Barn Burning

The conflict between family tradition and truth and justice consumes Sarty Snopes, an adolescent boy in William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning.” He must reconcile his innate sense of justice and his loyalty to his father while driven to an act with consequences that alter his life. The all consuming fear of becoming like his father and being thrown into family tradition is manifested by grief and despair. “… the old fierce pull of blood.” For example, …

…conflict that visit most humans. Barn Burning made me realize that we all are in conflict in one way or another. Reconciling the conflict, while knowing the consequences, is the real obstacle. For example, Sarty knows that to resolve his conflict he must stop his father. The consequences of his actions mean the destruction of his family. However, once Sarty resolved his conflict by warning Major de Spain, the fear was no more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**