Exploring Conflicts in Barn Burning
William Faulkner’s "Barn Burning" explores conflicts between family loyalty and morality, societal expectations versus personal freedom, culminating in Sarty’s struggle to choose justice over blood ties.
Alice Edwards
Contributor
4.3
34
26 days ago
Preview (1 of 2)
Sign in to access the full document!
William Faulkner's "Bam Burning" explores various conflicts that shape the narrative, ultimately
leading to a climactic resolution. This literary analysis examines the conflicts within the story
and how they contribute to the overall understanding and interpretation of the text. By focusing
on the conflicts between family loyalty and personal integrity, societal expectations and
individual agency, and the tension between justice and revenge, this essay will elucidate how
these conflicts escalate throughout the narrative, culminating in a gripping climax.
One of the central conflicts in Bam Burning'' revolves around the dash between family loyalty
and persona] integrity, as experienced by the protagonist, Sarty Snapes. Saity is tom between his
father's destructive actions and his sense of morality. Throughout the story, Sarty witnesses his
father. Abner Snopes. engage in acts of arson and defiance against authority. Faulkner employs
vivid imagery and evocative language to illustrate ±e emotional turmoil within Sarty as he
grapples with the conflict bettv een his familial ties and his desire to da what is morally right. For
instance, when Sarty realizes his father plans to bum the de Spain bam, he thinks, "If I had said
they wanted only truth, justice, he would have hie me again.’’ (Faulkner 5). This quote
exemplifies the internal snuggle Sarty faces, tom between staying loyal to his family or
embracing his principles.
Faulkner further highlights this conflict in Sarty's inner monologue, stating, "He could not see
die table where die Justice sat and before which his father and his father's enemy (our enemy he
thought in that despair; our! mine and his both! He's my father!)" (Faulkner 1). The repetition of
possessive pronouns emphasizes Sarty’s internal struggle, tarn between his loyalty to his family
and his understanding of justice. This conflict reaches its peak during the story’s climax when
Sarty warns Major de Spain of his father's intention to bum down his bam, ultimately siding with
his moral obligations over his blood ties.
The story also explores the conflicts between societal expectations and individual agency. Abner
Snapes represents the weight of tradition, where loyalty to family and the preservation of
ancestral customs cake precedence over personal desires or moral considerations. Sarty; on the
other hand, grapples with his longing for personal freedom and the desire to break free from the
cycle af violence his father perpetuates. Abner finds himself pitted against a society he feels has
continually oppressed him. He resents the wealthy landowners, like Major de Spain, whom he
perceives as exploiting the poor. Abner's acts of arson can be seen as his way of exerting agency
and resisting ±e social hierarchy. However, this rebellion against societal norms and
expectations ultimately leads to further conflicts. Abner's refusal to conform to societal norms
directly clashes with his son Sarty's desire to conform and find acceptance within society. This
clash between Abner's rebellion and Sarty’s longing for acceptance further deepens the tensions
within ±e narrative.
Faulkner depicts Sarty's struggle with tradition versus individual autonomy when he reflects,
'Maybe it will all add up and balance and vanish—coin, mg, fire; the terror and grief, the being
pulled two ways like between two teams of horses" (Faulkner 12). The image of being tom
between two apposing forces illustrates Sarty's internal conflict. This conflict climax when Sarty
defies tradition by taking a stand against his father’s destructive actions, nltimately choosing his
path rather than unthinkingly following the Snopes family's legacy.
leading to a climactic resolution. This literary analysis examines the conflicts within the story
and how they contribute to the overall understanding and interpretation of the text. By focusing
on the conflicts between family loyalty and personal integrity, societal expectations and
individual agency, and the tension between justice and revenge, this essay will elucidate how
these conflicts escalate throughout the narrative, culminating in a gripping climax.
One of the central conflicts in Bam Burning'' revolves around the dash between family loyalty
and persona] integrity, as experienced by the protagonist, Sarty Snapes. Saity is tom between his
father's destructive actions and his sense of morality. Throughout the story, Sarty witnesses his
father. Abner Snopes. engage in acts of arson and defiance against authority. Faulkner employs
vivid imagery and evocative language to illustrate ±e emotional turmoil within Sarty as he
grapples with the conflict bettv een his familial ties and his desire to da what is morally right. For
instance, when Sarty realizes his father plans to bum the de Spain bam, he thinks, "If I had said
they wanted only truth, justice, he would have hie me again.’’ (Faulkner 5). This quote
exemplifies the internal snuggle Sarty faces, tom between staying loyal to his family or
embracing his principles.
Faulkner further highlights this conflict in Sarty's inner monologue, stating, "He could not see
die table where die Justice sat and before which his father and his father's enemy (our enemy he
thought in that despair; our! mine and his both! He's my father!)" (Faulkner 1). The repetition of
possessive pronouns emphasizes Sarty’s internal struggle, tarn between his loyalty to his family
and his understanding of justice. This conflict reaches its peak during the story’s climax when
Sarty warns Major de Spain of his father's intention to bum down his bam, ultimately siding with
his moral obligations over his blood ties.
The story also explores the conflicts between societal expectations and individual agency. Abner
Snapes represents the weight of tradition, where loyalty to family and the preservation of
ancestral customs cake precedence over personal desires or moral considerations. Sarty; on the
other hand, grapples with his longing for personal freedom and the desire to break free from the
cycle af violence his father perpetuates. Abner finds himself pitted against a society he feels has
continually oppressed him. He resents the wealthy landowners, like Major de Spain, whom he
perceives as exploiting the poor. Abner's acts of arson can be seen as his way of exerting agency
and resisting ±e social hierarchy. However, this rebellion against societal norms and
expectations ultimately leads to further conflicts. Abner's refusal to conform to societal norms
directly clashes with his son Sarty's desire to conform and find acceptance within society. This
clash between Abner's rebellion and Sarty’s longing for acceptance further deepens the tensions
within ±e narrative.
Faulkner depicts Sarty's struggle with tradition versus individual autonomy when he reflects,
'Maybe it will all add up and balance and vanish—coin, mg, fire; the terror and grief, the being
pulled two ways like between two teams of horses" (Faulkner 12). The image of being tom
between two apposing forces illustrates Sarty's internal conflict. This conflict climax when Sarty
defies tradition by taking a stand against his father’s destructive actions, nltimately choosing his
path rather than unthinkingly following the Snopes family's legacy.
Preview Mode
Sign in to access the full document!
100%
Study Now!
XY-Copilot AI
Unlimited Access
Secure Payment
Instant Access
24/7 Support
Document Chat
Document Details
Subject
English