Barn Burning Essay

William Faulkners short story, Barn Burning, can be interpreted as a coming of age story. The mown(prenominal) character, Sarty, is a young son who is hale to choose between following morals and supporting his novice. Through appear the text the endorser sees that he is part between the two, not old enough to put his foot d declare and say no, but not young enough to continue on blissfully unaware. Right from the beginning paragraph, Sarty is sitting in the cover version of the Justice of Peaces court. Faulkner paints this picture of the little son crouched on his nail keg at the back of the crowded room (Faulkner 493).From this simple sentence, the reader sees Sarty as a weak, unimportant character in the story. His pay back is accused of burning an enemys barn. Our enemy he thought in that discouragement ourn Mine and hisn both Hes my father (Faulkner 493). This sentence indicates that the 10 year old boy knows to support his blood relations. However, when he is called to t he Justice he thinks, He aims for me to lie and I will spend a penny to do it, (Faulkner 494) which indicates that the boy knows the truth, and even though to support his father would be lying, thats what he postulate to do.He continues to call the neighbor an enemy in his head, but when it comes to being questioned he freezes up. From this moment the reader begins to experience the battle inside Sartys head that continues throughout the story. That is, the battle between right and wrong, family or betrayal. In that moment of frozen nerves, Sarty feels, As if he had swung outward at the end of a pipeline vine, over a ravine, and at the top of the swing had been caught in a prolonged instant of hypnotized gravity, weightless in time. (Faulkner 494. ) This quote holds an abundance of symbolism abot the position Sarty was put in. He was momentarily stuck in this weightless, timeless, unknowing moment, swung out over a ravine suggesting that if he let go, if he give in to his own mo rals, he could be flung into a world of pain. The grapevine is a universal symbol of rebirth or impertinently beginning. Every spring, new green shoots spring up along gnarled, twisted old branches resembling life from death. For Sarty, resisting his father would be a new beginning.As they walk out of the court, a boy wispers Barn burner (Faulkner 495), and Sarty jumps at him trying to hit him. This indicates that in the beginning Sarty quench sticks to his blood and tries to defend his father. However, we still see indications of the internal battle that Sarty is fighting throughout the story. Sarty then portrays independence towards his mother when she is trying to fuck up his wounds and wash off the blood. He refuses to admit that it hurts, and tells his mother, Ill wash it to-night Lemme be, I tell you. (Faulkner 495).It is contradictory that he wants so much to please his father but talks back to his mother in much(prenominal) a way, even when shes the one trying to help him while his father doesnt give birth his best interests at heart. This is an instance of a childish need to gain approval. He knows that his mother cares approximately him and approves of most of his actions, but it is his father that he knows he has to work for. His father wants him to grow up, and to be a man. Abner tells his son, Youre getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you aint going to have any blood to stick to you. (Faulkner 496). Sartys dad believes that growing up means supporting your family. However, in truth, if Sarty were to grow up he would realize that his fathers actions were vile and stand up to him. These words make an impact on Sarty, nonetheless, because the next day, when they arrive at their new house and his father drags him away, the narrator remarks, A week ago or before last night, that is he would have asked where they were going, but not now. (Faulkner 496). A week ago a naive, ignorant Sarty wou ld have questioned his father. however after their talk he gained a new perspective, not quite becoming independent or growing up, but rather a better understanding of discretion. Before they even reach the house, Sarty points out the oak and cedar trees, both symbolic of strength and endurance. Also, the honeysuckle and roses which line the gate symbolise slam and caring. When they get to the entrance, they are greeted by a big gate with pillars and a long drive lede up to the coloumed pillars of the manor. This demonstrates the wealth and prestige of the manor. When Sarty sees the house he instantly thinks of a courthouse. He forgets about the terror and despair his father has caused him and they are replaced by a surge of peace and joy whose reason he could not have thought into words. (Faulkner 497). The comfort that Sarty finds in this authoritative building is predictive of his resistance to his father later on. Next Major de Spain takes Abner to the local courthouse after he refuses to pay the twenty bushels of corn he was required to provide. The court decides to lower the amount to ten bushels, which is an extremely reasonable price to pay for quite a littlefall a rug of such value.However, as they are leaving, Sarty says to his father He wont tail end no ten bushels neither. He wont git one. Well (Faulkner 502). Not only is he passionately taking his fathers side in this quote, but he also refers to himself and Abner as We, suggesting a stronger emotional bond in this moment. None of this matters once they get home, and Abner sends Sarty out to the varn to get the can of oil. Sarty knows what his father is going to do, and contemplates running away, but he tells himself he cant. Then, when Abner forces Sartys mother to hold him down to prevent Sarty from running away, the whole scene changes.I believe this is the moment when Sarty realizes how his father has misused him and that he has the ability to be independent. So, he struggles away fro m his mother and when he bursts through the front door of the radiate manor he babbles to the white man about the barn. During the course of this entire scene Sarty never dinero running. He runs away from not only his childhood subordination, but also the hopeless dependance of his mother, the laziness of his sisters, and the careless mindset of his brother.He runs away from all the negativity, and yet when all alone, Sarty thinks, He was brave e was He was in the war He was in Colonel Sartoris cavry (Faulkner 505). Still blindly defending his father, and yet, without realizing it, he travel asleep. At the approach of dawn, and approach of a new day, Sarty has changed once more. He is free of his blood restraints. He went down on down the hill, toward the dark woods within which the liquid silver voices of the birds called unceasing the speedy and urgent beating of the urgent and quiring heart of the late spring night. He did not look back. (Faulkner 505).