Barn Burning "Barn Burning" is a sad story because it very clearly shows the classical struggle between the "privileged" and the "underprivileged" classes. Time after time emotions of despair surface from both the protagonist and the antagonist involved in the story. This story outlines two distinct protagonists and two distinct antagonists. The first two are Colonel Sartoris Snopes ("Sarty") and his father Abner Snopes ("Ab"). Sarty is the protagonist surrounded by his father antagonism
In "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner, Sarty Snopes is a young, poor boy who is caught in a moral dilemma. He struggles tremendously between staying loyal to his family and remaining true to his own morals. Sarty's idealized image of his father, as well as his loyalty to his own blood, restrains Sarty (in the beginning of the story) from turning his father in to the authorities for his crime. His strong sense of moral direction, however, weighs heavily on his mind throughout the story and compels
in the book. The story, “Barn Burning”, by William Faulkner gives an interesting title, to an even more interesting story. “Barn Burning”, is the story of a young boy, Sarty, who grows up in the post civil-war era. His father, Abner, was a rebel. As he went by , people would say, “Barn Burner”(340). At first without reading the story, there are different hypotheses on what the story actually means. But the title of the story gives more an ideal, than just a barn burning. The title of this story is
In William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” Colonel Sartoris Snopes must decide either to stand with his father and compromise his integrity, or embrace honesty and morality and condemn his family. This is a difficult decision to make, especially for a ten year old boy that has nothing outside of what his father provides. Sarty’s decision to ultimately betray his father is dependent on his observation of Abner’s character and the conflict he feels concerning Abner. “Barn Burning” opens with a trial in
Barn Burning “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner was written in the ebb of the 1930’s in a decade of social, economic, and cultural decline. This story offers insight into the past years for students to learn of the nation and the South. This story shows the racial segregation that took place in these times between the white landowners and white tenant farmers, the blacks and the whites, and the poor white trash class and the blacks. The Snopes’s family was in the social class of the
Peter Sackett-Ferguson Ms. Upson English 373 8-9A 25.4.14 Burning Bridges: the Application of “Barn Burning” in the Junior English canon “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” - William Faulkner One of the most prominent ideas in the study of history is the belief that history repeats itself and past trends can be applied to modern events as if it were a cycle. Around the world, countless empires and cultures have risen and fallen, often following the same course through the process, and the
William Faulkner’s ‘Barn Burning’, is the tale a young man, by the name of Colonel “Sarty” Sartoris Snopes and his father, Abner “Ab” Snopes, and the difference between right and wrong. The story commences in a courtroom, where Ab is on trial for burning a barn. Young Sarty is called to the stand to testify as to what took place, until the plaintiff told the judge he didn’t want him to question the young child. However, Sarty was unsure of the decision he would make if he was questioned. Sarty was
Although there are a various themes that exist within William Faulkner’s Barn Burning, nevertheless the primary theme that I will focus on is loyalty to family, to include loyalty over what is morally appropriate. Abner Snopes was a strict and controlling husband, father and he hung onto his war heroics to impose his will on his family and the unjust of social and economic inequality (Dermot, 2014). Although, the majority of his family has come to understand that is what is expected of them to remain
Struggle for Morality In the short story “Barn Burning” by author William Faulkner, the story follows a very young boy by the name of Colonel Sartoris Snopes, or Sarty for short. Is the main character in this tale of a moral boy with a very cold and vindictive father who possesses very little morality. The story starts with Sarty being asked to testify against his father in a barn burning incident and right away Sarty’s inner thoughts about truth, justice, and loyalty to family are tested. Sarty’s
In his story “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner portrays how Sarty must choose between being utterly loyal to his father and choosing his own path to manhood. Abner embodies a powerful presence in Sarty's life as he appears to wield all power and control in his life. His desire to maintain control over Sarty is reflected in the symbol of fire. Fire symbolizes Abner's ability to forge a feeling of total dominance from the fires he builds. It also symbolizes his desire to violently impose his will on
“Barn Burning” by William Faulkner was written in the late 1800’s, and it is short story dealing with slavery. This was a time when colored people were mistreated and thought of as “slaves”. Faulkner chooses to use this kind of language to show to the reader that the characters were not educated at all. The simple title of “Barn Burning” fits the story exceptionally well, as the story is about the antagonist, Abner Snopes, burning a barn. In the late 1800’s people had simpler times, and Faulkner
William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” is based around the late 1890s, where the family unit is one of the most important aspects of the household. The father of the household is the “breadwinner” and essentially runs the home. All decisions are made by him and no one is to question his authority. “You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you” (184). Previous to making this statement, Sarty was about to betray his family and tell that indeed it was
“Barn Burning” (1939) is a short story by William Faulkner belonging to the Southern Gothic genre, which was defined by the consequences of the American Civil War and the Ordeal for Reconstruction. This story deals with the internal conflict of Sartoris, who must choose between loyalty to his family or justice. Despite the story focusing on this inner conflict, some scholars believe that the father is the protagonist since without his actions – burning the barns – there is no story. The aim of this
Sheetz 1 Sarah Sheetz Ms. Rosenberger English 4 October 17, 2016 Faulkner’s Self Help Book In “Barn Burning,” Faulkner illustrates a boy’s coming to age story, including his struggle in choosing whether to stand by in the midst of his father’s destructive cycle of spiteful burning or stand up for his own belief in civic duty. While most readers do not relate to having a father that habitually burns others’ belongings in a strange power scheme, readers relate to the struggle between blood ties and
For instance, when the story opens, Snopes is being accused of burning down the barn of a Mr. Harris. After being warned, by Mr. Harris, to keep the hog in the pen and after giving Snopes wire to fix the pen, it escapes. Mr. Harris becomes angry when he sees “the wire I gave him still rolled on to the spool in his yard” As a result, he wants Snopes to pay him for the hog’s return. Snopes does pay but he sends a “ . . . came with the dollar and got the hog. He said, ‘Wood and hay kin burn.’ I said
William Faulkner is concerned with the south and its problems with black slavery. The issues in Barn Burning deal with the conflict between father and son. The theme of this story focuses on justice. The boy, Sarty, objects to his father burning barns and wants people to be treated fairly. His father, Abner, believes his son should respect and support kin. Abner thinks family is right no matter what. Faulkner’s intent is to show that choosing between one’s own family and justice is very difficult
Use of Blood in “Barn Burning” “Barn Burning” is about the struggle of a boy to do what is right during the Post Civil War era. The main character, Sartoris Snopes, is a poor son of a migrant tenant farmer. In the opening scene he is being asked by a circuit judge about the burning of a farmer’s barn by his father. The boy does not tell on his father and is not forced to do so, but he thinks that he would have done so had he been asked. The father, Abner Snopes, served in the Civil War for both sides
Cate Cozine Mr. Coomes English 1301-43NDC 22 February 2017 Barn Burning Analysis The “Barn Burning” opens in a convenient store in the country, which seems to also be a Justice of Peace Court. The narrator, a hungry boy, named Sarty craves the meat and cheese displayed in the store. While his father, Abner Snopes, is in court, being accused of setting fire and burning down Mr. Harris’ barn. Sarty is being called up to testify against his own father. It soon dawns on him that he will have
Barn Burning "You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you." This quote from William Faulkner’s "Barn Burning" does reveal a central issue in the story, as Jane Hiles suggests in her interpretation. The story is about blood ties, but more specifically, how these ties affect Sarty (the central character of the story). The story examines the internal conflict and dilemma that Sarty
Accomplice to Accomplishment In “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner, follows the protagonist, Colonel Sartoris Snopes, also known as Sarty, a small, wiry 10 year old boy who has inherited innocence and morals from his mom, while attempted to be taught loyalty above all from his father. As well as his father, Abner, a serial arsonist who is cold, violent, and values loyalty. Also Sarty’s mom, Lennie, who is emotional, caring, and seems beaten down from the constant moving due to her husband’s illegal