Barn Burning

Use of Blood in “Barn Burning” “Barn Burning” is about the struggle of a boy to do what is right during the Post Civil War era. The main character, Sartoris Snopes, is a poor son of a migrant tenant farmer. In the opening scene he is being asked by a circuit judge about the burning of a farmer’s barn by his father. The boy does not tell on his father and is not forced …

…and though he is against his father’s actions he still supports them because he is family. Faulkner’s use of blood contributes to the theme of loyalty to the family in several ways. Throughout the short story there are many references to loyalty and sticking to your own blood. “Barn Burning” is a very in-depth short story and had to be read carefully in order to obtain the full meaning and recognize the morals.