Barn Burning – William Faulkner

William Faulkner (1897–1962) was an influential American author and Nobel Prize laureate, known for his
intricate narratives set in the American South. Faulkner's works often explore complex themes such as social
class, moral decay, and the human condition, using innovative narrative structures and deep psychological
insight.

In his short story "Barn Burning", Faulkner delves into the struggles of loyalty, justice, and morality within a
Southern family. The story revolves around young Sarty Snopes, torn between his loyalty to his father,
Abner Snopes—a destructive and vindictive sharecropper—and his growing sense of justice. Through "Barn
Burning," Faulkner captures the social dynamics of post-Civil War Southern life and examines the conflicts
between tradition and change, as well as the individual's quest for moral integrity.

Sarty (Colonel Sartoris

Snopes)

 Role: Protagonist

 Relationship:
Son of Abner Snopes

 Traits: Loyal,
conflicted, morally
developing

 Key Conflict:
Torn between loyalty to
his father and his
developing sense of
justice.

Abner Snopes

 Role: Antagonist (Sarty‘s father)

 Traits: Vindictive, destructive, unemotional

 Key Actions: Burns barns as a form of rebellion against landowners; instils fear and control over his
family

 Relationship: Father of Sarty, commands his loyalty through fear.

Lennie Snopes

 Role: Sarty‘s mother

  Traits: Submissive, fearful, worn down by her husband‘s behaviour

 Key Actions: Tries to protect her children from Abner‘s harshness but lacks the power to stop him.

Major de Spain

 Role: Wealthy landowner

 Traits: Authoritative, represents law and order

 Key Conflict: Becomes a target of Abner‘s anger after Abner soils his expensive rug.

Mr. Harris

 Role: Abner‘s previous landlord

 Key Conflict: Suffered from Abner‘s barn burning; accuses Abner at the beginning of the story.

The Justice of the Peace

 Role: Court authority

 Key Actions: Oversees Abner‘s trials, reflects the legal system‘s limitations in dealing with Abner‘s
misdeeds.

Sarty’s Siblings (Sisters & Brother)

 Role: Minor characters

 Traits: Represent the family‘s passive compliance with Abner‘s actions; largely uninvolved in the
main conflict.

SHORT SUMMARY:
The story opens in a small Southern town‘s general store, which doubles as a courtroom. Ten-year-old Sarty
(Colonel Sartoris Snopes) is called to testify in a case where his father, Abner Snopes, is accused of
burning Mr. Harris’s barn. Sarty is torn between his loyalty to his father and his budding sense of justice.
The court lacks sufficient evidence, and Abner is not convicted. However, he is ordered to leave town.

The Snopes family packs up and moves to a new farm, where Abner begins working for a wealthy
landowner, Major de Spain. On his first visit to the de Spain mansion, Abner purposely steps in horse
manure and tracks it across a valuable rug in an act of defiance. De Spain demands compensation for the
ruined rug, which Abner refuses to pay. Instead, he takes the matter to court, where the judge reduces the
fine from twenty bushels of corn to ten.

Enraged, Abner plans to burn de Spain‘s barn in revenge. Sarty, realizing his father‘s intentions, faces an
intense moral conflict. Torn between family loyalty and his conscience, Sarty tries to stop his father by
warning Major de Spain.

The story reaches its climax when Sarty, unable to accept his father‘s actions any longer, runs to de Spain‘s
mansion to warn him of the impending barn burning. Shots are fired, and it‘s implied that Abner is killed.
Sarty runs away from his family, symbolically severing ties with his father and choosing morality over
loyalty.
The story ends with Sarty walking away into the woods, ready to face an uncertain future, yet free from the
toxic influence of his father.

PLOT SUMMARY:
―Barn Burning‖ by William Faulkner is a profound short story. It starts with a court proceeding at a store,
not a courthouse. In this proceeding, Abner Snopes is accused of burning his neighbor‘s barn. Mr. Harris,
the opponent of Abner, tells the Justice that on several occasions, Snopes‘s hog broke through the fence and
got into his fields. The last time it happened, Mr. Harris asked for a dollar in return. A man who went to get
the hog told Mr. Harris that the barn and the corn could burn. That very same night, Mr. Harris lost his barn
to fire. However, there is no real proof of who caused the accident.

The only eyewitness is a ten-year-old boy, the son of Abner. His name is Colonel Sartoris Snopes. He is
called by the Justice to answer some questions. Essentially, he will have to testify against his father and is
ready to lie for Abner. He sees the court as his enemies and doesn‘t realize that Justice and Mr. Harris are
being kind to him. They don‘t want to put Sarty in an uncomfortable position. That‘s why, instead of
pressuring the boy to testify against his father, the Justice dismisses the case. Nevertheless, he recommends
Abner leave the country the very same day. Abner agrees to do that.

As Abner and his sons leave the store, someone harasses the father by calling him ―a barn burner.‖ Sarty is
ready to prove his loyalty to the family and wants to fight. The boy knocks down Sarty two times, and Sarty
bleeds.

In the evening, the whole family packs their belongings into a wagon and leaves the city. In the middle of
the night, Abner wakes Sartoris up to accuse the boy of being disloyal. He thinks that Sarty was on the verge
of betraying the whole family. He strikes Sartoris and tells him to ―stick to his own blood.‖

Later, the family arrives at their new home. The reader learns that it is not the first time when they had to
move. They moved on a dozen occasions just in the last ten years. The author doesn‘t explicitly explain why
they did that. It‘s also revealed that the family will work on the land owned by Major de Spain. Abner
despises the owner of the land because he is rich. The house of Major de Spain is described in great detail.

As soon as they arrive, Abner goes to de Spain. He steps into the horse droppings on purpose just before
entering the mansion. However, the owner is not at home. Abner goes into the center of the room and leaves
dirty shoe marks on the blond rug. Miss Lula, the owner‘s wife, asks them to leave. She is displeased with
the guests. He leaves the house and remarks that all of it has been built by slaves.

Several hours later, the servant from the house brings the rug for cleaning. Abner orders his daughters to
clean the carpet. However, the next morning, de Spain arrives early in the morning to tell them that the rug
is ruined. Its replacement will cost one hundred dollars, and they will be additionally charged twenty extra
bushels of corn. Sarty tries to defend his father, hoping it will help him.

The next several days, the whole family is busy with labor. On the weekend, Abner Snopes and his sons go
to the country store again. They find de Spain in the store. Sarty doesn‘t understand that his father tries to
sue De Spain to have the penalty of twenty bushels removed. However, the judge thinks that the rug was
burned as well. He says that Snopes will have to pay with ten extra bushels of corn when it is due.

When Snopes returns home, Abner hears his mother‘s voice. She tries to stop Abner from doing something.
However, he takes the kerosene from a lamp and orders Sartoris to get the oil. Sarty realized that his father
wants to burn another barn. The boy agrees to do that but is thinking of running away. Then, he tries to
change his father‘s mind, but his attempts are futile.
Sartoris runs to the de Spain house to let them know about the barn. As Sartoris runs back to the barn, he
hears three shots. He also sees the firelight from the burning barn. Snopes is dead, and Sartoris mourns. He
doesn‘t know for sure if Abner is dead.

Sarty falls asleep and wakes up feeling better. He runs away into the dark woods without looking back.

SYMBOLS
Fire

Fire is a constant threat in ―Barn Burning,‖ and it represents both Snopes‘s inherent powerlessness and his
quest for power and self-expression. After the family has been run out of town because Snopes burned a
barn, Snopes steals a split rail from a fence and builds a small fire by the roadside, barely functional and
hardly suited to the large family‘s needs on a cold evening. He‘d committed his fiery crime in a desperate
grasp at power, but now he reveals how utterly powerless he is to adequately care for his family. When
Snopes turns the fire on others‘ property, however, his power increases, albeit criminally. Snopes has grown
adept at committing crimes and escaping undetected, and his entire family is drawn in to this pattern of lying
and evasion. Unlike the small, inadequate fire Snopes built for his family, the criminal fire that Snopes set in
Mr. Harris‘s barn sent Confederate patrols out for many nights of searching for the rogue and horse thief.
For Snopes, fire is a means of preserving his integrity and avenging the slights he believes have been
ceaselessly meted out to him throughout his life. Powerless and poor, Snopes turns to fire to tilt the balance
in his favor, even if it is only for one brief, blazing moment.

The Soiled Rug

The rug that Snopes soils with horse manure in the de Spain home indicates a critical shift in his typical
method of operating, because this is the first time that Snopes has intruded into and violated a home.
Snopes‘s destruction is a swipe at the financial security that de Spain has and that Snopes lacks, as well as a
clear statement of his unhappiness at being subservient to de Spain for his livelihood. Without even knowing
the de Spains, Snopes resents them simply for being prosperous landowners and in a superior position. A
barn holds a farmer‘s livelihood, including crops, livestock, and machinery, and this is Snopes‘s usual target.
Extending his criminal reach to the rug signals that Snopes‘s resentment now encompasses the domestic
sphere as well. The shocking act of smearing the rug with excrement eventually leads to the rug‘s complete
destruction, which then leads to another court hearing, another act of revenge, and ultimately Snopes‘s
death. The expensive rug represents for Snopes every comfort, opportunity, and privilege he feels he has
been unfairly denied, and in destroying it, he renounces all regard for his life and family‘s future.

THEMES
Loyalty to Family versus Loyalty to the Law

In ―Barn Burning,‖ Sartoris must decide whether loyalty to family or loyalty to the law is the moral
imperative. For the Snopes family, particularly for Sartoris‘s father, family loyalty is valued above all else.
The family seems to exist outside of society and even outside the law, and their moral code is based on
family loyalty rather than traditional notions of right or wrong. Snopes tells Sartoris that he should remain
loyal to his ―blood,‖ or family, or he will find himself alone. This threat suggests how isolated the family
really is and how fully they rely on one another for protection, even when their faith in this protection is
unfounded.

Blood in a literal sense appears as well, underscoring the intensity of the ties among family. For example,
when the Snopeses are leaving the makeshift courthouse at the beginning of the story, a local boy accuses
Snopes of being a barn burner, and, when Sartoris whirls around to confront him, the boy hits Sartoris and
bloodies his face. The blood, dried and caked on his face during the ride out of town, is, in a way, a mark of
pride: Sartoris had defended the family name. However, after Snopes once again plans to burn a barn,
Sartoris understands that family loyalty comes at too great a cost and is too heavy a burden. He rejects
family loyalty and instead betrays his father, warning de Spain that his barn is about to be burned. Only
when Snopes is killed—presumably shot to death by de Spain at the end of the story—is the family free.
They were loyal, but they still wind up alone.

The Search for Peace

Surrounded by violence and conflict, Sartoris is constantly overwhelmed by fear, grief, and despair, and he
knows that he must search for peace if he ever wants to be free from these tumultuous emotions. Sartoris
specifically refers to fear, grief, and despair throughout the story, revealing the depth of his struggle to find
his place among the demands of his family and his own developing ideas of morality. To Sartoris, peace,
joy, and dignity are the alluring promises of a different kind of life, one that seems very far away from life in
the Snopes household. His sense that a different kind of life exists grows particularly acute when he and
Snopes approach de Spain‘s house. Sartoris is enamored with the grounds and the imposing house, and the
domestic bliss that seems to emanate from the estate gives Sartoris a temporary comfort. The ―spell of the
house‖ seems to change everything, and Sartoris foolishly hopes that it has the power to turn his father from
his criminal ways. For the first time, Sartoris has glimpsed a peaceful future.

Although Sartoris eventually frees himself from his father and his oppressive family life, he does not
immediately find the peace and dignity that he expected would await him. Perhaps the happiness he seeks
does exist for him in the future, as he leaves his family and old life behind without looking back. However,
Sartoris has found a quieter, more subtle form of happiness. Life under his father was lived in a heightened
state of extreme fear, grief, and despair. Now, the extreme emotions that loomed over Sartoris‘s young life
have eased. His life may not have undergone a radical transformation, but ―grief and despair [were] now no
longer terror and fear but just grief and despair.‖ Sartoris can‘t escape entirely, but he has already achieved a
kind of peace.

Who Is Sarty in Barn Burning?

Sarty is a ten-year-old boy, the youngest son of Abner Snopes. He is the main character in ―Barn Burning,‖
often referred to as ―the boy‖ by William Faulkner.

He is quite different from the rest of the Snopes family members. He has hopes for the future and the
courage to resist his father. He ends up metaphorically escaping the reality in which he lives by running into
the forest.

Sarty stands out among other characters in Faulkner‘s short story. Despite his father being consumed by
anger that results in destructive actions, the boy has the courage to resist Abner‘s convictions.

Sarty‘s internal conflict represents the clash between familial loyalty and a growing sense of justice, which
embodies the tension prevalent in the Southern society of that time. Through Sarty‘s journey, the author
explores themes of morality, justice, and the desire for a more honorable life in spite of challenging
circumstances.

Sarty‘s escape into the forest at the end of the story is a metaphorical break from the oppressive reality that
suggests there is a brighter future for him.

Barn Burning: Sarty Character Analysis

Even though Satoris is only ten years old, he is far more perceptive than the adult characters of the story.
The boy knows what‘s going on when his father tries to manipulate him using family loyalty. Unlike his
older brother, John, Satoris doesn‘t blindly follow his father‘s ideas. Instead, the boy tries to prevent Abner‘s
destructive actions.

In the end, he chooses to follow his own path and goes against the family ―honor.‖ This gives readers hope
that maybe a circle of bitterness can be broken and there‘s still hope for a better future.

Satoris‘ rebellion against his father‘s actions not only showcases his individuality but also his willingness to
go against his family and their beliefs. The boy‘s conscious choice to diverge from Abner‘s beliefs hints at a
broader theme of the story: the possibility of breaking free from a history of bitterness.

Colonel Sartoris Snopes Character Development

Sarty goes through an enormous transformation throughout the story. Abner forces his son to burn barns and
to lie on the stand for him. At first, the boy goes along with his father‘s instructions, as he looks up to him
and feels loyal. However, as the story progresses, the readers see how Abner‘s destructive actions come into
conflict with Sarty‘s internal desire for justice and honesty.

The story covers the events of six days, and within this period, the boy undergoes an enormous change and
turns from a child into an adult.

 When the readers are first introduced to Sarty, he‘s scared and hungry. Although the boy doesn‘t
want to lie to protect his father, he feels compelled to do so because he feels loyal to his family and
believes his father‘s enemies are his own.

 The first time the readers can see the boy‘s demeanor toward his father change is when Abner
accuses him of planning not to lie and hits him. After the incident, Sarty realizes that his father is
also not always fair. However, despite his desire to run away, the boy feels that something holds him
back from abandoning the family.

 The moment when Abner asks his son to get oil to burn down the de Spain barn becomes crucial in
Sarty‘s character development. The fact that both his brother and father know he disagrees with what
they do and still proceed with the plan only contributes to the boy‘s dismay. This situation is the
moment Sarty chooses to make his own decisions and follow his sense of justice.

Abner Snopes in Barn Burning

Abner Snopes is another central character in the ―Barn Burning.‖ He is a poor man trying to make a living
for his family by harvesting crops. He despises rich people and influential society. He tries to instill the same
type of hatred into his kids as well. Out of his resentment, he burns barns of wealthy people he works for.
That‘s why he has to move from place to place with his family continually.

There is no character development in Abner. He is a cold and abusive man throughout the story. He does not
respect, nor is he afraid of the law. He takes justice into his hands. Abner‘s inability to express his feelings
and thoughts openly manifests in violent actions towards his family, wealthy members of society, and their
property. Some critics believe that Abner is the product of the time he lived, and they even justify his
actions.

Why Does Abner Snopes Burn Barns?

Fire in ―Barn Burning‖ symbolizes Abner Snopes‘s powerlessness and desperate desire for control. Abner‘s
motivations for burn-burning are complex. They are rooted in personal frustration, class conflict, and a
desire for retribution. Coming from a poor background, the father of the Snopes family sees himself as a
victim of an unjust society. He denies his criminal past and refuses to change his way of life by directing his
anger at those more well-off than him.

Abner Snopes has no power and can‘t even provide for his family. However, he feels in control when he sets
fire to others‘ property. The act turns into a form of retribution. Abner believes that he reclaims a semblance
of power in a world that is determined to keep him down.

Tall, stiff, and bitter, the man‘s physical appearance mirrors his psychological resentment and bitterness
against his social status. His rage drives him to self-defeating acts like barn burning and ruining Major de
Spain‘s rug. These actions reflect Abner‘s belief that challenging the status quo is the only way out of his
predicament, even if the man knows it won‘t bring about any real change.

Q1. Father-Son Relationships in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

‗‗Barn Burning‘‘ by William Faulkner provides a comprehensive look at a typical family relationship
as it existed in the XIXth-century America and was affected by history, traditions, and society. The story
depicts both emotional and ethical aspects of a young boy‘s struggle to behave appropriately with his father.
As the plot develops, the father is shown to act according to his own justice principles and strong personal
traits but against the norms of morality and completely indifferent to his relatives‘ points. The final choice
that the boy has to make mirrors his sharply increasing dilemma between social responsibility and familial
duty. The story‘s ending demonstrates that society‘s natural forces concerning equity and validity affect
personal development more than an unhealthy family relationship.

Characters‘ Premise

Any relationship between people is built upon their experience and social backgrounds. The communication
of a father and a son is an example of the closest engagements there can be, considering their common
origins and constant presence in each other‘s lives. Sartoris and Abner Snopes both belong to a poor, lower-
class family of farmers. At the same time this family has a high standard of duties, a complex picture of how
children should treat their parents and vice versa. Although, the overall image of this familial relationship
appears exceptionally rude and abusive for modern readers, it was acceptable at the time. Nevertheless, the
indirect impact of Snopes‘ family stressful environment can be noticed after a detailed analysis.

Father‘s Attitude

Abner Snopes is an exceptionally strong-charactered man with his own idea of justice, who puts no
limitations on the way to what he considers right. He can be described as ‗‗a man of tyrannical and fierce
characteristics‘‘ and ‗‗not a responsible and caring father to his sons and family‘‘. Abner‘s ruthlessness and
indifference is noticeable from the beginning, in definition of him as ‗‗wolflike‘‘ and depiction of his
gestures towards son: ‗‗jerked him back‘‘. Being, from legal perspective, a vandal, the man has no shame for
his actions: both the arson and the damage he made to a rug. The father transmits his ‗‗truth‘‘ to the son
directly by saying ‗‗I had them beat‘‘ It is effective, because next time a struggle comes the boy himself
would notice ‗‗If he wanted hit done different why didn‘t he wait and tell you how‘‘. Loyalty is the most
valuable trait for Abner, and it can only be confirmed by an unquestionable belief in everything he says or
does.

Son‘s Perception

A great deal of information can be learned from the way Sartoris Snopes portrays his father. The boy feels
extremely terrified and bounded in front of Abner, it is narrated in Sartoris‘ thoughts: ‗‗I could run on and on
and never look back, never need to see his face again. Only I can‘t‘‘. Another key point in character
development for Sarty is his first introduction to a different life when he and his father come to the Major‘s
house. In the short scene in the yard Faulkner describes the tossing which occurs in boy‘s head between ‗‗his
father and terror and despair‘‘ and a beautiful, clean house. At this moment it is stated that Sartoris‘
worldview is not limited to his father‘s beliefs, but is affected by other examples of life arrangement.

Social Background

The events of ‗‘Barn Burning‘‘ take place in American south, where people commonly are stubborn, puritan
and have chauvinistic tendencies. These qualities all can be referred to Abner‘s portrayal and describe him
as a pure southern man. In addition, the story includes images of three prevailing social classes, where
slaves, farmers and land owners form a hierarchy of power and rights. It is not uncommon for lower class
people, as well as for the characters of this story, to confront the authorities by acts of defiance and
vandalism. The narrative is filled with tension to disobey, appearing in administrative relations between
Abner and the court and transferring to familial issues of the same character.

Sartori‘s Dilemma

The climax of the story is a decision which Sarty has to make: whether he should stand for his father‘s idea
of another arson or act rightfully and warn the owner. The boy had learned a lesson of ‗‗sticking to your own
blood‘‘ and sees his father‘s authority as well as still feels ‗‗childish‘‘ love and admiration for him.
However, Sarty is affected by what he had seen before: Major‘s house, which was full of ‗‗peace and joy‘‘–
things the boy lacked and desired. It is tempting to read Faulkner‘s story as a conflict between authority and
individual freedom‘‘. This can be true with the amendment that for two main characters ‗‗freedom‘‘ stands
on the different sides of the dilemma. As a result, the father-son relationship, undermined by a prolonging
conflict, gives way to the boy‘s newfound faith in clear justice.

The Analysis of the Boy‘s Choice

Although the above-mentioned facts may be true, there is a key point that lets to judge Sartoris‘ behavior as
a replication of his father‘s – independence. Perhaps, the strive for making their own way is the main
similarity between two characters. Abner‘s actions several times show his relentless urge to disobey any
rules or recommendations, he is a symbol of autonomy and self-possession. It is highly possible that this
feature was inherited by son of simply assimilated over the years. This statement confirms that family and
blood influence one‘s behaviour in the society as well as it happens vice versa. The boy had experienced a
presumably abusive treatment from his father and still took over his qualities, but interpreted them according
to his view of rightness.

Conclusion

To summarize, the topic of father-son relationship in ‗‗Barn Burning‘‘ is deeply connected to social
structure of the time story takes place. Moreover, the communication itself is unhealthy, because it is built
upon coldness and harshness from father‘s part, and fear from son‘s. The society obtains motives of
stubbornness an independence, which respond to main heroes‘ characteristics. The narrative questions ideas
of justice and obedience from the points of both father and son. The final decision can be interpreted as a
following of inherited features and newfound social responsibilities at the same time.