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Morals Or Blood Bond By William Faulkner

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Morals or Blood Bond Barn Burning (1939), is an astonishing short story written by William Faulkner. This story is about not only the struggles between rich and poor, but also the story of Sarty’s transformation into manhood. In the story he had to choose whether to do what was right by his own morals or to do right by his father because of the blood bond they shared. After the long lasting struggle between his father’s authority and his own idea of justice Sarty finally chose to confidently follow his own standards of justice, which shows him taking his next steps into manhood. From an early age we are taught to respect our parents and elders decisions whether they are right or wrong. In this story, Sarty debates whether or not he …show more content…

This action shows cowardice and silence lies in his fear of betraying his father. Abner Snopes, Sarty’s father, had an outrageous amount of anger towards the rich and to express his anger towards them he taught Sarty how to make threats and violate others legal property. Although, Abner’s burning of the barn had been his way of fighting against the inequality in the southern society, this does not make it acceptable. Sarty is only ten and has not yet set standards for his own moral code, therefore all he knows is what he has been taught. His father has taught him to be a man in the light of his criteria. “You are getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood stick to you” (Faulkner, pg. 803). Sarty believes that what his father is telling him has to do with family responsibility and agrees with him. Sarty is still young and because of this he does what his father says and keeps quiet about the crime his father has committed. Although, Sarty does see all the great his father has done fighting against the inequality of the Southern Society, he also notices the odd and the wrong in his father’s behavior and decisions. At this place in the story, the relationship between Abner and Sarty is still at absolute loyalty. The crimes that Abner is committing are starting to be more wrong in Sarty’s eyes. He is beginning to see the wrong in the

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