherently powerless and authority rests in the hands of the men. While, Faulkners story
confines Miss Emily, the narrator allows Emily to grow and live her life trying to avoid the
confines that are placed upon her. Miss Emily is a single woman and has been all her life which
is atypical of a female in the Old South. Not only is she single, but even after her father dies
although she is devastated, she is able to carry on. Faulkner did make a point of having Miss
Emily break down after her father passes, however the effective story telling and bisexuality of
the narrator allow Miss Emily to carry on as a strong character.
Miss Emily however is not the only person who tests the gender bounds of this story.
Homer Barron who spends quite a bit of time with Miss Emily also raises questions in this story
regarding sexuality and gender roles. Judith Caesar, writer at the American University of
Sharjah, explores a theory of Homer Barron potentially being homosexual. Stated in the text
Homer, was not the marrying type. Homer, did not want to be domesticated into family life.
And he enjoyed drinking with younger men at the Elks Club. Men of the Old South would
typically make it priority to find themselves a wife and then have children (preferably strapping
young boys), however Homer does not share these desires which raises questions. The fact that
he drinks with younger men at the Elks Club is an allusion to other stories which include an
older closeted man finding company in younger more promiscuous gentlemen. In ABCs
Scandal, Cyrus Bean does the very same thing and has an affair with a younger gentleman
although he is publically married to a woman. Homer Barrons public outings with Miss Emily
are possibly just to hide the fact that he prefers the company of men. In this way, we see Miss
Emily being used as a beard to Homer and it is possible that she kills him when she realizes
that this is the truth and that is why he will not marry her. Although, Homer and Miss Emily

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seems to be level headed individuals, their relationship and that tension proves to be toxic and
leads to Homers death and Miss Emilys down fall.
A Rose for Emily truly shows how certain expected gender roles and confine and
hinder individuals, not just Miss Emily the storys protagonist, but the Old South and its
expectations can also prove to be negative on the people who live within its confines. Women
today struggle to express the boldness and individuality that Miss Emily fought to have, and to
this day there are still people trying to keep them down. However, in the time since A Rose for
Emily, women have become more influential, credible, and successful which is something that
would never have happened in the Old South. While times are improving women still make 79
cents to each dollar men make, so while women are still bogged down even out of the Old South,
they are still making strides to expand their roles outside of the kitchen and expand their rights
outside of its boundaries.

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Works Cited

Caesar, Judith. "Faulkners Gay Homer, Once More." The Explicator 68.3 (2010): 195-98. Print.