The choice between family and conscience is a strong theme within "Barn Burning" that Sarty, the protagonist, has to face. His father, Abner Snopes, does not choose the best decisions for himself and his family, but because he is family, Sarty feels he has no choice or be admonished and hit. At the trial in the instigation of the story the narrator describes, "He aims for me to lie, he thought, again with that frantic grief and despair. And I will have to do it" (375). His father knew his son would tell on him if given the chance, and reprimands him, saying, "You"re getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you" (378). The battle between listening to his heart and following his family and unconditional love imposes on him a hard struggle of the choices of life. He knows it is wrong to accede to his father's intimidating ways, but he does not want to disrepute his father by this dissension. The narrator says that if he was not so young he would "resist [the world] and try to change the course of its events" (379). He learns that bulk is not always needed to abnegate his father; at first he tries defending him, but in the end his heart wins over and he helps those in harm because his father is too stubborn and dogmatic to listen otherwise. .
