Who is Emily Grierson from Collected Stories of William Faulkner and what is their importance?

Emily Grierson is a peculiar lady who lives in an old Victorian style house in Jefferson. As she ages Emily leaves her house less and less yet she is well-known to all who live in Jefferson. One of the last times she was seen, she had become an overweight elderly lady who walked with the aid of a cane. As a young woman, she is described as being attractive but haughty like the rest of her family. There is also a history of mental illness in Emily's family. She never marries although members of town had high hopes she would marry the northern paver who courted her.