Deep within ourselves, lives the sub-conscious. Throughout our lives, our deepest, darkest desires push outward, determined to reach achievement. Like hot lava, obsessive urges seep out of us, inching closer to realization. Passion, the ultimate desire, can be ones greatest motivator and still be ones biggest isolator. Freud conceived that the wishes of the subconscious are repressed by the ego or consciousness (Coleman, p.352). The ego releases these urges through dreams, slip of tongue, and works of art (Sutherland, p.215). William Faulkner’s work of art, A Rose for Emily describes the complex web of strife between people and their repressive connections despite different classes as the analysis of the main character, her lover, and her servant indicate.

Emily, the main character, is a woman so strong that every other character’s dysfunctionality stems partly from their involvement with her. She comes from an upper class family as her home and attitude assert; nevertheless, the struggle to stay in this class level is difficult as evident in her obsessive nature with class and her refusal and possible inability to pay taxes. Emily also has a family history of mental illnes

The life of Homer also proves very interesting. His own psyche shows dysfunction in a different class. Emily’s lover was of the working middle class, a different one from her own. Although aging, his refusal to get married showed conflicts in his own mind that was not resolved. His preference to be around youth and men suggest conflicts with his relationship with Emily. These conflicts could be many things including the difference in

class or even his uncertainty with his own sexuality. Homer obviously was attracted to Emily’s dominance as it was one of her strongest traits. Perhaps he was embarrassed by that want and repressed it by spending time with other men of which he may assert his dominance. Regardless, Emily represented something that caused him internal conflict.

More internal conflict occurs with the third character, Emily’s servant Tobe. His loyal characteristics to Emily (i.e. - refusal to speak to the city people about her) suggest his own admiration of her. The only person Emily dates is someone in a class lower then hers, despite her obsessive nature to maintain upper class characteristics. This suggests her passion towards people of a lower class. It is therefore possible that Tobe and Emily loved each other very much. This would again support the fact that Emily needs to be dominant in the relationships she enters. The most interesting evidence of their relationship is his name. Throughout the story, the servant i

Some topics in this essay:
Rose Emily, Emily Deep, Regardless Emily, Rose Emily”, Tobe Emily, William Faulkner’s, repression defense, sub conscious, repression defense mechanism, ultimately feel, obsessive nature, emily’s lover, upper class, internal conflict, defense mechanism, main character, mind death,