William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," suggests that Emily was a victim of the values of the old South. Emily bucks the traditions of the south over and over again. Growing up, her father would shoot any man with whom she showed interest in developing a relationship. She was never really showed how to be respectful to men. Miss Emily came off as rude because she lacked the social skills that everyone else had in that time. In my opinion Emily is not a symbol of the Old South because she was the complete opposite of a traditional woman. I disagree with the idea of Emily Grierson being a symbol of the South because she did not have the traditional ways of a woman in that time period. Emily was no southern belle, she had her own traditions, she did things her way, and gave no explanation to no one. For example, the druggiest asks Emily what she needs arsenic for, "Miss Emily just stared at him, her head tilted back in order to look him eye for eye, until he looked away and went and got the arsenic and wrapped it up" (page number). Emily refused to answer his question even though it was the law. Another tradition of the south was to marry within ones class and maintain "nobless oblige" (247). Emily chose to date Homer Barron, a Yankee, a day laborer, which goes to show she doesn't follow traditions nor does she care what society has to say about it. Emily was sent a letter about not paying her taxes and she chose not to respond, so the city authorities had to show up at her door. Her voice was dry and cold. "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me. Perhaps one of you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves" (245). In this time period you did not speak to authorities like this, especially a female to a male, that was just unheard of, but Emily did not care. Miss Emily was a victim of the "old South" for several reasons, but the main one being that she was raised by her father. He was the onl