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Analysis Of William Faulker's Barn Burning

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Growing up the most taught valuable lesson from right and wrong is through what we go through. William Faulker, author of the short story “Barn Burning,” shows through the story a young boy learning what right and whats wrong. As the main character in this short story Colonel Sartoris Snopes also known as Sarty learns that his dad actions aren 't right. Sarty’s father, Abner, moves their family around constantly and is a very destructive man. Sarty had a rough childhood and throughout the story he grows to be a round character, whereas in the beginning he was flat. Sarty is a young boy, 10 years old of age, who is stuck between doing the right thing or sticking by his family. As a reader, the thoughts shown throughout the story should make …show more content…

The ways Faulker displays this is from the ways Sarty compliments and admires his father, his language as he 's describing his father, and the way he obeys him as the story progresses.This is shown when he speaks of his father’s “…wolflike independence…”(145) which causes his family to depend on almost no one. Throughout the story Sarty consistently wishes things with his father could change for the father, because of Sarty 's tremendous admiration for his father. As Abner commands Sarty’s twin sister to clean the rug, “..thought never raising his voice..” (148), this example showed how his father is strict, but also expected the girls to do it in respect of their father without being overly demanding.Through his father authority shown in the household, causes Sarty to feel dissatifation towards him. As the ending comes to play, Sarty’s compliments become sparse. Which leads to the tones becoming different surrounding them. After Abner runs from the burning barn he spoke of his father in a courageous or heroic sense. Sarty’s mentioning, “He 's was in the war” (154) shows how he wanted those around him to remember his dad as a brave man and overlook him as an individual who burns barns. Although he doesn 't condone his father and his actions, he still seems to

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