Miss Emily supposedly suffered from a type of mental illness that caused her to believe certain people to be alive that in reality were not. However, there is logical evidence throughout the story indicating that Miss Emily actually was aware that the people were dead but trued to hide it so that she could keep what was dear to her. For example, Miss Emily refuses to admit that she owes any taxes. When the mayor …showed first 75 words of 373 total…

…showed last 75 words of 373 total…townspeople to think her mad so that her house wouldn’t be taken. She was aware that the poison would kill her lover, and she wanted it that was so as not to be lonely. The author chooses the townspeople as the narrator so that we could know what society thought of her. The townspeople as well as the readers acted with sympathy to the alleged “crazy” old woman, which is exactly what she wanted.