In a small town, gossip is vicious, and people stick their noses into your business, even if it is none of their business. In a small town, there is greater pressure to live up to other people's expectations. Because of the strain of trying to maintain his family's reputation as a rich, wealthy, respected family in town, Emily's father was too picky about who she should marry. He thought that "None of the young men were quite good enough." As a result, she lived a too-sheltered life and relied too much on him for love and affirmation. This made his death very difficult, and she had a hard time letting go. Her first strange episode of not letting her father's body go occurred because of this dependence. If her father had not been so concerned about the reputation of his family in the town, Emily might have been able to marry, and things might have been different.
Later, the townspeople viciously gossip about her and Homer Barron. Yet, she still went out with him. This would have made his rejection of her that much more difficult. How would she face the gossiping townspeople who would just say, "We knew it! We told you so!" and make Emily an object of fascinated pity again. It was a blow to Emily's pride--not only her personal pride, but the pride that she felt she had to hold up for the townspeople. That probably contributed to her freak out and succeeding murder.
Being a point of curiosity in a small town puts added pressure on you to appear happy, adjusted, and okay with the scrutiny of your life. Tragedy impacts not only you personally, but is paraded in front of your face as the entire town becomes obsessed with it. All of these things made things harder for Emily, and made her struggles seem that much more intensified. I hope that these thoughts help; good luck!
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