Abstract This three page undergraduate paper examines Faulkner's short story, "BarnBurning." The author notes that in detailing the distinctive formal characteristics of William Faulkner's short story, 'BarnBurning', it is evident that these characteristics reveal the modernist elements in the story. The form Faulkner used in telling the tale of Sarty Snopes and his family is typical of modernist approaches to literature, for he utilized a stream-of-consciousness narrator and created scenes where the action took place in culturally degenerate settings.
From the Paper "In detailing the distinctive formal characteristics of William Faulkner's short story, "Barn Burning" it is evident that these characteristics reveal the modernist elements in the story. The form Faulkner used in telling the tale of Sarty Snopes and his family is typical of modernist approaches to literature, for he utilized a stream-of-consciousness narrator and created scenes where the action took place in culturally degenerate settings. These distinctive formal characteristics of modernist literature were incorporated by Faulkner into "Barn Burning'' because he considered that modernist literary devices were necessary in order to portray his characters exactly the same way as he envisioned them."
Abstract This book review describes the theme shared by both "BarnBurning" and "Araby" about the conflict between a protagonists' inner conceptions of what the external world should be like, and the actual reality of their respective circumstances. The review includes a plot summary of both novels, with a focus on the theme of inner conflict. The reviewer concludes that each of these stories tells the tale of a young boy being introduced to adulthood by having his innermost conceptions of truth coming into conflict with the very real circumstances of his life.
From the Paper " In "Araby," the narrator becomes increasingly consumed by idealistic and romantic thoughts of Mangan's sister as the story progresses. There is a tumultuous mingling of the realities in the narrator's life, and the imaginary and exotic dreams that come to dominate his thoughts. Of course, this dangerous combination centers upon Mangan's sister; she represents both the exciting and the mundane. This is fundamentally because although she is a part of the ordinary atmosphere of northern Dublin, she remains something strange and somehow unattainable for the main character."
Abstract In discussing the issue of cultural modernism as the context in which "BarnBurning" operates, this paper cites two dominant themes that illustrate the emergence and pervasiveness of cultural change in the lives of Americans during the period. The first theme looks into the disintegration of the family institution and desecration of parental authority. This is relevantly demonstrated through the interaction of Abner Snopes with his son, Sartoris, as well as the depiction of the Snopes family all throughout the story. The second theme talks about the deconstruction of society's social class and race stratifications, wherein the influence of cultural modernism led to the development of an egalitarian society. The development of an almost egalitarian society is a state where individuals from all social classes and races are given a chance to become socioeconomically mobile in the society. In the texts that follow, these two dominant themes are discussed and analyzed with references to the short story, "BarnBurning."
From the Paper "The first theme of the story, which illustrates of the disintegration of the family and displacement of parental authority, is parallel with Faulkner's central focus on family relations in "Barn Burning." In the story, the Snopes family is illustrated as being dysfunctional, primarily because of the dominant and abusive behavior of Abner Snopes, father to Sartoris or Sarty, whose point of view Faulkner has adopted in narrating the events of that occurred in the story."
Abstract This paper examines William Faulkner's short story "BarnBurning" and looks at how at one level it is a very detailed description of that period of Southern history during which everyone was legally free but which so many were bound to contracts of labor. It also discusses how at the same time it also a story about the enduring dynamics of human relationships, of the different ways in which people can be strong or weak and the ways in which one can mimic the others. It demonstrates how we are made to understand when we read this story both something of what life is like for a young boy in a sharecropping family in the South and also what it is like to be a boy coming into a sense of his own power in any family, in any society, in the world.
From the Paper "The father in this story who burns barns and ruins everything else that he touches ? from rugs to people ? is a character who cannot learn from the past, although it might be argued that he too in on a quest ? one of self-immolation as well as the arson-destruction of everything around him. His father has lost the ability to set out on any quests, to direct his action outward to the world. He seems to be a man who can take action, for certainly he does make things happen. But for all the fires he sets he is actually a passive person. He is a person who does not change the world but is entrapped by it. He is a man who cannot conceive of making his own way in the world: He is enslaved in the most fundamental of ways."
Abstract This paper introduces the short story "BarnBurning" by William Faulkner, the story of the Snopes family, poor sharecroppers who struggle along while envying the rich de Spains. Specifically, it contains an analysis of the themes, characters, imagery/symbolism, influence of setting and the author's style. It shows how William Faulkner creates a compelling and moving tale of growth, moral character and southern life.
From the Paper "This is not only the story of a child transforming into a man, it is a classic tale of good and evil, and how difficult it is to choose between the two. Faulkner makes Sarty's choice more difficult by adding the ties of family and "blood," which are clearly so important to Abner. "You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you," he tells Sarty at one point in the story (Faulkner), but Sarty must live with himself and his actions. Faulkner's intent here is clear, sometimes a child must leave the family and strike out on his own. Sometimes a child finds he or she is more moral than their parents are. This is a difficult lesson to learn, but Sarty represents the wisdom of learning it early ? turning his back on what he knows in his own heart is wrong. If Sarty represents good and decent moral behavior, then his father surely represents evil. "
Abstract This paper discusses how Faulkner describes the Snopes family's struggle to live a good life despite their poverty. This last theme portrayed in the story is discussed thoroughly in this paper, analyzing how family relationships affected Sartis? perception about his father as well as the young boy's actions and behavior towards his father's "habit" of barn-burning.
From the Paper "The analysis of Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is divided into three different times and situations, although all of these phases in the story concerns Abner Snopes? barn-burning. The first phase is the initial situation presented in the story, which is in the courthouse, as Abner faces charges of barn-burning Mr. Harris? property, while the second phase was the longest phase in the story, since it establishes Abner and Sartoris? characters fully and effectively. The second phase happens right after the Snopes? family's flight away from their old home to transfer to a new one, and this phase is significant in that it mirrors the social condition and inequality within the society the Sartoris family lives in. This is also the phase wherein Faulkner develops Abner's character through Sartoris? thoughts about him, including the father's interaction with the other family members. The last phase includes the events that led to the burning of de Spain's bar, the second barn-burning episode in the story, and Sartoris flight from his father, leaving behind his inhuman way of retribution."
Abstract This paper analyzes the story "BarnBurning" by William Faulkner. This paper will look at the moral obligations of Mr. Snopes and of the son, Sarty in this story. This paper will also look at the economic conditions of this time and the causes for the choices these characters had to make.
Abstract This paper discusses the character of Abner in, "BarnBurning" by William Faulkner. It looks at how the impact of Abner's violence can be seen in Abner's family, especially Sarty, as he comes to see the destruction his father causes. This paper examines the impact of Abner's anger and how it effects his family.
From the Paper "We can also pull from the text that Abner is able to tolerate his landlords? insults because he knows he can always get even by burning a barn. It seems as though Abner experiences great pleasure of being able to determine the time and place of a burning--generally after he has found another place for the family to live. The burning not only allows Abner to control his own anger; the burning allows him to control his landlord's reaction. Because he is burning down precious property, Abner almost guarantees his escape because the landlord will work to put out the fire than chase after Abner and his family."
Abstract In William Faulkner's "BarnBurning," the theme is that sometimes in life, one needs to make difficult choices between justice and loved ones and act upon them in ways that will always lead to maturity-a loss of innocence but a gain of knowledge. This paper shows how this theme is best seen in correlation between character and setting.
From the Paper "In the second stage of his maturation, Sarty becomes aware of an alternate life when he discovers an enriched world. When Sarty comes to the de Spains' white house, he "forgot his father and the terror and despair both" (166). He also has a "surge of peace and joy," and Faulkner even repeats Sarty's "peace and joy" to emphasize change (166). Sarty thinks that the de Spains are "safe from [Abner]" and "beyond [Abner's] touch, he no more to them than a buzzing wasp: capable of stinging for a little moment but that's all" (166). As Sarty approaches the de Spains' house, he observes a "grove of oaks and cedars and the other flowering trees and shrubs," and he smells "honeysuckle and Cherokee roses" (166)."
Abstract This paper examines how the main theme in William Faulkner's "BarnBurning," is that sometimes in life one needs to make difficult choices between justice and loved ones. It looks at how this theme can best be seen in three correlations between character and setting. It discusses how these three correlations--being dominated in a bankrupt world, becoming aware of an enriched world and ending up independent in a new world--help to show Faulkner's theme about maturing through difficult choices in life.
From the Paper "In the first stage of his initiation-innocence-Sarty is dominated by his father in an empty world. Sarty will not stand up to his father because he is totally intimidated by him. After Sarty gets in a fight, his father commands for him to "'Get back in the wagon'" and will not let him wash his bloodied face off or even wipe some of the blood off as his mother pleaded (164). His father uses the imperative mood frequently toward Sarty. Some phrases he uses are "'Answer me,'" "'Get on to bed,'" and "'Come with me'" to exercise his authority (165). To worsen the boy's predicament, Abner does not feed Sarty very well; Sarty is obviously very hungry as he "smelled the hermetic meat which his intestines believed he smelled" (162). Further to illustrate Sarty's situation, the story opens in "the back of the crowded room" (162)."
Abstract This paper examines the similarities and differences, in a compare and contrast style, of the short stories, "BarnBurning" and "A Rose for Emily" written by William Faulkner. The paper contends that both stories are epitomes of contemporary Southern American values, both are set in Southern American settings in the wake of respective wars. The paper also claims that both stories vividly portray Faulkner's perception of the decomposition of society. The paper explains that the main difference between the two stories is that they vary in narration and that the concept of time is represented differently in the stories.
From the Paper "William Faulkner is known as one America's greatest authors. In fact, his short stories, "Barn Burning," and "A Rose for Emily," are two of the best-known stories in American literature, and are both examples of the reflection of contemporary Southern American values in his work. Through these and other short stories, Faulkner explored geography, history, economy, and social and moral life. Moreover, he was especially skillful in creating characters with differing reactions to the same person or situation, which he used to make his readers recognize the difficulty of arriving at true judgments. However, despite the obvious similarities in his style and theme, there are various pronounced differences between these two short stories as well."
Abstract This paper examines William Faulkner's use of symbolism in his short story "BarnBurning," where a son must betray his father in order to remain loyal to his own code of morality.
From the Paper "William Faulkner's short story Barn Burning is a tale of moral development and transcendence of the past. Sarty is a young man who recognizes that he must follow his own code of morality with respect to his willingness to tell the truth, even though it may bring punishment to his father. Sarty's father is a vestige of the past, a man who is self-serving and expects his family, an extension of him, to assist him in his self-serving aims."
Abstract This paper compares two short stories, "BarnBurning" by William Faulkner and "A White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett, which both explore the challenges of young children who must rapidly mature and make tough decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. The paper maintains that the stories highlight the complexity of the issues faced by each child, issues that are exacerbated when one takes into account their tender age and uncorrupted views on society. The paper argues that, while both stories share the common thread of conflicting forces clouding the judgment of an innocent child, they differ substantially in terms of the magnitude of the dilemmas faced, as well as the focus of the dilemma. The paper concludes that, despite the different conflicts the protagonists face, the exercise, though difficult, makes them better prepared when launched into a new and unfamiliar world.
From the Paper "In contrast with Sarty's plight, Sylvy's conflict is much more subtle and internal, impacting fewer people in the bright picturesque rural landscape. While Sylvy deals with a similar conflict in that a young child must mature quickly and make a decision they may not be ready to make, her conflict is more about her and less about others as it is in "Barn Burning." The small number of characters in the text combined with Jewett's choice of not giving the sportsman a name places the focus primarily on Sylvy. While her grandmother influences her to lead the hunter to the white heron for the $10, Sylvia is not hit in the face by her blood in order to influence her decision. While Sylvy's blood is disappointed at not getting the $10, the decision is ultimately left to Sylvy. Her decision, which only has mild consequences relative to that of Sarty's, allows her to grow by learning the real strength of her moral character. In contrast, Sarty was forced to betray his family in order to do the right thing, which meant he had to face the world alone, a much more frightening prospect than realizing one has a strong moral character at the expense of losing a potential friend and $10. In short, Sarty was dealing with bigger issues, though the decision to do the right thing was similar. "
Abstract The paper examines William Faulkner's "BarnBurning" and describes the struggles that the character Sarty faced in deciding whether to do what was right or be loyal to his family. The paper relates that Sarty ultimately rids himself of the oppressive hand of a cruel father with a brave decision that would shape his life forever. The paper also discusses how Faulkner demonstrates the value of high moral standards, and the costs and benefits of upholding them.
From the Paper "In his short story, "Barn Burning," William Faulkner brings to light a moral dilemma framed in the conflict between a young boy and his father. Set in the post Civil War era, the father, Abner Snopes, fights to assuage his frustrations of being a poor laborer for the wealthy by burning their barns. Tormented by a desire to deliver his own form of justice to those whom he views as his enemies, Abner rules his family with physical and emotional abuse. Amid tensions in his family life, the young Colonel Sartoris (Sarty) Snopes agonizes over the decision of doing what is right or being loyal to his family. With a backdrop of fear and despair, Faulkner illuminates the internal conflict of Sarty, which leads to a coming of age that defines the character of the person he will become."
Abstract This paper discusses the structuralist, feminist, and Marxist elements in William Faulkner's "BarnBurning" and how they effectively convey Faulkner's theme about class struggle and missed opportunities. Specifically, the paper looks at how Faulkner combined the Marxist and feminist viewpoint, along with the structuralist interpretation of blood ties, to make the reader understand the severity of the Southern class struggle and the theme of opportunity limitations for the impoverished.
From the Paper "That Sarty's social position allows him little opportunity other than becoming his father is as clear to the young boy as it is to the reader. At the story's conclusion, Sarty's desperate attempts to validate these blood ties and the life and death of his father are a testament to his understanding that identity with his family his only chance at any identity. Though more intelligent and certainly more capable of functioning in society than his father is, Sarty chooses to accept his blood ties' identity instead of nothing at all. Even after he runs, he attempts to insure that his father "was brave" because he "was in the war" (Faulkner). Thus, the blood clings to Sarty even after Sarty makes a move toward shedding it. The choices the young man faces--an identity shared with a criminal and psychologically damaged father or no identity at all--is reflective of the limited choices given to a poor family that cannot simply pay fines in bushels of corn, let alone establish itself in a position where it would not be constantly in debt. "
