There are many important external factors and influences that govern people's lives and the way they live, for instance, one's position in society and reputation within it establish the social hierarchy; the social values, beliefs and customs maintained in the community determine how a person is judged; and the general environment that surrounds the subject resolves his or her views and perceptions on life. In "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner these factors ultimately mold the development of the short story.The main character, Miss Emily, is greatly influenced from her early childhood through the first half or so of her life by her father. After her father dies, instead of living ...view middle of the document...
Although her reputation is tarnished, she maintains her dignity because of her once pompous lineage. She is perceived to have a devil-may-care attitude toward what the townspeople think of her; she does not care for what they say when her father dies or when the minister approaches her to counsel her relationship with Homer. Miss Emily finds love with Homer and in a way breaks her reputation of dismissing men who approach her because they may not be good enough for her or are in accord with her late father's principles.The community that the story is based in is a traditional post civil war southern town; they maintain their views on sex, race and social status. Miss Emily is part of the higher class and therefore, when she starts to see Homer, it is not well seen in the eyes of the town villagers. The community controls how her relationship with Homer - and perhaps any other previous relationships - unfolds, they either approve or disapprove.Miss Emily is surrounded by a compelling environment that controls her life in some way in spite of all the effort she makes to live as apart and distant as she can from it. Miss Emily's father creates a singular environment for his daughter which determines the lifestyle that she runs, Emily does not choose this or to be this way, at least until after her father dies. She leads a life of solitude as if not to suffer the pain of the townspeople as they mock her and her way of life. There is a clash between how her own environment revol...
