Abner Snopes Struggle Against Social Class

2.Billinglea, O. Fathers and Sons: The Spiritual Quest in Faulkner's 'Barn Burning. Mississippi Quarterly: The Journal of Southern Culture 44.3 (Summer 1991).

“Barn Burning” is a story which was first published in 1939 and later awarded the O. Henry Memorial Award. It was the best short story of the year. William Faulkner, the author, was a creative and innovative writer whose ability to describe a place makes you feel like you are present and experiencing all happenings that take place in the story. Particularly in this short story, he has managed to create the picture of real-life events in the minds of readers while depicting the main theme: constant struggle between the poor and rich.

Crash! Boom! Terrified screams and rifle shots filled the air as Margaret snatched up her baby sister into her arms as she ran around frantically in search of shelter. Finally finding a safe hiding spot behind a large rock, Margaret and her little sister watched in desperation as their small shack was ransacked by John Brown and his raiders. As the sky grew black with smoke, angry tears began streaming down Margaret’s face. Why can’t the anti-slavery settlers just leave us alone? Why are they being so violent? What have we done to them? All we want is land to settle on! Margaret wondered in disheartenment. For settlers who had rushed to claim land in Kansas and Nebraska in the stormy 1850’s, facing violent clashes had become a daily

Phillips writes that the defining characteristic of a ‘Southerner’ is a feeling of white racial solidarity which casts all other social considerations in the shade; it is the “cardinal test of a Southerner.” When Phillips touches upon the subject of non-slaveholding whites, he emphasizes their zeal for the primacy of white civilization as an end unto itself. He relates two contemporary accounts of non-slaveholders, one a tinner and the other an overseer, to demonstrate this fervor but pointedly devalues their economic attachments to slavery, writing, “Both of them, and a million of their non-slaveholding like, had a still stronger social prompting: the white men’s ways must prevail; the Negroes must be kept innocuous.” Phillips rejects out of hand the sway of overt pecuniary motives against the weight of racial ones and this rejection is so absolute in part because “it is otherwise impossible to account

William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during the Civil War. The main character, Abner Snopes, sharecrops to make a living for his family. He despises wealthy people. Out of resentment for wealthy people, he goes and burns their barns to get revenge. Abner's character over the course of the story is unchanging in that he is cold hearted, lawless, and violent.<br><br>First, Abner's unchanging character shows his cold heartedness. After being sentenced to leave the country for burning a man's barn, he shows no emotions to his family. During the story, there was not a time when he apologized or offered a word of encouragement to them. His tone of voice when talking

In William Faulkner’s short stories “A Rose for Emily” and “Barn Burning” the characters are both guilty of committing terrible crimes. However, Miss Emily in “A Rose for Emily” and Abner Snopes in “Barn Burning” are both portrayed very differently from each other. A few things to consider while reading these short stories is how each of these characters is characterized, how the author generates sympathy for these characters, and the order in which the events in these stories occur.

The short story,”Barn Burning”written by William Faulkner is about a 10 year old boy named Sarty, who gets called to the stand of the court; his father, Abner Snopes, is accused of burning a barn down. Sarty knows that his father is guilty of arson and wants justice to be served, but, his father wants him to stay loyal to his family and blood. The conflict of morals vs. family goes on for the entire story,Sarty’s moral beliefs are embedded in justice and peace, while his father wants him to protect his family no matter the circumstances. Literary devices used in the story are symbolism and diction, the symbols of blood and fire being, family and a chain.and being told from the perspective of a timid ten year old boy. One of the major themes present throughout the story is courage, wanting to tell on his father for arson but, being shot down by his intimidating father. William Faulkner illustrates the theme of courage through the use of symbolism and diction

Her diatribe at Crooks clearly shows the distinction made between herself, as a white woman, and Crooks, as a “colored” man. In an attempt to raise herself, she shows that he is inferior and powerless, due to the color of his skin. Also, with the use of the word “Nigger,” Steinbeck communicates how the society within the book perceives African Americans as subordinate. With the inferiority brought unto Crooks, he emphasizes upon racism, in such a way that the modern audience is reminded of the past acceptance of the concept. By focusing on racism, Steinbeck also focuses on the social hierarchy present on the ranch, in which African Americans are considered to be the lowest, in spite of one’s gender and capabilities.

In The Ethics of Living Jim Crow by Richard Wright, various stylistic devices and rhetorical strategies are used such as symbolism, and colloquial language. The use of Wright’s symbolism of the “green growing things” establishes how African-Americans were disadvantaged in their upcoming. In this, the white boys which lived beyond the tracks were able to hide “behind trees, hedges, and the sloping embankments of their lawns.” The symbolism of these green things, displays how white people had an upper advantage in society, having luxurious lives to hide behind. Meanwhile, Wright remarked “I didn't have any trees or hedges to hide behind” displaying how African Americans were not protected, leaving them easily discriminated against and futile against attack. In this, Wright remarks that the green things “grew into an overarching symbol of fear.” Furthermore, the use of colloquial language by white people displayed how they had the freedom to say what they pleased, whereas Wright had to talk formally to white people using phrases such as “Yes, sir", and“No, sir, Mr. Pease.” Additionally, Wright had to question every word he said, in an attempt to not to offend a white man, describing how “To have said: "Thank you!" would have made the white man think that you thought you were receiving from him a personal service. For such an act I have seen Negroes take a blow in the mouth.” Together, these stylistic choices affect the tone and meaning of the work as they display the unjust

actions to show that no one will own or control him. He has no regard

DeMott introduces the conflict from a much different viewpoint and lets the readers see Snopes as a victim. DeMott believes Snopes likes to pull the victim card because he is poor and believes that everyone is trying to make society fall to economic power. Snopes does not like feeling as if he is subject to any power other than his own. By Snopes not wanting to fall subject to the community’s economic power system, he not only refuses to pay but also burns the barns down (DeMott 494-495). Brucker’s sense of conflict was rather similar to the others. Brucker stated within his article that betrayal was the main sense of conflict throughout the piece. Brucker not only used the major conflict within his article, but he also introduced some symbolism (Brucker).

William Faulkner once said, “We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” This quote is valid in William Faulkner’s short story, Barn Burning, as it demonstrates the difference in social classes and how their status affects the decisions they make. This is evident in Sarty’s response to his father’s actions, the condition in which Sarty’s family lives in and the treatment his family receives, and Sarty’s choices that evidently forced Sarty to betray someone he cares about or be true to himself.

The setting of this story is very important because it gives you a sense of what life was like back during the late 1800s. “Barn Burning” takes place in the south after the civil war. After the civil war, the south was in the period of reconstruction. A lot of the south was destroyed from the war, and it affected everyone in the south from their economy, to their personal lives. Many people lived impoverished like the Snopes family. Abner Snopes holds a lot of resentment because he couldn’t be successful in his life. Instead of changing his life and working hard, he resents everything and everyone around him. This attitude eventually leads to his downfall.

The saying, “blood is thicker than water” is a term used to imply that family relationships are always more important than friends. However, at times it may be hard to choose between family and friends based on right and wrong. In the short story, Barn Burning, written by “William Faulkner, a Nobel Prize winning novelist of the American South”(“William Faulkner”), choosing between family and doing what is right for honor and justice is highly expressed. The main character, Colonel Sartoris Snopes, nicknamed Sarty, battles his thoughts of doing what is right or wrong throughout the story. After following the orders of his father for ten years, Sarty eventually decides to make his own choice and go against the pull of blood.

In “Barn Burning,” the author, William Faulkner, composes a wonderful story about a poor boy who lives in anxiety, despair, and fear. He introduces us to Colonel Satoris Snopes, or Sarty, a boy who is mature beyond his years. Due to the harsh circumstances of life, Sarty must choose between justice and his family. At a tender age of ten, Sarty starts to believe his integrity will help him make the right choices. His loyalty to family doesn’t allow for him to understand why he warns the De Spain family at such a young age. Faulkner describes how the Snopes family is emotionally conflicted due to Abner’s insecurities, how consequences of a father’s actions can change their lives, and how those choices make Sarty begin his coming of age into