Emma Pillsbury

Emma Pillsbury

68
    Glee
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Character Analysis

(Avoiding Spoilers)

Grew Up… with ginger supremacist parents, Rusty and Rose. It was truly an uncomfortable childhood. Emma has a sister and a brother, though she rarely mentions them. A childhood incident resulted in her having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and she has since been compelled to clean constantly.

Living… by herself in Lima, Ohio, in a freakishly clean and organized home.

Profession… high school guidance counselor at McKinley High. Emma loves what she does and is very good at her job. Perhaps because she understands what it means to suffer, she’s excellent at helping others with their problems. She’s very organized (surprise!) and is constantly making new pamphlets with interesting titles and fun illustrations for nearly any and every problem or situation. Many students voluntarily come to her for advice, and if she encounters a student mid-crisis she’s often seen exclaiming, “Let’s have a little chat, OK?!”

Interests… cleaning. In her own words, “I’m a girl who knows her solvents.” Oh, and organizing, or does that go under cleaning?

Relationship Status… single. But it’s clear that Emma has a massive crush on Will Schuester (a fellow teacher at McKinley High) and that Will has feelings for her. Because Will is married, though, the pair try to keep their relationship as professional and friendly as possible. 

Challenge… hiding her very obvious feelings for Will. Emma likes Will because in addition to being extraordinarily kind and good looking, he listens to what she has to say and understands when she confesses about having her OCD compulsions. He can also sing and dance – he’s the head of the glee club for a reason – which never hurts any. 

Personality… kind, quiet, empathetic, and prim. Emma is perfect for her job since she is excellent at giving advice. She seems to instinctively know when to be stern with someone and when to simply be kind, quiet, and just listen to what the other person has to say.  

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