Emily Grierson Motive to Kill Homer Barron

William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is an intriguing tale of the life and death of Emily Grierson, who ends up killing her male companion, Homer Barron. A motive is not stated by the narrator, but when read critically a motive can be found. Several Literary critics have proposed different motives of why Emily Grierson killed Homer Barron. Some say that Homer was going to jilt Emily. Although homer was the not the marrying type, there is no evidence that homer was going to leave her. Another motive was that homer was gay. This motive was taken out of context; homer enjoyed being a bachelor, drinking with the guys at the local bar. Homer filled the void left by her Father, Mr. Grierson, since Homer and Mr. Grierson were very similar character. Yet, Homer probably never intended to marry Emily right away, since he was not the marrying type. Emily could not deal with another man leaving her alone. What can also be taken into consideration was that Emily had an image and the Grierson family name to uphold. I believe that Emily Grierson’s motive to kill Homer Barron is because Emily rather had been with a dead man instead of being by herself. Mr. Grierson was from the “old south”. Not much was said about him directly. An image by the narrator describes Mr. Grierson overprotecting Emily; “Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door…”(308) The Grierson were an upper class family in the town of Jefferson. He scared away any person trying to ask out Emily on a date. He prevented Emily to experience a normal life. All Mr. Grierson wanted was for Emily to stay as his housekeeper. In his critical essay, Jack Scherting uses Sigmund Freud Freudian Principal of Oedipal to describe Emily’s relationship and attachment with her father. Emily’s father, Mr. Grierson, compressed Emily sexual nature and in return Emily