Foil

Character Role Analysis

Homer Barron and Emily's Father

These guys must be foils. It's even easy to see why there could be confusion between the two characters. Both men have horsewhips. Both are shown as domineering. Homer might be playing northern to Emily's dad's southern, but this is hardly the point. The point is that North or South, both Emily's dad and Homer Barron are domineering men with horsewhips.

Miss Emily and Tobe

These two mirror each other all the way through the story. Neither of them ever marries or has a family. Both are completely isolated from everyone but the each other. Though they are both victims of the worst of southern traditions, they are victims in very different ways. Still, for these two people, all roads lead to isolation.