Loyalty Versus Morality in Barn Burning Essay

In William Faulkners Barn Burning, the main character is Colonel Sartoris Snopes or Sarty for short, who is torn between loyalty to his father and morality, and this story deals with that struggle. Sarty is a round character, changing through the story as he moves from sticking to his own blood to thinking more of himself and his own good. At first he is extremely loyal to his father, but as him and his family later realizes that what his father does is not right, Sarty realizes that this is simply an extremely vicious cycle. He thinks that his father wants to lie, and acknowledges that he will have to do so, despite strong feelings that it is the wrong thing to do. He fears his father more than he wishes to act as he would like. Sarty watches his father get kicked out of town for burning Harriss barn. He also watches his father destroy de Spains rug. Saw him suffer of having to clean it the rug he destroyed. Then try to burn the landlords barn down. As this is happening, he hopes that his father will gain some sense of responsibility and justice.

In the beginning of the story, Abner has been accused of burning Mr. Harris barn. Immediately, Sarty is convinced that the people of the court are his and his fathers enemies. . . . our enemy he thought in that despair; ourn! Mine and hisn both! Hes my father!(418). Abner is later forced to be found innocent because there was no proof leading that Abner had committed the crime. Abner was, however, warned to leave the country and to not come back (418). After leaving the courtroom, Sarty is faced with his first struggle as he defends his father as some boys call his father a Barn Burner!(419). He fights the boys and sheds his own blood to protect his fathers and his own name. This is where the importance of the struggle of blood loyalty takes place. To Sarty the blood that he shed for his dad does not bother him. As his mother tries to take care of him he says Nawhit dont hurt. Lemme be (420).

After having to leave the courtroom, Abner brings his family to another farm on which to work. As they are resting at the camp, Abner asks Sarty to join him in a walk, and they talk more and more about family loyalty versus truth and justice. Sarty speaks harshly to his father on trying to convince him on telling the Justice of the Peace the truth about the barn burning. Abner slaps Sarty Hard but without heat (420). He warns Sarty about the importance of family and explains that none of the men in the courtroom would have defended him. Fearful of his fathers abusive behavior, Sarty knows that it is useless to respond: If I had said they wanted only truth, justice, he would have hit me again (420).

When the family arrives at the new sharecropping farm, Abner takes Sarty along with him to see Major de Spain, The man that aims to begin tomorrow owning me body and soul for the next eight months (421). Sarty thinks that the appearance of the mansion will stop his father from burning more barns. As Abner feels disrespected in having to clean de Spains rug, Abner picks up a field stone and begins to vigorously scrub and ruin the rug himself (423). Early the next morning Sarty and Abner leave the rug in front of de Spains porch. Later that morning, de Spain rides up and tells Abner that the rug is ruined, and that he is charging him 20 bushels of corn for destroying it, in addition to what Abner already owes for renting the farm. Sarty defends his father by saying He wont git no twenty

bushels! He wont git none!(425). Abner tells his son, . . . well wait, (426). Later on Abner is getting ready to burn down de Spains barn. Sarty is faced with three options: He can go along with his father, and become a part of the crime; he can run on and on and never look back, never need to see his face again; or he can try either to stop his father or warn de Spain (427). Sarty runs to de Spains, bursts into the house, and cries out, Barn! . . . Barn! (428) He then flees down the road and is almost run over by de Spain on a galloping horse, headed for his barn. Sarty begins to run again, and suddenly he hears one gunshot followed by two more. The gunshots probably killed his father but he is still unsure.

Sarty has changed from a boy too afraid of his father to take action to a young man, aware of the consequences of his actions and willing to face them. Sarty faces many challenges where he had defended his father because he did not want to disregard family loyalty. He fought other kids because of certain things that were said about his father and by never questioning his fathers judgment. Sarty witnesses his father get kicked out of town for burning Harriss barn. He also watches his father destroy de Spains rug. Saw him suffer of having to clean it the rug he destroyed. Then try to burn the landlords barn down. Sarty realizes in the end of the story that justice can only be worth something if you take charge for what you believe in.