Barn Burning Analysis Essays - 914 Words

Summary of central events: Mr. Snopes burns Mr. Harris barn because Mr. Harris charges him, â€Å"a dollar pound fee,† (515) for the return of his hog. In court the judge dismisses the charges against Snopes but warns him to leave the town for good and Snopes agrees to comply. The next day the family arrives at their new home. After Snopes tracks horse manure onto the expensive rug, the server instructs him to clean and return it. Snopes ruins the rug from improper cleaning and Major de Spain â€Å"charge[s] [him] twenty bushels of corn against [his] crop† (521). At the last court appearance the judge decides that Mr.Snopes has to pay Major de Spain 10 bushels of corn for the ruin of the rug. Because Snopes is upset from having to pay de Spain for†¦show more content†¦Violence and conflict surrounds him â€Å"[h]is father [strikes] him with the flat of his hand on the side of head†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (517). He battles with decision making that is between his family and justices. Being overwhelm with despair, fear and grief, Sartoris eventually frees himself from his father and his oppressive family life. Theme: The theme is standing for justices can sometimes lead to losing friends and family. Sartoris must decide which is more important loyal to family or loyalty to the law. According to Snopes, family loyalty is value above all else â€Å"[y]ou got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going have any blood to stick to you† (517). Snopes bases his idea of loyalty on family notions of right and wrong. Sartoris rejects his father idea of family loyalty and instead betrays his father, warning de Spain his â€Å"[b]arn† (525) is going to burn. Sarty breaks away and end up alone but in peace. Other noteworthy literary elements: Several events occur under the cover of darkness throughout the story. For example, Mr. Harris barn â€Å"[t]hat night my barn burned† (515). â€Å"[T]hat night they camped out†(517) on the roadside on their way to their new sharecroppers’ house and when Snopes, â€Å"[y]ou were fixing to tell them. You would have told him† beats Sartoris for planning to reveal his wrong doing at the courthouse. When Snopes attempts to burn Major de Spain barn it was also at night. â€Å"At midnight he was sitting on the crest of a hill,†Show MoreRelated Analysis of The Barn Burning by William Faulkner Essays987 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of The Barn Burning by William Faulkner The short story â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner is about a ten year old boy, Sarty Snopes, who has grown to realize that his father, Abner Snopes, provides a life of â€Å"despair and grief† as he refuses to accept the â€Å"peace and dignity† generated by the ties with other people. 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The conflict between Sarty and his father is so strong because Abner Snopes, Sarty’s dad, puts such an emphasis on being loyal toRead MoreAnalysis Of Barn Burning By William Faulkner1019 Words   |  5 PagesThe Distant Relationship Between Father and Son in Barn Burning As a provider, father, and leader, being in that position have responsibilities to set an example to influence people that they look up to. The book Barn Burning, by William Faulkner, the character Abner is in a position to carry out those responsibilities. Sarty, his son looks up to Abner as a father, provider, and leader, but faces an internal conflict in regards to his father s actions. Faulkner portrays Abner, as a personRead MoreAnalysis Of Barn Burning By Junot Diaz2171 Words   |  9 PagesSarty and Lola come of age in their respective stories, through trials and tribulations that are manifested by their surroundings, and specifically by their parents Abner, and Belicia. Faulkner’s, Barn Burning gives us the point of view of an adolescent boy and our opinion of his father is built around Sarty’s dissection of his father’s actions be them justified or unjustified. Junot Dà ­az’s, Wildwood gives the other spectrum of parenthood with Lola, and B elicia. Lola’s, point of view creates a biasRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Barn Burning By William Faulkner1115 Words   |  5 PagesFreedom In the story â€Å"Barn Burning,† William Faulkner writes about a boy whose father is a crook and the boy’s journey leaving his family. There are two main characters, Colonel Sartoris Snopes (Sarty) and Abner Snopes. The boy’s name in this is Colonel Sartoris Snopes and Abner Snopes is the father. Abner Snopes feels that the law is always out to get him. So, he believes that his family should stick r=together no matter what happens. The story is set in the late eighteen hundreds after theRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Barn Burning By William Faulkner1105 Words   |  5 PagesWhen reading the short story â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner, understanding literary elements such as patterns, word choice as well as reader/writer relationships are essential in appreciating Faulkner’s literary piece. Some of the literary elements found in the story are small and are almost immaterial while others are large and all-encompassing. For example, the mother’s fragmented clock, a small and insignificant object, is used so carefully in order to extract the maximum effect from the viewers;Read MoreEssay about Critical Analysis of Barn Burning by William Faulkner1232 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis of Barn Burning by William Faulkner The story of Barn Burning was first published in the June of 1939 in the Harpers Magazine and later awarded the O. Henry Memorial Award for the best short story of the year. The author, William Faulkner, was one of Americas most innovative novelists. The way he describes the smells, sites and sounds of the rural late 1800s make you feel as if you are there with the characters in this story. Through the use of symbolism, FaulknerRead MoreAnalysis Of William Faulkner s Barn Burning 1406 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Faulkner’s ‘Barn Burning’, is the tale of a young man by the name of Colonel â€Å"Sarty† Sartoris Snopes, his father, Abner â€Å"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 did not want him to question the young child. However, Sarty was un sure of the decision he would make if he was questioned. Sarty was