This research analyzes the psychological defense mechanisms portrayed by the main characters in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat and William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily through a psychoanalytic lens. This research employs a qualitative descriptive research method using a psychoanalytic literary approach. By applying Sigmund Freud’s theory of defense mechanisms, this study aims to uncover the unconscious strategies used by the characters to cope with internal conflicts and traumatic experiences. The analysis identifies several key defense mechanisms such as denial, repression, projection, and displacement within the narratives. In The Black Cat, the narrator demonstrates pathological denial and projection as a way to displace guilt and justify his violent behavior. Meanwhile, Miss Emily in A Rose for Emily represses reality and isolates herself in order to avoid confronting change and loss. The findings reveal how psychological defenses shape each character’s behavior and ultimately lead to tragic consequences. This study highlights the relevance of psychoanalytic theory in literary analysis, particularly in understanding the complexity of human behavior in fiction.