Emily Grierson's Need for Control in A Rose For Emily In "A Rose For Emily" by William Faulkner, Emily Grierson is a woman who is used to being controlled by her father. When his father dies, he believes he has control over him. Forced to bury her father, Emily turns to her father's equivalent: Homer Barron. Emily soon discovers that Homer has no intention of staying, so she decides to kill him. By killing Homer, Emily believes she can keep and control him forever. Emily Grierson wants to be in control but feels she can't tame the domineering men in her life, at least not while they're alive, so she takes control of them after they die. One can clearly imagine shy Emily standing behind her imposing father. "Miss Emily is a slender figure in white in the background, her father a reclining figure in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a riding crop." Emily's father not only dominates the portrait but also dominates Emily. Emily's father watches her every move. She can't date anyone unless her father approves, but he never approves of any of the few men who show interest in her. “None of the young men were good enough for Miss Emily and things like that.” Unable to find a good enough suitor, Emily has no choice but to stay and take care of her housekeeper father. When her father dies, Emily cannot bury him because she feels she has finally tamed him. Emily's father can no longer control her. With his passing, Emily is now in control of her life and her father. The day after Emily's father dies, local women visit Emily. “Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and without a trace of pain on her face… in the middle of a sheet of paper… to keep with her forever.” saw Homer Barron." No one saw Homer alive again. Clearly, Emily was tired of being controlled by men, and although she couldn't control them while they were alive, she had complete control over them when they died. Thirty years after the death of Homer disappeared and after Emily's death, the villagers made a gruesome discovery; they found Homer's remains, proving that Emily had found a way to restrain him and control his smile." In fact, Emily supported her lover and controlled him for thirty years. Works Cited Faulkner, William. "A rose for Emily." The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Carl E. Bain, Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1991: 69-76.