The Dissection of Emily's Cadaver

A Rose for Emily

by William Faulkner

Oppression - In a way of wanting something you can never have

Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions or people, and anxiety.

• Oppressed by SELF 

- trying to rid oneself of the vices that we may or may not be born with. Vices that becomes termites in our tortured soul. There is a fear in our hearts that feeds in our self-esteem. But without it, we are nothing. If not all, then most of us strive to be better, but instead, our imperfect state oppresses oneself into damaging thoughts and putting it into action. Then our conscience eats from our guilt, like a forceful hand that slaps us to wake from our dreams and wake up to the reality that one can’t always get what we want. 

• Oppressed by her FATHER 

- Her father wants the best man for her. A her superior, he is authoritative to the point that his strictness has caused damaging thoughts to her self-esteem as well, which results in Emily in being isolated from society

• Oppressed by SOCIETY 

  - to merely conform to society, to be normal and accepted is all that Emily ever wanted. The society thought it was helpful or just being plain nice by giving her too much attention. but in fact, looking into every aspect of her life, the society is indirectly targeting her self-esteem and magnifying her fears to conform to society. by saying “poor Emily,” it gives her the fear of not being a part of “everybody.” 

Due to all these oppressions, Emily’s thoughts of what is “normal” is distorted. This results to shying away from the naked eye of the people from her neighborhood. It takes more factors to drive someone mad, to drive them to distance themselves, and to isolate themselves from the judgmental eyes of society. To satisfy or meet the expectations of society while appease or indulge the needs and desires of oneself. 

• Emily wants the love of her father, but instead he drives her and all of the other men who would like to build a life with her- away. 

• Emily wants to be accepted by society.  Instead, society set rules to whom should be accepted and who to shun away from the community. There is a thin line being famous and infamous. 

• Emily very much liked to love and be loved by a man. However, the man she loves loved another man, which is basically out of her control. 

Emily’s madness, her insanity was driven by her oppressed state. Her necrophilia was caused by her desperation to bond with another human being, to be in union and have an emotional and physical connection with another. Emily’s father, her vices, and the society were authoritative and exercised their power in proving Emily to be beneath or inferior to their lot in life. Thus, she felt lonely and pushed to the corner of depression and antisocial, which metamorphosed into mental instability, her insanity. The mental pressure to conform to society, be the best daughter to her father, and ridding of vices in order to love and be loved by a man were factors of Emily’s madness.