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English 232-10 19 March 2014 The Misguided Motives and Redeeming Qualities of Abner Snopes In William Faulkner’s short story “Barn Burning,” Abner Snopes is portrayed to be an unpredictable predator who ruthlessly burns the barns of his enemies over minor disputes and terrorizes his family into submission. Abner is described as “tin-like” throughout the story to signify the coldness that he shows towards humanity. This makes Abner appear almost inhuman, as he seemingly lacks the human quality to feel emotion. Given the misdeeds that Abner commits in the story, it would be very easy to think of him as the tin-like monster that the narrator portrays him to be. However, like the “dynamic shapes of tin cans” that are mentioned in the opening paragraph, Abner has a dynamic past that has led him to view the world in a different light than society. In Abner’s eyes, he is the hero and the wealthy citizens and the justice system are the villains who are out to take advantage of the poor. When the story is looked at from this point of view, many of Abner’s seemingly negative traits become admirable. Although Abner is still a flawed character, his ability to resist oppression and protest the corrupt social system, his determination to see that justice is served, and his love and loyalty to his family are worthy of respect.
In order to understand why Abner has come to develop his hatred towards society, his past and current situation must be examined. In the story, the narrator states that Abner was a plunderer in the civil war. During this time, Abner had the freedom to do as he chose. He fought for neither side in the war and instead lived in the woods for four years. This freedom that he had in the war is a stark contrast to his current position as a sharecropper, where the living space is poor, the pay minimum,