Emily's Downward Spiral: An Analysis of “A Rose for Emily” In William Faulkner's short story “A Rose for Emily”, the main character of the story is Miss Emily Grierson. To analyze and examine his character it is almost impossible not to look at the psychological aspect. Through the narration of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily", Miss Emily's behavior and character are revealed to be absolutely strange by any average standard of characters. A few days after burying Miss Emily's body, the residents of Jefferson come to Grierson's house to open a particular room upstairs, which has not been seen or entered in recent years. Miss Emily has kept this room closed to others for at least 40 years. When the door finally opens, the townspeople are completely shocked and in disbelief at the sight right before their eyes and say, “For a while we stood there looking at the deep, gaunt smile” (36). In an advanced state of decomposition, Homer Baron's body lies in bed, and on the chair are his neatly folded suit and two silent shoes: clothing and objects ready for an imminent wedding. Bystanders comment that the room is “frozen in time” (37). Next to her corpse is a pillow with an indentation of a head where a lock of Miss Emily's gray hair lies. Conclusion: Miss Emily has been living and sleeping with a corpse for many years. What caused Miss Emily's bizarre behavior? While alive, the community views the Griersons as a “hereditary obligation” to the city (32). Miss Emily lived in a once-exclusive neighborhood located on a once-selected street in the city. He comes from a very wealthy family in their small southern community. The townspeople have always believed that Emily's family was... the middle of paper... a survival mechanism. The real theme of Faulkner's “A Rose for Emily” is about societal pressures and how they can bring people down. Miss Emily lacks adaptive coping skills to help her deal with enormous stressors and for this reason is susceptible to the onset of mental illness. Works cited American Psychiatric Association. Quick reference to DSM IV diagnostic criteria. Washington: American Psychiatric Association, 1994. McLeod, Saul. "Defense Mechanisms". - Simply psychology. Np, 2008. Web. 09 December 2013. Smith, Melinda, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. “Coping with Grief and Loss.” : Grief and bereavement support. Np, nd Web. 09 December 2013.Smith, Nicole. "Psychological Analysis of the Character of Miss Emily in Faulkner's “A Rose for Emily.” Article Myriad. Np, 06 December 2011. Web. 09 December. 2013.