Barn Burning by William Faulkner - Essay Example

 Barn Burning by William Faulkner Introduction This paper looks at the coming of age of a 10-year old boy, Sartois, in the story “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner, who struggles with the issues of morality – whether sticking with his family or doing what is morally imperative. It also touches the conflicts and complications of Sartoris and his father, Abner Snopes. The manipulative character of the latter causes the confusion of Sarty, whether staying loyal to his family or being a just citizen is morally right and how the main character freed himself from this stigma. Faulkner is known for his interest in the moral implications of history and has written a series of novels exploring the South’s historical legacy. The author received the O. Henry Award for this short fiction. Internal Conflicts Morality is the main conflict that arises in the story. Sarty’s confusion between being loyal to the law and being loyal to his family arises from the beginning of the novel. It would be noticed that this conflict exists even before the story begins. Faulkner used the character of Abner Snopes, a manipulative father to Sarty, which caused the latter’s confusion between giving loyalty to family and loyalty to the law is the moral imperative. To Snopes, loyalty should be, above all, given to family and suggests that it should exist outside the society and the law. He tells Sartoris that the he should remain loyal to his blood or he will find himself alone. This shows that the conflict is caused by the antagonist, Snopes, who manipulates everyone to follow him according to his beliefs. Delving deeper to the situation of the main character, Sarty is like any 10-year old boy who thinks that fathers don’t do anything that is not right. He puts his father to a pedestal and follows whatever he tells him. But just like any other kid of Barn Burning 3 his age, he is also on a journey where he explores and defines his moral character. At the onset of the story, a trial is set where his father, Abner, is accused of burning Mr. Harris’ barn. Sarty is aware that his father is guilty of burning the barn but he knows deep inside that he will lie for his father since he knows his father expects him do so. Satry’s conflict in the story shows the kind of life his family has having Abner around. Faulkner talks about the class difference with a touch of racial difference in the setting of the story in the midst of the Great Depression. He depicts through the character of a merciless barn burner, Abner Snopes, who fights a class war and rebels on class differences, how a white man acts when he does the slaves job. Being a tenant farmer, Snopes rebels on the fact that he tills someone else’s land to grow his crops, which causes him to commit arson. His envious character towards de Spain’s landowning-rich status and the way they acquire their wealth by getting slaves to work for them makes him revolt on class difference. He rejects what people do in order to attain the wealth they have. This may be a heroic act of Snopes but it has devastating consequences on his family. The conflict and tension are grounded in the socioeconomic realities of the 30s. These are the class distinctions between the whites – land owners and tenant farmers and the racial difference between whites and blacks. Faulkner reminds the readers about what happened at the close of the 30s. The contrast of the mansion of de Spain and the tenant farmer’s shacks of the Snopes show the dreadful separation between and owner and tenant in the 30s. This fact is something Abner cannot reconcile with. As a result, he burns barns after barn. Although it is not explained why Snopes behaves as such, knowing his life and relating to the realities of life in the 30s, we can have a clue. We Barn Burning 4 can only assume that he burns barns due to his feelings of envy to those people who didn’t join the army. Faulkner’s tackles the deep-rooted classism and systems that severely separated the Southern society along social, racial and economic aspects. Complications The complications in the story makes the conflicts of the main character grow. An example of this complication is when the Snopes are on their way to car, after the judge acquits Abner from the case due to lack of evidence and just tells Abner to stay away from the County, Sarty engages in a fight with someone who calls his father a barn burner. It is not explained in the story what Sarty thinks about when he tries to defend his father. We can only assume that he may be fighting for either his father or the name of their family. But either which, Sarty knows his father is at fault. Another complication in the story is when Abner and Sarty are at de Spain mansion when the former stains the rug at the doorway with mud. This is a statement of Abner that he doesn’t like de Spain. When the latter saw the rug, he asked Abner to clean it and that he’ll be charge for ruining it. In this scenario, Sarty tries to defend his father though he knows the very fact that Abner did it on purpose. This shows how torn the main character doing what he thinks is right and staying loyal to his father. Sarty becomes aware of devastating effects his father’s doings bring to the family. At his young and innocent age, he learns shame. Faulkner is known for his interest in the implications of history to the moral character. As the reconstruction of society that caused the Civil War emerges and the Great Depression comes to surface, Faulkner suggests the grimly effects of these to the society. Sartoris is surrounded by violence. Though he continues his way towards his search of peace, he is overwhelmed by grief, despair and fear. Faulkner shows this throughout the story that these tumultuous Barn Burning 5 emotions reveal the struggle of the main character in finding his place amongst the demands of his father and his own developing idea of morality. Moment of Change The growing conflict of Sarty comes to an end at the latter part of the story. His struggles have been shown throughout the story and he finally frees himself when his father plans to burn de Spain’s barn. As a supposed accomplice of his father, Sarty decides to break the vicious cycle he and his family have been into for a long time. He runs towards de Spain’s and blurted ‘barn!’ to warn everyone. This has caused the death of his father by a gun shot. Conclusion The conflict in the story comes to its finality when Sarty finally decides to stand up for what he thinks is just. He is able to break away from the typical father-son relationship, which the son is loyal to his father to a fault. At a very young age, Sarty matures and finally finds the peace he has been long looking for. Although he may not have found security as he walks away from his family in the midst of the darkness of the night, he knows that he has freed himself from the stigma his father has brought him. On the other hand, Abner’s actions may not be widely accepted as just, his background gives as a clue behind his behaviour. His life during the war and after it makes us become aware of the rebellious acts he portrays. He may have some admirable and heroic qualities but these have caused despair to his family. It is only up to the readers whether his doings are justifiable or not – whether he can be considered a casualty of war. Faulkner, W. (1979). Barn burning. Logan, Iowa: Perfection Form Havighurst, W. (1955). Masters of the modern short story. New York: Harcourt, Brace. Labatt, B. (2005). Faulkner the storyteller. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press Read More