In "A Rose for Emily," what is the main idea?

"A Rose for Emily" is certainly one of those stories that
is hard to forget. The shocking conclusion, when the decaying body of Homer is found, is
horrible indeed, making the story an American gothic tale. In this respect, the main
idea of the story would be that Emily Grierson was quite
mad.

In Faulkner's hands, however, the story becomes much
more complex. It becomes an examination of Emily's Southern culture, as well as her sad
life. Through the voice of the narrator, "the town" itself becomes a character in the
story. The people of Jefferson, acting collectively, are "the town." As the narrator
relates how "the town" thinks and what "the town" does, the reader comes to understand
the terrible weight of social convention and Southern tradition that has directed and
controlled Emily's entire life. The idea that comes from Faulkner's portrait of life in
Jefferson is that Southerners are held prisoners of the past, particularly those like
Emily Grierson who bear the name of old, genteel
families.

Considered in its entirety, Faulkner's story
develops the idea that individuals live complex, hidden interior lives, with the truth
masked by appearances.