"barn burning" by william faulkner
In "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner is a about a family in the 1930s. The story opens up with a boy Sarty Snopes, who is in court with his father who was charged for arson. Sarty is hoping that he doesn't have to testify because he knows that his father is guilty of this charge. When the judge was thinking about questioning the Sarty, he was terrified. He did not know whether to tell the truth which seem to be part of his morals. However, his loyalty to his father was true despite the fact that he would be lying, he says "He aims for me to lie, he thought, again with that frantic grief and despair. And I will have to do hit." He is debating whether he should lie or not and it shows when he is thinking this with "frantic grief and despair." Sarty doesn't want to lie but he will for his father. Sarty views the judge as his enemy only because the judge is his father's enemy. Sarty is young and has not yet separated himself from his father. He has not yet formed his own identity.
Sarty underestimates how dangerous his father is. Sarty knows that something is psychologically wrong with his father. They move more often than normal people because his father has a habit of getting angry and burning his enemy's barns. The accusation that was made against his father the first time forced them to move. After the first case, Ab slapped Sarty because he doubted that Sarty would lie. He knew that his son's morals were not corrupt like his own. He says "maybe he's done satisfied now, now that he hasÂ…" he hopes that his father will stop. His father belittles him, he tells Sarty that he has to grow up and stick to his own blood or he's not going to have any blood stick to him. Sarty is trying to find himself. He wants to tell the truth and be honest and live and honest life but he can't because of this father. His father pressures him and does things intentionally which make him angry and lead him to burn the barn.
As the story progresses Sarty finally starts...
View Full Essay