Student Question

Where does the narrator imply that Emily killed her father in "A Rose for Emily"?

Quick answer:

The narrator in "A Rose for Emily" does not explicitly imply that Emily killed her father. Most interpretations suggest Emily deeply revered her father despite his controlling nature, which makes the idea of her murdering him unlikely. However, some critics speculate that her refusal to let the townspeople take his body for three days might hint at a cover-up, though this is more commonly seen as her inability to let go of him.

Expert Answers

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I have never read this story that way.  It doesn't seem feasible that Emily would murder her father when she worshiped and obeyed him so.  Obviously, she was unhappy with him for running off all her potential husbands, but would she really kill him over this?  I don't think so.  She was brought up in a strict Southern Aristocratic lifestyle and daddy ruled the roost.  The reason she wouldn't let the community in after her father's death was that she couldn't allow the only constant in her life for so many years to just leave her.  She was being shocked into reality...whatever that was for her...and she couldn't deal with it. 

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I've never interpreted the story with the belief that Emily killed her father; however, others may have.  I would suggest looking at the eNotes guide on this story under "Criticism" for further information.  You can also consult the Gale Reference Series for literature for possible information about this.

A possible implication may be that Emily did not let the townspeople in the house to get her father's body for about 3 days.  Some critics would say that she didn't do this because she simply couldn't let go.  Others might say she did this because she was covering up the murder and perhaps having Tobe clean up after it.  

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