Everyday Use Sarty's Struggles

Faulkner proves us that it is impossible to sruggle with one's own heart . The moment when Sarty decided to choose morality over the blood pool and warned the de Spain's revealed his true character. Though this meant the death of his

“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.

By the time her final hours arrive, Granny Weatherall has grown tired of people treating her like a child.  Cornelia constantly whispers to people about her as if she cannot hear.  Cornelia warns people that Granny is "getting childish and they'd have to humor her" (310), and she often reminds anyone within hearing distance of Granny's age.  Doctor Harry is also prone to speaking to Granny in a tone that she interprets as condescending, prompting her to reprimand him to show some respect for his elders.  The type of behavior displayed by Cornelia and Doctor Harry leaves Granny terribly annoyed.

Sarty never justifies his father’s actions and is aware that if he allows things to remain the same, he will become a product of his environment. This is his motive for warning Abner’s next barn burning victim and his chance to move on with his life.

In "Barn Burning," Abner Snopes, father of Colonel Sartoris, or Sarty, is portrayed as a strong dictatorial figure who lacks the nurturing qualities of a human. Emotionless and physically harmful to his family, Snopes is given the image of a terrible and destructive figure; however, is also thought of as brave in the eyes of his son, giving him sympathy. Influenced by his urge to rebel against class segregation, Abner Snopes is both a tyrant to those around him and a misunderstood, complex character who becomes the power he is trying to destroy. Abner Snopes, although passive and detached in the presence of others, holds a prominent role in the life of Sartoris, affecting his son both physically and physiologically. Snopes can be compared to a strong and violent force of destruction, for he is continuously seeking harmful revenge onto others.

Granny Weatherall is characterized as a very old lady who is extremely stubborn and bedridden. Granny Weatherall is a sickly old lady in denial. She believes that she is not sick although she is lying on her deathbed. Her life consisted of two men and her children with them. Granny Weatherall remembers her first love, John, leaving her at the altar. She later marries George who she has many

In William Faulkner's, “Barn Burning”, Sarty tries to conform to this life of crime. Sarty is the son of a sharecropper, who is known as the “barn burner”. Sarty is forced to live a continuously hectic life, that is both unhealthy and unstable. The Snopes family constantly travels place to place, and they never have a stable financial situation. Sarty begins to gain hope for his family, at the arrival of Major De Spain's home. The beauty of the home overwhelms Sarty, and gives him the push he needs to keep going. Abner unfortunately has the opposite feeling, which makes Sarty’s life harder. Sarty’s loyalty to his father is strong in the beginning, but soon fades away, due to his moral conscience to do right

Next, we are introduced to the antagonist, Abner Snobes, when he talks for the first time since the trial began. He also establishes the fact that he plans to move himself and his family out of town. We are then introduced to the rest of Sarty’s family.

In spite of his being raised by his father, Sarty still feels loyalty to the morals instilled in him by society. Faulkner first demonstrates this to us when Sarty is called to the stand. Faulkner writes "He aims for me to lie, he (Sarty) thought, again with that frantic grief and despair" (Faulkner 75). The fact that Sarty felt grief and despair at the idea of lying for his father demonstrates that Sarty knows that it is morally wrong and does have some loyalty to morals. Sarty feels joy at the sight of how big Major de Spain's house is because "They are safe from him. People whose lives are a part of this peace and dignity are beyond his touch..." (Faulkner 78). This proves that Sarty knows and feels that what his father did is morally wrong. He even goes as far as to hope that his father will change and adhere to society's values, as is shown when Faulkner writes "Maybe he will feel it too. Maybe it will even change him now from what maybe he couldn't help but be." (Faulkner 79) and also "Maybe this is the end of it" (Faulkner 82) Sarty's adherence to society's morals make him consider betraying his father, shown in the lines "I could keep on, he thought, I could run on and on and never look back, never need to see his face again" (Faulkner 85). Sarty's devotion to the morals instilled in him by society is ultimately shown when he betrays his father and warns Major de

He is even more afraid of losing his father’s trust after Abner hits him “hard but with out heat”(280) not for telling the truth, but for wanting to. Sarty is conscious of the fact that if Abner knew his desire for “truth, justice, he would have hit”(280) him again and that Abner’s recommendation that he “learn to stick to” his “own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you”(280) is more of a threat rather than fatherly advice. Sarty learns to stifle any qualms he has and overlook his own developing morals in order to defend his father’s cold-blooded attacks. In the face of Abner’s “outrage and savagery and lust”(286) and the ever-present conflict these emotional outbursts cause, Sarty’s sense of obligation to his father out weighs his desire to “run on and on and never look back”(286). He hopes being forced out of town will transform the side of Abner that possesses an “inherent [ly] voracious prodigality with material not his own”(279) and he will be satisfied once and for all. As father and son walk within sight of an impressive manor “big as a courthouse”(280) owned by Major de Spain, a wealthy landowner with whom Abner has struck a deal to farm corn on his land, Sarty knows at once that “they are safe from him”(280). His father’s “ravening”(281) envy could not possibly touch these “people whose lives are part of this peace and dignity”(281). But, Abner is seething with “jealous rage”(281) at the sight of the de Spain

In Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" Mama is the narrator. She speaks of her family of two daughters Maggie and Dee. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in very different manners, the reader can choose which character to identify most with by judging what is really important in one’s life. Throughout the story three themes consistently show. These themes show that the family is separated by shame, knowledge, and pride.

“Barn Burning” written by William Faulkner tells the story of Sarty Snopes and his family. His father is Albert Snopes, who causes problem in his son’s life. Albert is racist and evil to everyone in the story. Although, Sarty is a tragic character in the end he is a hero, who was not afraid to stand up for what is right.

In the story Barn Burning, Faulkner uses the Snopes to display that social classes affect how a person sometimes acts or behave to a certain extent. William Faulkner uses the literary of conflict when he decided to make Sarty choose between morality or blood bonds. This will lead to Sarty telling De Spain what is to come “Barn! Barn!” and in the end, Sarty “sat now, his back to what he had called home for four days now”(Faulkner). This affects the story because it shows the highlight turn of event in which Sarty decided to reason rather than blood ties. It is evident that the actions of the Justice of the Peace, De Spain, Abner Snopes and others that made Sarty decided to do what he did. Before this all happen, Sarty making his own decision, Sarty choosing his path, De Spain rides out with his gun,

Porter's "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" depicts the story of a dying woman's life. Throughout her eighty years of life Mrs. Weatherall has had her fair share of disappointments, heartaches, and unfavorable outcomes. This short story is written in a manner that allows the reader to get an outside view looking in; similar to looking at the story through a window as if being acted out in front of you in the theater. The story is eloquently written and leaves the reader with a sense of familiarity towards the family. The populations of readers who have had the pleasure of experiencing this pathetic story have come to relate their own experiences and disappointments towards the story and have empathetic feelings towards the main

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