Barn Burning

Barn Burning William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" was published in 1939. The setting and mood of the story reflect the Great Depression, and class conflict is at the heart of the "Barn Burning." "Barn Burning" is about a family of poor farm workers, and the interpersonal conflicts that arise due to their lowly station in life. The Snopes family consists of Colonel Sartoris (Sarty) who is the protagonist of "Barn Burning." His father Abner Snopes can be described as the antagonist.

Abner Snopes has a habit of taking out his frustration and anger on his landlords by burning down their barns. The story opens in a courtroom in which Snopes is on trial, and he expects his son to lie about the barn burning in order to protect him.

In "Barn Burning," the central conflict is between father and son; the central complication happens when Satry deliberately ruins the rug of Major de Spain; and the moment of change is when Sarty tells Major de Spain the truth and warns him about the barn. Although there are deeper issues such as class conflict at stake in Faulkner's "Barn Burning," the central literary conflict is the boy's relationship with his father.

If Snopes were the protagonist, then class conflict would be central to "Barn Burning." However, Sartoris (Sarty) is the protagonist and "Barn Burning" is about his coming of age by making a significant decision related to an assertion of independence. Sarty is placed in an awkward position of defending his father, while he knows that what his father is doing is wrong. The elder Snopes is cruel to his son and paranoid that his son will betray him. Snopes frequently hits or verbally abuses Sarty.

Sarty continues to obey out of fear of his father's wrath. He has been protecting his father out of fear only; and not out of love. The complication in "Barn Burning" takes place when Snopes sullies Major de Spain's rug. Leading up to the complication, the Snopes family is forced to move and find work outside the county. They work for Major de Spain. However, Snopes is belligerent as soon as the family arrives. In anger, Snopes tracks manure on Major de Spain's carpet.

Major de Spain asks him to clean it, but the harsh detergent ruins the rug beyond repair. Because of the rug, Major de Spain docks twenty bushels of corn from his pay. This event complicates matters because it puts Snopes on trial once again. Moreover, Sarty is in the terrible position of having to lie and defend his father. The trial builds up to the climax of the story.

When Snopes announces his intention to burn down the barn of Major de Spain, it offers the moment of change that Sarty needs. During most of the story, Sarty remains submissive. He is loyal to his father. Like a child, he obeys his father's orders and is afraid of the consequences of dishonoring his father's wishes. By the end of the story, Sarty changes. He comes of age, as his moral development and character are build through a decisive moment of change when he warns de.