Setting and Theme in Barn Burning Essay - 1144 Words

All stories, as all individuals, are embedded in a context or setting: a time, a place, and a culture. In fact, characters and their relationship to others are better understood in a specific context of time, place and atmosphere, as they relate to a proposed theme or central point of a story. Abner is revealed as a sadistic character who confronts his son with the choice of keeping his loyal ties to the family or parting for a life on his own with no familial support. Sarty is Abners son, a young boy torn by the words of his father and the innate senses of his heart. Sarty is challenged by an internal conflict, he wants to disobey his father, yet he knows that if he leaves he will have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. We will†¦show more content†¦Major de Spain lived the life of a wealthy southerner, a life that Abner would never have. When Major de Spain told Abner, It cost a hundred dollars...but you never had a hundred dollars...you never will, it caused Abner to feel a greater sense of animosity toward de Spain because he knew himself that he was not the type of man fit to be the head of the household and probably never would be, which was why he felt that he had to burn down de Spains barn. Sarty went along with all that his father did because of the impact of his fathers words on him, You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you aint going to have any blood to stick to you. He also knew that they were of the poor class, struggling to put food on the table; as much as he disagreed he could not express himself. Sarty disagreed with everything his father did and wanted to tell him, but he knew that his father would leave him to fend for himself. Subconsciously Sarty admired de Spains life, peace and dignity were beyond his touch. Faulkner himself defended Abners character in an interview with Jane Hiles called Blood Ties in Barn Burning. The Great Depression was a time when the poor felt alienated from the politically and economically dominant groups and focused primarily on the feeling of blood, of clan, blood for blood. The family had to come together regardless of any criminal activity or immoral choices for the survival of the group. The interviewShow MoreRelatedThemes In Barn Burning1135 Words   |  5 PagesSymbols and Themes in â€Å"Barn Burning† and â€Å"To Build a Fire† The short stories â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner and â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London are, on their surface, two very different tales. While â€Å"Barn Burning† tells the story of a young boy, Sarty, trying to grow and develop his own moral code among his twisted father whom the boy doesn’t agree with, but follows because he is ‘his blood,’ â€Å"To Build a Fire† tells a story of a man trekking alone on Yukon Trail in miserable, dangerous weatherRead MoreComparison of â€Å"AP† by John Updike and â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner1268 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Faulkner and John Updike short stories share the same theme loyalty. The use of different literary elements to explore this similarity is what differs within the two stories. The authors take different approaches such as characters, settings, and point of views to communicate the theme to the reader. Throughout both short stories, the reader ca n receive a precise overview of loyalty. 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Primarily a story about the relationship between father and son, the story presents itself through the use of symbolism. The most vital sign being fire. The fire is much like the main character in the story, Abner. Both Abner and the fire are uncontrollable and destroy anything in its way, having respect for nothing. Sarty, Abners son, dislikes what his father does out of acts of hate and tries to stop it (Faulkner Barn; 23)Read More Setting in William Faulkners Barn Burning Essay1584 Words   |  7 PagesCritical Viewing on Ba rn Burning William Faulkner’s use of a setting in a short story, such as â€Å"Barn Burning†, effected the entire outcome of the story from start to finish. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, a young boy must face his father and face the reality of a harsh world. He must also discover for himself that his father is wrong and learn to grow up the right way in a racial environment. Faulkner’s setting is one of the most important literary elements that help the audience understand theRead MoreLiterary Elements Of A Short Story1513 Words   |  7 Pagessmall prose narrative that has a fully develop a theme but is shorter than a novel. There are many different literary elements that compose a short story, such as narrative or point of view, character, setting, tone, and style, theme, plot, and symbol. All of these literary elements are fundamental to write a short story, you cannot have one without the other. The short stories â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†, â€Å"Barn Burning†, and â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† are great examplesRead Moreâ€Å"a Rose for Emily† vs. â€Å"Barn Burning†2378 Words   |  10 Pagesone Americas greatest authors. In fact, his short stories, Barn Burning, and A Rose for Emily, are two of the best-known stories in American literature. Both are examples of the reflection of contemporary Southern American values in his work. â€Å"Barn Burning† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† are two stories both written by William Faulkner. â€Å"Barn Burning† has a theme of family loyalty verses loyalty to the law. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† has a theme of power by death. Emily is thought of as a monument, but at the