...ENG111 Online June 13, 2011 Commitment to Family or Freedom to Self The three literary pieces The Glass Menagerie, Barn Burning, and Ulysses all have something in common. A significant character from each work abandoned his family to seek out his own needs. As I read the three different literary works recently I reflected on what a one-of-a-kind thing a family is to each of us. Is it wrong to put our own needs above that of our parents, our brothers and sisters, or even our spouses or children? Even when raised by the by the same parents, in the same community we all grow into unique individuals with directions of our own, independent from the aspirations of our parents and siblings. As I read the three pieces of literature The Glass Menagerie, Barn Burning, and Ulysses it got me thinking about some of the ways in which I feel about my own family situation. I know I could never leave them, but I do know so many people who have set off away from their families. I sometimes desperately envy those with that freedom. In all three works, there is a balance to be found towards responsibility and commitment to family, and freedom and choice to self. For the purpose of this essay I will compare the roles of Tom from The Glass Menagerie, Sarty in Barn Burning, and Ulysses in the poem Ulysses. Although they each served a different role in the family as a brother, father, and a son, they in the end all made a decision to leave their families in each literary piece. ...
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...Barn Burning William Faulkner is concerned with the south and its problems with black slavery. The issues in Barn Burning deal with the conflict between father and son. The theme of this story focuses on justice. The boy, Sarty, objects to his father burning barns and wants people to be treated fairly. His father, Abner, believes his son should respect and support kin. Abner thinks family is right no matter what. Faulkner's intent is to show that choosing between one's own family and justice is very difficult to do, and in the end justice must prevail. The theme is best illustrated by its point of view, its characterization, and setting. Faulkner represents his point of view using both first and third person to translate his theme. The story is being told by Sartoris Snopes who is a boy at the time the story takes place. Throughout the story he shifts from first to third person narrative voices. At times in the story he would speak as only a child would, then something would be said by him which was too knowledgeable for a boy his age to know. This gives an impression that he is older and is remembering things of his past. Switching between first and third person shows that the choice he made greatly affected him. The way the characters are portrayed remarkably depicts Faulkner's theme. The two conflicting characters are described in similar ways to show their differences. Abner is described by how people see and think about him. From...
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...Barn Burning Although many political and economic changes took place following the civil war, it was very evident in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning that the impact on the social lives of the people living in the south were the most difficult to overcome. He utilizes the new tension between the social classes to create a compelling short story of a boy and his father, but more important, using the family to represent the change in society, the change between good and evil. The new social order after the civil war was a cause of tension between Abner Snopes and his surrounding communities. In William Faulkner’s Barn Burning Abner is portrayed as a man with much insecurity, which causes him to lash out at the people that were better off than him “‘I aim to. I don’t figure to stay in a country among people who…’ He said something unprintable and vile.” While Abner was not found guilty of arson the family is forced to leave on account of their own safety “’Barn burner!’” shouts one of the other citizens, showing the reader how much Abner and his family are un-liked. However, his choices do not change how his son sees him, yet. Abner and his way of dealing with issues begin to take a toll on the family, and most of all his son Sardy. His excessive anger and violence begin to change how Sardy feels about him, and he starts to question if his father is a good role model. Sensing this, Abner decides to intervene before Sardy sees what kind of a man he really is “’You’re going to...
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...Analysis of “Barn Burning” The main issue that arises in this short story is right versus wrong. Colonel Sartoris “Sarty” Snopes is a young man who feels the building pressure of his conscience, but extreme loyalty to his father. Sarty possesses a keen sense of right and wrong. The opening seen begins with his father, Abner Snopes, expecting his son to perjure himself. This would allow Abner to not be prosecuted for barn burning. He strongly believes in the kinship bond the “old fierce pull of blood.” He doesn’t focus on the consequences of his actions…nor does he care. Abner Snopes is very poor, paranoid, vengeful and full of rage. He despises those who are more financially stable. Unlike his bitter father, Sarty subconsciously questions his father’s devilish actions. He is unable to fathom the reasoning why his father feels justified to ruin these wealthy properties. His loyalty is demonstrated in the scene which the young boys call out, “Barn burner!” Sarty immediately strikes out and punches the boys. This shows the reader that he does feel personally threatened. It is apparent that he yearns for a normal father…One that he could idolize and learn positive attributes. Abner feels that by burning down these properties it is doing justice. He is exhausted from working as a farm hand, so he preys on those who he feels threatened by. Sarty hopes that his father will stop eventually as he states, “Maybe he’s done satisfied now, now that he has”…then he stopped himself. The...
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...In William Faulkner’s story “Barn Burning,” Sarty, a ten year old boy, struggles to find his own identity due to choosing between his father’s ideals of loyalty to family and justice. Sarty lives and travels with a very poor white family, and they work on farms of rich landowners, but they get paid very little. As the beginning of the story begins, Sarty and his family are in court for Abner’s decisions of burning landowners’ barns. In the process, Sarty is pressured to choose between two paths, in which Faulkner shows “the classic conflicts of good versus evil, son versus father, and individual versus familial identity” (Ford). At the end Sarty’s final resolution develops his identity. Sarty’s conflict with his father is very strong, because Abner Snopes believes family loyalty is everything. Sarty is unable to make his own choices due to Abner’s ideals, because from the beginning Abner enforces Sarty to “stick to your own blood”(Faulkner 175). In the opening scenes, Sarty’s conflict is unveiled. Sarty loves and respects his father, but in court he does not want to lie. This causes Sarty to recognize his father’s enemies as his own enemies, and this puts Sarty in a very uncomfortable position. As Ford states, during the first trial with Mr. Harris’ Barn, the Justice of the peace banishes Abner from town instead of testifying...
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...In William Faulkner’s book, Barn Burning, Abner Snopes is a cold and violent Civil War veteran. Faulkner writes him to be harsh and emotionless. Abner is also describes as a man with shaggy gray eyebrows, and pebble-colored hair; furthermore, he walks with a limp that he obtains while stealing a horse during the war. Abner Snopes would not be considered a family man, because he is stiff and emotionless when it comes to his family. His family often receives the blunt force of his anger and frustration, especially Sarty. There are many explanations that could be used to explain Abner’s cruel behavior such as; Post-traumatic stress from the war that he served in, jealousy of those who has more than him, and his attitude towards others could be a reflection...
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...First Draft Barn Burning is a short story that was written by an American author- William Faulkner. Faulkner has brought out a mysterious characterization of Snopes. It is a story that has ten year old Sarty Snopes as the main character who is faced by a conflict. Sarty’s father is a barn burner and he is divided as to whether he should let it to the judges that his father faces on two different occasions. In the first case, his father is taken to court and charged with burning Mr. Harry’s barn. Even though he is guilty, he walks away scot free and the bad thing about it is that it is not the first and is not going to be the last barn he burns as we see in the story later. It is an injustice and he wishes that he could stop it, but on the other hand, he should protect the family name. this brings out the basis upon which the story rotates. The stor’s main theme is a conflict in which Sarty has to find which one among his family and his community he should identify with. Abner Snopes, Sarty’s father keeps on reminding him that family relations are very important and that “he was getting to be a man. He got to learn to stick to his own blood or he wont have any blood to sticking to him” (Main story: p 3) the major theme in the book is about finding one’s identity, or choosing what to identify with. There is constant identity crisis. Sarty is caught off guard this time by his father’s intension to burn Mr. de Spain’s barn. He even tries to delay his plan by suggesting the sending...
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...1 A Strong Bond The theme in “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner revolved around the strong bond of a family. The main character has to make a decision between what is right and wrong. This drives a wedge between him and his family. The rest of the family believes that blood is thicker than water and that you should stick with your own kin. In the story the strong bond of a family causes conflicts within the main character. Faulkner starts “Barn Burning” with a view of a small courthouse. Sarty sits outside as his father, Abner, argues with the Justice of the Peace. This shows just how little respect Abner has for the law. Abner is being accused of setting someone’s barn on fire. The Justice rules that Abner should pack his belongings and leave the country before dark. Abner and his sons then head out to the wagon where the rest of his family awaits. They ride for a while before camping out in some trees. The next day they arrive at the house and begin unpacking. Then Abner leaves and sets route to the De Spain’s house. Upon arrival he barges through the door and calmly wipes his feet over the expensive white carpet. He has no respect for others or their belongings. A couple hours later a man arrives with the rug and tells Abner to clean it. He does not only clean the rug, but he also sets it on fire to prove that he is above the law. After getting in trouble with the Justice of Peace again Abner prepares to set fire to the De Spain’s barn to show that he is above everyone...
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...In William Faulkner’s story, “Barn Burning”, a young man, Colonel Sartoris, struggled with the relationship he had with his father and his own conscience. Sarty, the young man, develop into an adult while dealing with the many crude actions and ways of Abner, his tyrannical father. Sarty was a puzzled youth faced with the decision of either going along with the views and actions of his morally challenged father or asserting his own morality and individuality by running away and leaving his family and his pain behind. His struggle dealing with the reactions that were caused by his father’s action resulted in him thinking more for himself throughout the story. Sarty knew he “smelled cheese, and more.” He smelled the “fierce pull of blood,” his father’s blood, the blood of the family name, Snopes. Sarty knew he was also the son of the “barn burner.” A name he heard hissing as they passed by boys in town. Sarty fought to defend his father, but when hurt; he seemed to need the blood to remain for a while as a reminder of why he stayed with his father. Sarty viewed his father at times as “bloodless” and cut from “tin.” Sarty could usually convince himself why his father was this way. The fact that he had to be a horse trader for four years, hiding from the blue and the gray armies to exist by stealing or “capturing” as he called it, horses caused Sarty to view his father the way he did. “Barn Burning” was a sad story because it not only showed the classical struggle between...
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...Barn Burning William Faulkner is concerned with the south and its problems with black slavery. The issues in Barn Burning deal with the conflict between father and son. The theme of this story focuses on justice. The boy, Sarty, objects to his father burning barns and wants people to be treated fairly. His father, Abner, believes his son should respect and support kin. Abner thinks family is right no matter what. Faulkner's intent is to show that choosing between one's own family and justice is very difficult to do, and in the end justice must prevail. The theme is best illustrated by its point of view, its characterization, and setting. Faulkner represents his point of view using both first and third person to translate his theme. The story is being told by Sartoris Snopes who is a boy at the time the story takes place. Throughout the story he shifts from first to third person narrative voices. At times in the story he would speak as only a child would, then something would be said by him which was too knowledgeable for a boy his age to know. This gives an impression that he is older and is remembering things of his past. Switching between first and third person shows that the choice he made greatly affected him. The way the characters are portrayed remarkably depicts Faulkner's theme. The two conflicting characters are described in similar ways to show their differences. Abner is described by how people see and think about him. From the beginning...
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...XXX XXX 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...
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...From the beginning of the story Barn Burning, Sartoris the son of Snope has witnessed his dad burn barns. Snopes’s physical presence fully reflects the inner corruption and love of revenge that he embodies. His leg, shot in the war when he was stealing Confederate horses for personal profit, drags lamely behind him, a show of his corrupt inner life. Because Snopes is wholly unable to express himself articulately or intelligently, his sole recourses for self-expression are violence and cruelty. Sartoris dad lies in all the courts he has attended with his father Snope and his makes him lie too. He knows his father is doing something wrong yet he just never says anything because he does not want his dad to get in trouble. In this case, the protagonist Sartoris is living a world of guilt knowing what his own father does but cannot put his own family in danger. In addition, the father puts more ideas in Sartoris head that makes him feel even guiltier by stating that if he does not remain loyal to...
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...Jaleel Ritchwood Dr. Angela Elliot Introduction to Literary Analysis ENG1005A Breaking Free William Faulkner’s story “Barn Burning” seems just to be about an oppressive father and a son who is in the grips of that oppression. I think Faulkner explores at least one important philosophical question in this story where he asks at what point should a person make a choice between what his parent(s) and/or family believes and his own values? The main character and protagonist in this story is a boy named Colonel Sartoris, who is nicknamed Sarty. In this story, Sarty is faced with the decision of both going along with the views and actions of his ethically challenged father or assert his own ethics and independence by running away and leaving his family and his pain behind. In William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”, Sarty and his father Abner struggle with internal emotions dealing with their way of life. The antagonist in the story is Abner Snopes. Abner is a very angry and inconsiderate man who has hate and abomination for almost anybody who is not “blood-kin”, and he portrays that hatred and disapproval throughout the story. This story follows the typical format and is narrated in the third person. In the exposition, Faulkner’s skill as a writer is established through the way that he uses details to draw the readers into the story. Also, in the first paragraph we are introduced to the main character and protagonist in the story, Sarty. The setting in which Sarty’s conflict is...
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...HUMANITY There are many aspects pertaining to literature that cause readers to consider it good literature. Some may analyze the plot, setting, narrative structure, character, mood, or theme. Others may choose to analyze or focus on literary techniques such as imagery, hyperbole, personification, or irony. Though we may choose to focus on any of these facets, as well as many more, the one condition that we all seem to be looking for in literature is connection. We want to be able to relate to the characters in the works we read. We want to read stories that we can comprehend and identify with; stories that allow us to associate ourselves with the characters, see the story through their eyes, put ourselves in their shoes, feel their pain, and celebrate their victory. Good literature fully explores the depths and aspects of humanity through empathy, morality, madness, vulnerability, and pride. The White Troops Had Their Orders, but the Negros Looked Like Men by Gwendolyn Brooks exemplifies empathy through the white troop meeting the black troops, likely slaves, for the first time. The poem starts us off by showing how the white men had been trained to look at the black men. They had been given the formula on how to treat them until their empathy sets in after seeing the black troops for the first time. “But when the Negros came they were perplexed. These Negros looked like men” (Brooks, 2495). In fact, they appreciated the similarities so much, they didn't have the time or frame...
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...visibility and tangibility there is empathy, said to be one of the most important “skills” humans can possess. Empathy involves an individual recalling their own personal feelings of a situation they have been through and making them relevant to that of another individual’s situation- it, unlike sympathy, requires first and foremost an understanding of the emotions of someone else while vicariously feeling these same emotions in concordance with that individual. For example, children look to their parents when they come upon various trials and tribulations, and parent(s), with far greater life experiences, are expected to have an understanding of their child’s feelings- they are expected to possess the ability to empathize. In his short story, “Barn Burner,” William Faulkner emphasizes the importance of the presence of empathy in individuals by creating Abner Snopes, a man that spends his life making a conscious refusal to feel empathy towards society, and more specifically toward his youngest son, Sarty. Through the continuous use of diction with a negative connotation to...
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