Barn Burning by William Falkner - Research Paper Example

Barn Burning Answer Renowned 20th century American and novelist William Falkner has pointed out some prominent traits attributed to divergent ethno-racial groups of the USA in his short story Barn Burning. The story concentrates upon the always prevailing conflict between the individuals belonging to rival racial groups and communities, which have been at daggers drawn since the beginning of the cultural amalgamation in the large country of the USA. Faulkner has shown how social reconstruction has affected the everyday life of the individuals in the wake of the end of racial discrimination from the country by 1970s. There was a time when the African Americans had not been granted the human rights equivalent to their white counterparts. This segregation prevailed in every department and even in public places including hospitals, parks, railway stations and in public transport, where the Blacks were bound to vacant the seats in the buses for the whites as a token of their so called superiority. The Blacks were not allowed to even sit in buses and other public places alongside the white people, and even had to vacant their seats at buses provided any white person entered in a bus with no seat to sit in. (Parks, 1992) However, time turned drastic change, and the movements of the Black community to win equal rights for them turned out successful, and the segregation of the races at schools, public places and even public offices observed complete and unconditional eradication. The African American students used to seek education at segregated schools separate from the whites. Somehow, the ethnic and racial discrimination witnessed the gradual eradication from the very face of the US society, where the individuals belonging to every races and ethnic group observed social justice and equality in the country. Consequently, the door of opportunities looked wide open for all and sundry in the country, and the Black could study, play, work, travel and dine along with the white people in the aftermath of the human rights movement launched by Martin Luther, Malcolm X, Rosa Park and several other Black leaders. However, according to Faulkner, the white maintained serious reservations about the attitude and behavior of the African Americans due to the very reality that they appeared to be far more aggressive, antagonist and revengeful during their conflict with the whites, and leave no stone unturned to take revenge of their humiliation particularly at the hands of the members of white Anglo Saxon Population (WASP). The same happened in the story under analysis where Abner Snopes, the member of Black community, always underwent humiliation at the hands of his master(s) because of his extremely sluggish and laggard nature. Instead of complying with the orders of his master, and paying due heed to his professional responsibilities of looking after the barn, crops and cattle, Abner appears to be spending most of his time in taking rest as well as getting involved in chit chat with family members and friends. Thus, he transfers the duties assigned to him to his daughters, which are not in a position to perform the same in a proper manner. It not only infuriates the masters, but also paves the way towards Abner’s insult and humiliation. Somehow, instead to mending his ways, Abner turns reactionary and conspiringly set the barns under his supervision to fire before leaving the place he has been working. Answer 2: Since Faulkner has observed several incidents regarding the Black people’s turning out reactionary, the writer is of the view that such an irresponsible attitude of the African Americans not only frightens the white community, but also they are reluctant to hire the services of the Blacks for any purpose. Actually the white community had displayed their hatred for the Blacks in all social institutions provided they considered them as their slaves and the progeny of their old slaves, which should be treated keeping in mind their old past. It is therefore the Blacks were humiliated at work places and even educational institutions where the white teachers exercised prejudiced behavior in the classroom towards them, and they also experienced bias attitude from majority of classmates and admin members. In American desegregated schools, separate water coolers, sitting benches and washrooms had been marked and reserved for the black students. In addition, there were separate enquiry windows for the students and their parents and every type of discrimination used to be displayed with the blacks. Racist institutions are controlled by white teachers, who resist the access of non-white to power and privilege. (Fredrickson, 1981) Not only this that they are hesitant to keep the Blacks as employees, but also the whites maintain serious reservations regarding the financial uplift and growth of the Blacks. Since the ancestors of the whites have exercised every type of atrocities on the Blacks, they are fearful of the reaction of the Black community provided they reach the better socioeconomic status and financial prosperity within the social establishment. Race-sensitive admissions policies have also been adopted at schools, colleges and other educational institutions. Actually, social discrimination is not confined to employment and job only in the USA. On the contrary, the same prejudiced behavior could be observed in healthcare services and various educational institutions too. It is therefore the whites do not want to see the Blacks making progress both financially and professionally. The element of jealousy and envy is also a reason that forces the whites to express their displeasure towards the growth of the African American community. The same could be explored the story under investigation. The story shows the prejudiced and humiliating attitude of the Justice of Peace towards Abner, the member of Black community. Instead to enquiring of him politely, the Justice harshly orders Abner to leave the county within a jiffy. It not only aggravates his malice towards the whites, but also forces him to become vindictive and destructive in one way or the other. Answer 3: Sartoris’s obligation: Abner Snopes is the ex military man and has rendered services in WWI. Currently, he looks after the shed and stables of the farmers and on finding anything untoward and unjust in the behaviour of his master, he tries to set fire on their barns consequently. The younger Snopes is a responsible member of society and is against the reactionary attitude of his father and elder brother. It is therefore he informs Major de Spain regarding the malafide intentions of his father. Faulkner has also indicated towards the presence of conflict in the minds of people regarding their duties to their family on the one hand, and their moral obligations towards the society at large on the other; the story under investigation addresses the same. Since the protagonist character Sartoris Snopes is well aware of the nature and anger of his father Abner, he is dead sure that his father would set the barn at fire in order to take revenge of his humiliation from the barn owner de Spain. Since he overhears the possibility of his father’s doing something wrong the very night, his conscience pricks him to do something immediately in order to alarm de Spain regarding the possible ruination of his estate. Consequently, he warns the barn owner that his barn is in under grave danger at the hands of his father Abner Snopes. Sartoris concentrates upon the flaws in his father’s personality and points out how his psychological problems turn him revengeful, vindictive and reactionary towards those which display injustice towards him. Though Sartoris has unabated great love for his family, and it is extremely sorrowful for him that he has lodged complaint against in father. He also looks extremely perturbed because of the Major de Spain’s firing on his father and brother, which probably takes the life of his father and elder brother, yet he feels mentally satisfied and peaceful on waking up the next morning. Faulkner gives due heed to the location in his stories, and provides complete knowledge of the background where the story is going to take place. He has described the settings of the story at two difference areas and places. The novelist has divided the story in two parts. The first part of his fiction has been set in a rural area of the USA, while in the later part the story has been shifted to Yoknapatawpha County of Mississippi, where the Snopes have shifted after the expulsion from the southern part of the USA. To conclude, it becomes evident that ethnic, racial, regional and religious discrimination and prejudices exist in every society, intensity of which appears to be higher in the large and more populated societies in comparison with the smaller ones. It is therefore the whites and blacks look at daggers drawn on trivial matters even. Since man’s ethnic background goes hand in hand throughout his life span, people look at the members of rival races with colored spectacles. The same was the situation of Abner, who has already been looked at with suspicion. However his sluggish nature, stubbornness and vindictiveness leads him towards his ultimate end at the hands of his master Major de Spain. Though he has got an opportunity of earning his bread in a respectable way, however, his vindictiveness touches the bottom to take revenge from those who have brought miseries in to him and his family members. Instead of cleansing the barn himself, Abner appointed his daughter for the completion of the task. The small daughters were unable to cleanse the task properly, which led to Abner’s court trial and fine subsequently. Works Cited Faulkner, William. “Barn Burning” 1980 Retrieved from http://www.archive.org/stream/collectedstories030393mbp/collectedstories030393mbp_djvu.txt Fredrickson, G. M. 1981 White Supremacy: A Comparative Study in American and South African History. New York Parks, Rosa. “My Story” Paperback Publishers 1992 Schaefer, Richard T. “Racial and Ethnic Groups” Tenth Edition Prentice-Hall Pearson Education, Inc. 2006 Read More