A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

Gender is the social construction of men’s and women’s tasks, obligations, and aspirations of society. It is crucial in deciding the relationship between all genders in society. In William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily, the author illustrates the socioeconomic disparity between men and women depending on their gender. He accomplishes this by stressing Emily’s plight at the hands of her father. Gender expectations and obligations, according to the speaker, have a significant impact on people’s actions and decisions. For instance, he focuses on the manner in which Emily’s father- Mr. Grierson, controls her against her will and manipulates her decisions until the he dies (Baym et al., 2160).

Such actions as controlling her social life by deciding for her who she should date; is evidence that she is oppressed by the father because she is a woman. This is an example of several other plights that women experience in the society because of their gender according in view of the piece. It is also an evidence that women are expected to oblige and be submissive to men despite of their wishes. For example, Emily is obliged to abide by her father’s wish to date another man instead of the one she is interested in. Similarly, the author portrays men as the decision makers and the custodians of policies and laws in the society. This argument is evident in the fact that Mr. Grierson imposes rules and exercises authority over his daughter-Emily. As such, one may argue that the phenomenon of gender is indeed critical in the actions and decisions that individuals make in the society.

Work Cited

Baym, Nina, et al. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 6th ed. NY: W.W. & Co., 2003.