"Barn Burning" By: William Faulkner

"Barn Burning"
By: William Faulkner

In this short story Faulkner tells of a young boy by the name of Colonel Sartoris Snopes. Sarty is the main character that battles within himself between what is right and wrong. Sarty's father Abner is the type of man that thinks people owe him something. Throughout the story Abner seeks revenge on people he works for when he thinks that they have miss treated him. He does this by burning these people's barns.

When the story begins Sarty is in this small store because his father is being accused of burning Mr. Harris's barn. Faulkner begins to tell the readers what type of family the Snopes are. The boy is in clothes that are to small and we learn he can't read because he recognizes the pictures on the cans but the words mean nothing to his mind. Also when the justice tells his father to get out of the country Sarty begins to remember all the other times he has had to move. This tells me that this isn't the first time his father has been in trouble and is a very unstable man.

When the justice asked Sarty to come up front his father gives him a look like he wants him to lie. Sarty knows what is right and wrong, but he doesn't want to get his father into any trouble. When they arrive at their new house Sarty sees the grand house and all Major de Spain's accomplishments and thinks that his father can't hurt someone that has this much. Sarty wants to become a great man like these people. When Abner gets the rug dirt because he didn't think that he needed to wipe his feet he makes his daughters clean it instead of him doing it. He returns the rug that he has ruined and Major de Spain tells him that he is going to pay for it with his crops. Abner becomes angry and decides he is going to burn his barn. Sarty is tired of his father's actions and warns Major de Spain. Sarty takes off and in the distance he hears the shot and knows his father is dead. All he wanted was for his father to face justice but not with his life.

As Sarty is walking he knows that the sun will rise soon and with the new day he can begin his new life.  He would no longer have to fight with doing the right thing or protect his father. He could live his life the right way.