At first glance William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" and Katherine Ann Porter's "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" don't seem to have much in common, but further examination shows stong similarities in both the protagonist. Although the plots, settings, and the themes are different, Granny Weatherall and Miss Emily share three distinct traits that make them alike. They are both very independent, extremely stubborn, and most of all, a man plays an important role in both their lives to alter it forever. .
Independence is probably Granny's strongest character trait. For the most part in the story Granny exhibits her preference to be alone. She also talks about how she has made it all these years. She asks Doctor Harry "Where were you forty years ago when I pulled through milk leg and double pneumonia? . I pay my own bills, and I don't throw my money away on nonsense!" This shows her independence as well as her strength that she can handle things on her own. Her strength is also shown through the fact that she has raised all her kids on her own after being treated badly by the people who she thought she loved.
Miss Emily on the other hand shows her independence by living alone all the years after her father's death. Miss Emily doesn't interact with the town people much, she keeps to herself and lives her life the way she wants, despite all the chatter that goes on behind her back. There is more evidence of her independence throughout the story. Miss Emily strolling into the pharmacy, demanding "I want some poison" and almost bullying the pharmacist into giving her the arsenic without any explanation. "Miss Emily just stared at him, her head tilted back in order to look him eye for eye, until he looked away and went and got the arsenic and wrapped it up." .
Granny Weatherall's stubborn nature is shown very early in the story. She starts out defying the doctor who comes to visit her, "Get along now, take your school books and go.
