A Rose for Emily was a little decieving at first. The beginning of this story portrayed a women whom was somewhat forced to stay single by a possessive father who didn't want to lose his daughter. Leaving the reader to feel sympathy for Emily. It wasn't until later in the story where you began to see that this story was about fear and insanity. Fear of change and fear of being alone, and because of this fear it lead to insanity. Things in the town were growing up, new factories and many changes with the people's beliefs, the "old" south was becoming the "new" south. Emily regressed after her father's death and continued to stay homebound.
It wasn't until she met Homer Barron that she seemed to change. However, Homer was a northern laborer, and a homosexual. That's when I believe the insanity began. Once again a fear of change, the fear of losing Homer and being left alone once again, she decided to poison him.
Feeling that if she couldn't have him alive she thought she could keep him with her if he were dead, so she killed him. Because of her seclusion no one really knew just how bad it was. Not until her death did the truth come out about Homer. It is clear that all Emily wanted out of life was to be loved and have some companionship. Without these things she seemed to lose a sense of reality.