Father-Son Relationship Theme in Barn Burning - Research Paper Example

? Father-Son Relationship Theme in “Barn Burning” ‘Barn Burning’ is a short story written by William Faulkner which deals in its context deals with loyalty, honor and justice. The story starts at meat and cheese store during a court session After Sarty’s father is accused of burning down a barn belonging to his landlord. Sarty’s father is known as Mr. Abner Snopes. His son is requested by the court to have to testify against his father on his case with the property owner known as Mr. Sarty. While at the store, Sarty is tempted to consume the meat and cheese at the store. He (Sarty) is in a tight situation where he has to lie about his father’s actions. Sarty at this moment wants to under initiation into manhood. However, The Justice and Mr. Snopes find out that they are putting Sarty in a fix. He wants to tell the truth and protect his father. This leads to the Judge telling Mr. Snopes to get out of the country and never come back. This shows the faultiness in the justice system though happening in the early centuries. Mr. Abner is guilty of burning his landlord’s barn but the judge lets him walk away. Outside the courtroom, he is involved into a fight with boys who call his father a ‘barn burner’. Sarty is faced with in a dilemma situation where he is forced to choose between blood and loyalty. From the story, the writer shows different characteristics between the main characters, Mr. Snopes and his son Sarty. Additionally, there are different relationships in the story but the most evident one is the one between Mr. Snopes and his son. The relationship contains several characteristics that make it stand out from the others in the story. The story shows a closes relationship which is sealed by blood between Mr.Abner and Snopes (Hamblin 12). This is evident when the judge asks Snopes’ son to give his testimony during the proceedings. The son should either be loyal to the justice department or tell them what happened to their landlord’s barn. The son knew that that the father had contributed to the burning of the house but did not say a word to the judge. This happened even after he had been threatened by the judge to speak the truth or suffer the consequences. The type of bond in their relationship continues to become stronger after he got involved in a fight outside the courthouse. Some of the boys had started shouting that his father was guilty of burning the barn. They referred to Mr. Snopes as a Barnburner. The father on the other hand tells him that he was on the right way on the matter and that he should take the side of his blood relatives. He continues to say that even if his son had testified against him in the court, the people present during the trial would not take his side. The writer says, “Those people in the court were not going to side with him even if Sarty would have decided to testify against him” (Faulkner 5). Blood loyalty is strongly emphasized in the story (Shmoop 15). However, Sarty is subjected to two choices which include being loyal to his dad who is his blood relative or come to a conclusion to do what he sees is right. Additionally, Mr. Abner reportedly reminds him the importance of family blood. He also talks to him about other activities that come up was result of close family relationships. From the story Mr. Abner says to Sarty, "You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you” (Faulkner 15). This meant that Sarty should have been there to support the family however wrong the family should have been. This is because his actions to save the family would have helped him in future to provide him a shoulder to lean on in case he needed any help. This was proved at the end when Sarty has no place and person to turn to for help. The book also provides a situation that involves conflicting loyalties and their affect in making decisions. Sarty is one of the characters to undergo this dilemma. Since he is almost undergoing initiation in the society, he had had great morals that he has obtained from family and other members of the society. To make his decision to get out of the dilemma, he has to make a final decision whether to help or betray his family. His father had raised him since his childhood to the person he was at the moment and blood ties had helped them in their family matters. The writer brings this up from the story when he writes, “He could not see the table where the Justice sat and before which his father and his father's enemy (our enemy he thought in that despair; our! Mine and his both! He is my father!) Stood, but he could hear them, the two of them that is, because his father had said no word yet” (Faulkner 5). The close relationship between the father and the son can be seen afterwards after they leave the town to look for work in another town. After making the make night shift, Mr. Snopes asks his son to join him so that they would have a walk. During their walk, Mr. Snopes continues to elaborate again on the theme of family loyalty. Their conversation is about what had happen earlier on at the court house and he made it clear to his son how he had appreciated him making that decision before the judge. However, he makes it clear to his son that he was a weak person and would have told the Justice the truth about what happened to their landlord’s barn. Mr. Snopes slaps his son dispassionately. The writer shows the impact of the slap by comparing it to how his father had whipped the mules that had helped pull their bandwagons to the location they were in at that time. He claims that the slap is to warn his son and create a place in his heart for his family. It was to proof how import ant the family was and that his decision by saying the truth would not have changed anything at the courthouse. William Faulkner, in his story employees the possibility of a submissive relationship between Mr. Snopes and his son (Fargnoli 10). However, abusive and harsh Mr. snopes is to his son, Sarty gave in to his orders. He followed his father’s orders. This is evident after the father his son and Sarty do not know on how to respond. Do to his age; Sarty follows his father’s advices and orders. Mr.Snopes has instilled some fear to his son that has led him to give in to his demands. There is also presence of a rebellious relationship between the two characters. For example, when they arrive at their new boss’s house, Major de Spain, Sarty says that it will help protect his father from burning more barns in that part of town. This shows that somehow, Sarty did not praise or value his father’s actions. He only followed his instructions due to the harsh and abusive way that was used to communicate. While at this new place, Sarty compares the house to a courthouse to its large size. Sarty claimed that however big Major de Spain’s mansion was, it would provide peace and joy. Sarty has hopes that the mansion will also have the same impact on his father and his behaviors. This shows the innocence in the son’s youthful experience though he will later be disappointed in his father’s actions. Sarty wants his father to change to being a good man. However, his high hopes end after he learns about his father experience with the boss and other workers at the farm. After Mr. Snopes is requested to wipe his shoe before entering the mansion, he responds abusively by telling the butler, “"Get out of my way, nigger” (Faulkner 5). After Mrs. De Spain orders him to get out of the house, he deliberately smears the rag with dung from his boots. Father-son relationship becomes strong as the story line continues. After the drama between Mrs. De Spain and his father, he promises his father that Se Spain “won't git no twenty bushels! He won't git.” This happened after the father had ruined Mrs. De Spain’s rug. Mr. Snopes is requested to pay 20 bushels of corn as a punishment. At first, Sarty did not find his father guilty just as he had done in the barn-burning incident. However, this time round, he had mixed feelings did not support his father’s action. Sarty claimed that if his father would pay the requested fine, it would stop him from being what he really was. The case proceeded to the Justice of Peace and once again, Mr. Snopes was in a courtroom. At first, Sarty due to family loyalty defends his father. The judge rules out that Snopes should pay 10 bushels of corn compared to the 20 Mr. De Spain had earlier on requested. His father responds by assuring his son that "won't git no ten bushels neither”. Finally, Sarty is torn in between upholding the family’s loyalty and enforcing the principles of justice. His father leaves for the civil war and Sarty is left with his mother and aunt. At the end, Lonely cuts himself off from the family so that he can explore the world on his own. Works Cited Fargnoli, A. Nicholas. Critical companion to William Faulkner a literary reference to his life and work. New York: Facts On File, 2008. Print. Faulkner, William. Barn Burning and other stories. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2009. Print. Hamblin, Robert W., and Charles A. Peek. A William Faulkner encyclopedia. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2009. Print. Priddy, Anna. Bloom's how to write about William Faulkner. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2010. Print. Shmoop, Shmoop. "Barn Burning Themes." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. . Shmoop, Shmoop. Barn Burning: Shmoop Literature Guide. Sunnyvale,CA: Shmoop University Inc, 2009. Print. Read More