Compare And Contrast Battle Royal And Barn Burning

Barn Burning vs Battle Royal (slavery, family, and religion analysis)
William Cuthbert Faulker was born in “New Albany, Mississippi, in 1897” (web, 1). Much of his early work involved poetry, but he later came to be famous for his well know legacy of American South novels. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for being “the winning novelist of the American South.” (web, 1)
Ralph Ellison, born in “March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma city, Oklahoma.” (web, 2).
Mr. Ellison was not always about writing novels, he did in fact in his younger days study the art of music before he one day decided that it was not for him. He decided to pack his bags and head to the big apple and become a writer. The novel that got him known the best was for his “Invisible Man”, (web,

2) in 1952.
Both of these authors have something in common.

They lived in an era where racism, family, and religion was a big part of the way humans lived and what they believed in. Mr. Faulker wrote the short story called Barn Burning. The story is about a young boy named Colonel Sartoris Snopes or known as Sarty. Sarty is the ten year old son of a very poor migrant farmer, Abner Snopes.
Mr. Faulker begins the story when young Sarty is “crouching on a keg” (Faulker, 1) in the back of the store that doubles for the court house. He cannot see the table where his father and Mr. Harris (the owner of the barn) are sitting. Mr. Snopes is being sued because he is being accused of burning down Mr. Harris’ barn. Sarty’s father is a one of the most ruthless, violent and controlling man who uses his family to make himself feel powerful and important. Mr. Snopes uses his son’s presence at the hearing in the court room due to his physical hunger, but to link that hunger with the boy’s growing need for justice.
During the court room, they ask Mr. Harris if he has any proof of a “nigger”, (Faulker, 1) that has burn down his farm. Back in the old southern days, Slavery was a big part of how white people took control over the people that were colored skin. They could not see any wrong amongst themselves due to being the superior

race.
The young boy is trying to defend his honor and that one day justice will be the same for everyone and he has attempted to restore his family’s name, but not knowing that freedom isn’t really free. Every freedom comes with a price that someone is willing to give up their own for others.
Mr. Ellison wrote a short story as well called Battle Royal. The novel is actually the first chapter of his book the Invisible Man. There are two distinct events in the story: the last words and death of Ellison’s grandfather; and the speaking event which really is the battle royal.
Ellison’s grandparents lived through the Civil War and were freed slaves. His grandfather initially believed that they were equal to the white man but would have to live separate but equal lives. The segregation of the two races proved not to be in the favor of the black race.
On his deathbed, the old man calls the narrator’s father in to give him his deathbed advice for life. He spoke fiercely and bitterly unlike his normal demeanor. Portraying the life of the black people as warfare, the grandfather tells his son to never let down his guard. Then, his son how he has survived in the white man’s world. He counsels his son to agree with that the white man says and always answer with a compliant attitude.
Admitting that he felt like a traitor to himself and the black man’s cause, The dying man encourages his son to undermine the whites until the black man is able to rise up and really be equal to the white race. The words of the old man haunt the narrator because he too succumbs to the treachery of receiving the blessings given down by the white man to him.
Not until much later in the author’s life does he realize that his grandfather hated having to play the part that the white man imposed of him rather than being true to himself.
Work Cited
Yellow - http://www.biography.com/people/william-faulkner-9292252#synopsis
Green - http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-ellison-9286702
Red - https://wchs-wcusd-ca.schoolloop.com/file/1241325285002/1240666211355/6581091789892073599.pdf
Blue - https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/selena.anderson/engl2307/readings/battle-royale-by-ralph-ellison