Emily's father is portrayed as a strict, oppressive figure who stifles her ability to grow as a woman by preventing young men from courting her. Throughout the short story, Emily's father has a significant influence on her, which is represented by the crayon portrait of him in front of the fireplace. Emily's relationship with her father is also represented by the tableau of the Grierson family, which depicts her father's silhouette in the foreground, standing with his back to her as he clutches a horsewhip. Throughout her life, Emily submits to her father's will and is profoundly affected by his domineering personality. Her father's overprotective nature prevents her from developing meaningful relationships with people outside of her family, which explains her reclusive nature. Following her father's death, Emily initially refuses to acknowledge that he is dead and rarely leaves her home. As a grown woman, Emily defies the social standards of Jefferson and searches for love by dating Homer Barron, a working-class Yankee. Her fear of losing another loved one results in her decision to kill Homer Barron. Overall, Emily's unstable mental state can be viewed as a result of growing up with a tyrannical father in an oppressive, austere home.
