William Faulkner uses the same setting in many of his stories. Because his great-grandfather had been "the prototype of the Southern gentleman" (William 3), Faulkner typically writes about the Old South. In "A Rose for Emily," Faulkner writes about the period following Reconstruction and the attitudes that people had toward each other. The attitudes of the ladies are especially true-to-life. The ladies of the town are the antagonists in the story because they are meddlesome and …showed first 75 words of 584 total…

…showed last 75 words of 584 total…drive Homer away. The women cause most of Emily's problems in the story. Because they can not stand the thought of her being prosperous and satisfied with life, they try to make her as miserable as they themselves are. Their interference and bitterness toward Emily probably make her feel like she has no friends. If they had shown her kindness as they should have, she perhaps would not have to resort to murder for companionship