Essay on Time: Barn Burning Character

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Dandylion
English 102
July 6, 2014
Barn Burning
Character Analysis: Abner Snopes

In Barn Burning” William Faulkner’s short story presents complex themes and questioning of morality. The story takes place in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Abner Snopes was described as a violent and destructive man. He showed very little emotion and controls his family through verbal and physical abuse. His perception of life is much skewed. Abner believed the world owes him gratitude for his service in the civil war. In reality he was a mercenary. Mercenary’s are people that fight for personal gain not for defending their country. He was also shot in the leg for stealing horses during the civil war. Abner’s jealousy and rage were due to his lack of power. Whether it was from not possessing the wealth of another man or not being able to control the system on how crops were divided. His only way to possess some superiority was through his family. Abner’s son Colonel Sarotoris “Sarty” Snopes was accustomed to Abner’s violent actions first hand. Sarty was his accomplice for his barn burning activities. Sarty only ten years old at the time wanted to stop lying and put an end to his father’s escapades. Abner’s’ incapability to control his rage and destruction caused Sarty to question his loyalty to his family or loyalty to honor and justice. The story takes places in a courthouse where is located in the back of a general store. This is where Abner is accused of burning the landlords barn and as well as punishing him. Faulkner leaves the impression that being that the courthouse is not really a court house amplifies Abner’s belief that he is not of any importance. In comparison when he see De Spain’s estates, Abner states “Hits big as a courthouse” it

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Contrasting “A Rose for Emily” and “Barn Burning” 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…

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The author William Faulkner has an eminent style of Southern Gothic in his story “Barn Burning”. Southern Gothic is characterized by shock, theme and violence. In this story, it depicts a father and his son agonizing with enormous internal conflicts along with the finale of those conflicts. This is clearly illustrated by a ten year boy named Sarty Snopes, who is haunted having to confront a dilemma in his early childhood days. Sarty feels responsible for having to choose between loyalty to his father…

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“Barn Burning” by William Faulkner In “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner, the reader follows a father-son relationship that is undergoing major struggles. As the story commences the reader begins to learn about the son, Colonel Sartoris Snopes, who is more commonly known as Sarty. Sarty is a young adult learning to cope with the horrible deeds of his father, Abner Snopes. The reader perceives Sarty as a confused young man who constantly asks himself of his fidelity towards his father and himself…

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Draft Barn Burning is a short story that was written by an American author- William Faulkner. Faulkner has brought out a mysterious characterization of Snopes. It is a story that has ten year old Sarty Snopes as the main character who is faced by a conflict. Sarty’s father is a barn burner and he is divided as to whether he should let it to the judges that his father faces on two different occasions. In the first case, his father is taken to court and charged with burning Mr. Harry’s barn. Even…

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Faulkner’s short story “Barn Burning” is set back to around 1890’s in the south of the United Sates. The short story revolves around the Snopes, a poverty stricken family who seem to not be able to stay anywhere too long. The family includes Abner the father, Lennie the mother, Lizzie the aunt, and four children the oldest a male, twin girls, and Sarty the youngest male being the only one of the children with a name mentioned. In this story Faulkner employs plot, character, and point of view to create…

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