Sarty

who what

Journal #5: “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner

Sarty’s view of his father only demotes throughout the story. The boy is torn apart between the decisions he has to make. Sarty has to side with either his father, which symbolizes criminals, or the court, meaning justice. In the beginning of the story, Sarty is called to testify his father’s case but is dismissed by the judge just before he is about to confess his father’s inhuman action. After they are sent outside the courtroom, the Snopes are called and mocked as “Barn Burner”. Because Sarty’s father had tattooed the importance of blood loyalty into Sarty’s delicate mind, Sarty defends his father by engaging in a fight with the boys, while knowing he is, indeed, fighting for the wrong cause. When Sarty and Snopes arrive at the new barn, the awe-inspiring view of the mansion triggers a reaction that leads Sarty to a state of epiphany. There, the readers are acknowledged that Sarty wishes his father would be equally touched by the majestic appearance of the mansion as he is and his father’s barn burning solution would end once and for all. Next, Snopes’s unimaginable action completely disappoints Sarty. Upon entering the mansion, Snopes smears the horse compost across the refined rug with his wounded foot. Here, Sarty’s perspective towards his father is filled with dissatisfactions. However, when de Spain demands twenty bushels for the ruined rug, Sarty sides with his father once again, fearing that, “If I had said they wanted only truth, justice, he would have hit me again”. If Sarty does not defend his father, Snopes might need to emphasize the importance of blood loyalty once again via violence, leaving Sarty no other choice but to put on the mask of corruption for his father.

Ultimately, the boy learns to listen to his heart and intuition and decides for his own, as well as his father’s, fate. Snopes is furious when the judge ended the case with a ten bushels debt for him to comply. As usual,...