Barn Burning by William Faulkner

Barn Burning by William Faulkner

Introduction

Willliam Faulkner has used the setting and background of the story to evoke the issue of class and status discrimination and distinction through the emotions of his main character of the story. Class difference and poverty were the main reason behind Abner Snope's deep hatered for the affluent people of the society. This story revolves araund Snopes family who has been living in poverty and were quite different from the land owners families. They worked as sharecroppers for the land owners and unfortunate circumstance and poverty were the main reason that results in Snope damaging and destroying the property and burning of land owner's barn (Shmoop).

Discussion

Characters and Setting

Colonel Sartoris Snopes

This character is a ten year old boy who was playing the role of protagonist in the story and has inherited innocece and moral values from his mother. He had to chose between family loyalty and personal value where he opts for justice and morality.

Abner Snopes 

Abner was the head of the family and was a serioal arsonist. He was cold, harsh, violent and corrupt in terms of attitude. He had a limp as he got shot during the Civil War for stealing the horse. His poverty gave rise to his violent and revengeful attitude toward the rich people.

Lennie Snopes 

Lennie was the mother in this story who has a sad character. She was emotional and caring by nature and tries to stop her husband from acting on the basis of destructive impulses. She was always nervous in the presence of her aggressive and violent huband but was the only source of comfort for his son.

Major de Spain 

He was a rich landowner for whom the Snopes family was working and brings the expensive rug to Snopes for cleaning. He was also uneasy because of his unpredictable attitude especially in the court.

Mr. Harris 

He was the very first landowner in the story and also the plaintifff in the first court case. He was the one who tried resolving Snopes family conflict of hog but finds his barn burnt. His case was dimissed as he had no evidence against Abner.

Colonel John Snopes 

He is Sartoris's younger brother and follows whatever his father tolds him to do with no personal insight or intelligence to differentiate between what is right and wrong.

Sartoris's older brother. Although his name is not given in the story, Faulkner's other works of fiction feature the same character and identify him.

Net and an Unnamed Sister 

Sartoris's had twin sister with very breif description and role in the story. In his brief description of the two women, Faulkner focuses on their physical features and posture as they were described as lazy, large and bovine with flat and loud voices, wearing cheap dresses and ribbons.

Lizzie 

This was Lennie's sister always advocating for justice and morality and take the side of Sartoris saying that if Sartoris will not inform de Spain about Abner's intentions then she will.

Lula de Spain  

She was Major de Spain's wife with a short ...