The Role of Men in: "A Rose for Emily" A Rose for Emily William Faulkner

In the short story A Rose for Emily, Faulkner uses the role of male figures in Emily's life to provide important character traits. The two men in her life, her father, Mr. Grierson and her boyfriend Homer Barron lead her to become a shelled up, introverted and mysterious woman. Emily's father is her first and most influential male figure, providing the foundation for her "insane"-type behavior in later years. Homer Barron comes along later …

…result of the way her father brought her up. She clings so tightly and is so needy of the men that she is unable to fathom life without them. She did not choose to be this way, nor did she desire to be so dependent on them. The strict, overpowering demeanor of Miss Emily's father stuck with her for her entire life and eventually led to her failure to become a successful and mature woman.