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The townspeople
The “big, dark, ready” foreman of a construction company that arrives in Jefferson to pave the sidewalks, Homer is from the North but nonetheless becomes popular in town, a social drinker at the local Elks’ Club. His presence in Jefferson suggests the reunification of North and South after the Civil War, and he himself is an agent of progress and industrialization in a heretofore rigidly conservative community. Indeed, even Miss Emily falls for his charms, and the two become romantically involved with one another, riding together on Sundays in Homer’s “yellow-wheeled buggy” despite the townspeople’s judgmental gossip about his connection to the genteel Southern Miss Emily. However, Homer is “not a marrying man.” So, desperate to keep him with her, Miss Emily poisons Homer and keeps his corpse in her house, a ghastly husband indeed; it is evident that she lies next to and even embraces his rotting flesh.
Homer Barron Quotes in A Rose for Emily
The A Rose for Emily quotes below are all either spoken by Homer Barron or refer to Homer Barron. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Section 3
Quotes
At first we were glad that Miss Emily would have an interest, because the ladies all said, “Of course a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a day laborer.” But there were still others, older people, who said that even grief could not cause a real lady to forget noblesse oblige—without calling it noblesse oblige.
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Section 5
Quotes
For a long time we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him.
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Homer Barron Quotes in A Rose for Emily
The A Rose for Emily quotes below are all either spoken by Homer Barron or refer to Homer Barron. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Section 3
Quotes
At first we were glad that Miss Emily would have an interest, because the ladies all said, “Of course a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a day laborer.” But there were still others, older people, who said that even grief could not cause a real lady to forget noblesse oblige—without calling it noblesse oblige.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Section 5
Quotes
For a long time we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
