ipl-logo

How Does Sarty Mature In Barn Burning

588 Words3 Pages

In “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner depicts a young boy’s journey from adolescence to manhood. Ten years old, Colonel Sartoris(Sarty) Snopes struggles both internally and externally in pleasing his father and his own soul. Faulkner uses Sarty as an emblem of purity shaped easily for better or for worse. Presented with perplexing decisions, Sarty makes solutions that yield metamorphic outcomes. In Sarty’s journey he deciphers between the desire to stay loyal, instinct to seek justice, and search to synthesize adulthood.
In being an adequate member of the Snope family, Sarty must exemplify an extraordinary amount of loyalty. Sarty believes that his father's judge “‘[is] our enemy . . . mine and hisn both’” confirming that the father and son duo are in it together (257). Furthermore,“leaping into pursuit,” Sarty fights off a neighsayer in defense of his father's name (259). Sarty clearly has an unavoidable desire to stay loyal to his father. Despite Sarty repeated actions of loyalty, his father sees it fit to reiterate that “‘You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you’” (260). Being very impressionable, Sarty furthers his trust in his father. After the trial of the rug ruining, Sarty denies his father's …show more content…

Given his situation, Sarty forcefully matures much earlier than expected. Exemplifying an independent and resilient outer shell, Sarty brushes off a blow, “‘[h]it don't hurt . . .’” from an adversary attempting to soil his family name (259). Sarty shows more maturity than his father, seeing and feeling emotions “. . . a surge of peace and joy . . . “, that his father is blind to (261). It was in this enlightening state of mind that Sarty sees the ignorance in “ . . . the puny flames he[father] might contrive.” (262). Sacrificing his family for the greater good, Sarty steps up and stops his father in the final act, and “he did not look back”

Show More
Related

  • Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son Rhetorical Analysis

    507 Words  | 3 Pages

    The support of the example “would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orater if he had not been roused, kindled, and enflames by the tyranny of Catiline, mile, verres, and Mark Anthony” justifies Adams idea that if it were not for mistakes you would not grow to the person you are. She reveals how he will only become a true person if he learns through his own experiences and mistakes not by merely expecting things to come to him. Adams’ inspirational tone emphasizes her advice on the importance of her son to not only learn from what life gives him, but to realize how it will help him become a person she would be proud

    Read More

  • 'Truth And Loyalty In William Faulkner's Barn Burning'

    176 Words  | 1 Pages

    In William Faulkner's “Barn Burning” he tells of a young boy named Sarty who has a constant struggle between truth and loyalty. Sarty’s father, Abner, pushes him to lie for him in court about crimes Sarty knows are wrong. At the beginning of “Barn Burning” Sarty is a scared boy who has a timid relationship with his father. He obeys his father due to his father's intimidation and his constant lectures about loyalty. During the week Sarty and his family visit a mansion of sorts where he gets his first taste of a life that is full of something other than abuse and terror.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Loyalty In Barn Burning By Sarty

    723 Words  | 3 Pages

    But, in this case Sarty have to decide if being loyal to his family or loyal to the law is more important. As we may all know that a father and son relationship is supposed to have the tightest bond that consist of LOYALTY? In “Barn Burning” Sarty is broken between his loyalty to his family and an inner more sense of justice. At the beginning of the story it starts off with loyalty.

    Read More

  • Motivation In The Glass Roses By Alden Nowlan

    1819 Words  | 8 Pages

    When one is trying to hold up to these expectations they find themselves in a hard situation, as these standards might not meet up to the person they are. Sometimes one does not meet the expectations that were important to their parents. In this short story, Stephen's father has had a consequential influence on his life. This is due to his father having strong values and beliefs about how his son should live his life. Stephen's father was the "huskiest of the most solemn", and was the foreman of the pulp-cutting crew.

    Read More

  • Father Child Relationship In William Faulkner's Barn Burning

    670 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sarty saw his dad now and again as "bloodless" and cut from "tin." Sarty could as a rule persuade himself why his dad was like this. The way that he must be a stallion merchant for a long time escaping the blue and the dark armed forces to exist by taking or "catching" as he called it,

    Read More

  • A Literary Analysis Of William Faulkner's Barn Burning

    683 Words  | 3 Pages

    Literary Analysis of “Barn Burning” Many times the decisions we need to make in life can be difficult to make. This is evident in William Faulkner's “Barn Burning”. The main character can either let his father burn down a barn or betray him and alert the authorities of his criminal actions.

    Read More

  • Barn Burning Character Analysis Essay

    1662 Words  | 7 Pages

    Loyalty, compassion, and honesty, things that should be passed down from generation to generation. In the short story, Barn Burning by William Faulkner, the main character Sarty is battling his morality within himself. He knows the difference between right and wrong but yet he has a sense of loyalty he must contain towards his family. By examining the decisions set by his father, Sarty’s inner struggle and the strength it takes to stand up for oneself, it is clear that Sarty must make his own choices that will set him on his own path for the rest of his life. Colonel Sartoris Snopes, Sarty for short, is the small ten year old son of Abner Snopes.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Rufus Weylin In Octavia Butler's Kindred '

    960 Words  | 4 Pages

    (25-26) ” It’s clear that Rufus’s parents’ two opposite approaches to raising him are conflicting and damaging, resulting in Rufus getting the wrong message as to how he is allowed to behave. While Rufus’s mother gives him all he wants regardless of his poor behavior, his father on the other hand neglects him and resorts to violence to discipline him. The use of violence and sense of entitlement build up in him and worsen as he ages.

    Read More

  • Father And Son Relationships In East Of Eden, By John Steinbeck

    905 Words  | 4 Pages

    Adam is raised with his young half-brother, Charles, his step-mother, Alice, and his pragmatic father, Cyprus. Cyprus is a military obsessed man who wants to imbue his children with the discipline and honor of the army. He craves order, discipline, and competition, which often leads to tensions between his two sons. Adam is kind and emotion, while Charles thrives under his father’s strict rules and games. The younger brother is dominant and thrives in all aspects of home

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Double Meaning

    533 Words  | 3 Pages

    As well as arguing with his family, the patriarch breaks many promises and mocks it by making sure his daughter will agree with him saying, “‘Have I ever let you down?’”(Walls 210). Knowing that he has let

    Read More

  • How Is Sarty Portrayed In Barn Burning

    1404 Words  | 6 Pages

    But this also shows that Sarty is quarreling only because of his father and not because of what he believes in. Sarty knows it is bad to burn barns, and inwardly, Sarty probably knows his father is wrong. Nevertheless, Sarty brawls because Abner is his father, and he needs to defend him along with his family. Sarty experiences the first of many conflicts within himself to defend his father or side with truth and

    Read More

  • Change In Seamus Heaney's Poems

    1244 Words  | 5 Pages

    The sight of his father crying, a man who according to the speaker has always been a stoic and emotionally strong character, consequently confuses the speaker into wondering how he must react to this situation. This is a change in the family hierarchy as the father figure can no longer provide emotional stability. The poet elucidates the theme of change in the following strophe, “old men standing up to shake my hand”. The old men respond to the tragic incident by shaking his hand, leading the speaker into adulthood and maturity. He has now suffered and hence is seen as a man.

    Read More

  • Dr. Manette Character Analysis

    821 Words  | 4 Pages

    Manette has proven to be a capable and stable father, but when reminded of traumatic memories and situations, spirals into a mentally handicapped state. When it comes to discussing his past, especially his time in prison, Dr. Manette begins to act like a child, refusing to open up unless the situation is approached in a less direct manner. Lorry goes about this conversation by offering a more hypothetical situation. Perhaps this is more comforting to Manette, as he does not feel quite as connected to his past. However, it is very interesting to see this sense of immaturity come out of Dr. Manette, considering that he is typically “of a studious habit, and unusually energetic” (204).

    Read More

  • Sarty Snopes Character Analysis

    1012 Words  | 5 Pages

    Abner Snopes tells his son that he has to be loyal to his family or he is going to end up alone. This cause a dilemma for Sarty because he was to be loyal to his father, but he wants to do the right thing with the court of law. The development of the character changes was gradual and obvious to the reader. When Sarty saw De Sapin maison represents a better life. Abner Snopes would abuse his son and one particular moment Sarty realize that he did not want to live in fear with his father rules.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: The Prodigal Son

    1259 Words  | 6 Pages

    His idiosyncrasy remains loving and understanding, even when his younger son returned home after many of been away with not a penny to his name. The young son showed disobedience to all the goodness his father had offered to him. The young son showed traits such as selfishness as well as being ungrateful. He had no worth for his father’s property nor did he want to work alongside his father on the family farm.

    Read More

More about How Does Sarty Mature In Barn Burning

Open Document