Protagonist Abner Snopes
In 1939, William Faulkner writes “Barn Burning”. The story reflects the life of the people living in Mississippi during the period of “social, economic, and cultural tumult, the decade of Great Depression” (Mary E. Byrne) The main theme in “Barn Burning” concerns the relationships between father- Abner Snopes and his son- Sarty Snopes, shows the social and economic injustice that happens “between the white landowners and the white tenant farmers”, “the racial distinction between black and whites” (Mary E. Byrne). The plot in “Barn Burning” depicts a story of a family that is in the lowest social class and endures financial difficulties. Abner Snope’s attempts for better life do not lead to anything and his family has nothing left to do but travel all over the country in search of new farms which they can lend and maybe make some money just enough to merely survive. Abner Snopes is a poor sharecropper; he is smart enough to understand that his social status is never going to improve, and that his children’s future holds only hard work. Abner Snope’s complex characterization by Faulkner proves that the
“sticks the mule with a stick’, only in order to “kill a horse fly” without any “anger or heat” (496) proves that it is only Abner’s way of teaching the life wisdom to his son. Abner wants his son to be “a man” and to learn to stick to “his own blood” (496). Abner understands the importance of family bonds and teaches his son to be loyal and protective to his family. Abner’s loyalty and protectfulness to his family frustrates him since, no matter how hard Abner Snopes works in the fields, ‘he will never be able to earn enough to become a powerful, wealthy landowner like de Spain and the others who employ him” and his family will have to live the miserable life they are living right now. At first sight Abner gives the impression of an abusive father who speaks with a “harsh voice” to his son Sarty. However, “the harsh voice” (497) indicates Abner’s desire to make his son acquainted with the harshness of life, ignorance, indifference and egocentrism of the society. The scene where Abner hits his son “the same way as he Abner Snopes observes the colossal differences amid the houses and possessions, sees the “contrast between their horses”, however it gets even worse when Abner realizes that de Spain has servants, which wear better clothing and eat better food that his own children. Major de Spain’s servant, whom Abner thinks of a lower class and says, “Get out of my way, nigger,” (503) is dressed in fine lin
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Approximate Word count = 989
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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