Barn Burning Sarty

1301 Words3 Pages

Staying loyal to one's family is something that is taught to many children when they are young, as well as listening to one's parents, no matter what. Many children grow up thinking their parents know best, and they can do no wrong. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, parents can be wrong, and they can be too controlling over their children to the point where it affects the way they live life and how they see the world. In the short story “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner demonstrates that staying loyal to oneself is important through the use of setting and perspective. The Setting is a device used in Faulkner’s short story to develop Sarty’s father's inner conflict, as well as demonstrate Sarty’s loyalty to his family early in …show more content…

Another thing to mention is that this scene helps put the reader behind the eyes of Sarty and better connect to his life. For example, the mansions being huge puts us in the mind of a child who does not know much about the world, as he has been blinded by his family status and his father's actions. This technique helps the reader better understand why Sarty acts the way he does, and feel sympathy for the troubles his father puts him through, taking advantage of Sarty's willingness to obey his father and come to his side multiple times. Lastly, the use of a third-person point of view helps the reader understand things about the story that Sarty does not and represents to the reader his innocence and loyalty to his father. One example of this is when Sarty and his father were once again in the courthouse, but this time Sarty’s father was the plaintiff in the case. Without knowing this, Sarty screams out “He ain't done it! He ain't burnt.” (Faulkner 154). Sarty’s act of coming to his father's defense, even when he did not know the full context, highlights his loyalty to his father. Sarty is also seen starting to question his father's actions and realize the kind of person he …show more content…

Only I can’t do that. I can’t” (Faulkner 156). This is the first sign to the reader that Sarty is going to retaliate against his father, yet it is also a sign of his emotional struggle. Sarty knows his father is wrong, and wants to run away from him, but his loyalty to his family will not let him. Through these examples, it is shown to the reader that Saty is truly loyal to his family, and Sarty's self-evolution to stay loyal to himself. Throughout “Barn Burning”, Sartys is influenced by his father to stick up for him, help him in his barn burning, and stay loyal to his family. It’s only after many realizations by Sarty that his father was truly wrong that he was able to escape his emotional harness. According to “V. L. Gadsen, M. Ford, & H. Breiner (Eds.). ): Parenting Matters: Supporting Parents of Children Ages 0–8”, Sarty's willingness to stay loyal to his family is a result of his parents and how they raised him. This article finds that parents and their practices “promote development across the spectrum including physical health, emotional and behavioral health, social competence, language development, and cognitive ability” (Thompson et al.,

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