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Barn Burning
ABOUT THE STORY
Barn Burning by William Faulkner
The short story entitled "Barn Burning" is based on historical fiction. It was written by an American writer named William Faulkner. The story was first published in a magazine called Harper in June 1939. It has been included in many other collections since then. The story mainly describes conflicts between different social classes, the influence of fathers, and seeking revenge. It has been narrated from the perspective of a young boy who experiences everything happening around him.
"Barn Burning" is mainly about a boy named Sarty Snopes growing up. His father is an aggressive person who gets back at people by burning their barns. Sarty wants to support his dad and his family, but by the end of the story, he can't endure and accept what his father does anymore.
The story "Barn Burning" deals with major themes like social status, honour, shame, being loyal, and the history of a family.
FULL PLOT SUMMARY
Barn Burning by William Faulkner
The main protagonist of the story is Young Colonel Sartoris Snopes (Sarty). He crouches on a barrel in the back of the store. This is also the place where the town court meets. He is unable to see the table where his father and his father’s opponent Mr. Harris are sitting. The judge of the Peace Court first asks Mr. Harris to prove that Mr. Snopes had burned his barn. Mr. Harris describes how Snopes's hog kept breaking the fence and getting into his cornfields.
The last time, when Mr. Harris asked for a dollar to return the hog, the Black man was sent to bring the hog. That black man gave an ominous warning to Mr. Harris saying that both wood and hay can catch fire. That night, a fire destroyed Mr. Harris's barn. Though the judge says that this isn't enough proof, Mr. Harris wants Sartoris to come to court and talk about the matter. Sartoris knows very clearly that his father wants him to tell a lie on his behalf. So, he does the same in favour of his father. Next, the judge asks Mr. Harris if he wishes to question Sartoris more, but Mr. Harris just snarls at the boy to leave the place.
The judge of the Peace Court dismisses the charges against Snopes. He says that Snopes is free to go but tells him to never return to the county. Snopes agrees with the judge's decision. Later, Snopes and his two sons walk out of the store and move towards their wagon. A kid in the crowd accuses them saying that they're barn burners and also hits Sartoris. Sartoris falls on the road. Snopes tells Sartoris to get in the wagon, which is loaded with their belongings, where his two sisters, mother, and aunt are already waiting.
Snopes stops his crying wife from wiping Sartoris's bloody face. That night, the family camps outside by a small fire. Snopes wakes Sartoris and takes him down a dark road. He accuses Sartoris of planning to tell the judge about the barn arson case. Snopes hits Sartoris on the head and tells him that he must always stay loyal to the family.
The next day, the family gets to their new house. They start taking things out of the wagon. Snopes brings Sartoris to Major de Spain's house. Major de Spain is the owner of the house on whose land the family will work. Even though the servant doesn't like it and protests, Snopes moves inside the opulent house with dirty horse stuff on his shoes. He only leaves when Miss Lula tells him to leave. He grumbles that the house was built by slaves. Two hours later, the servant brings back the rug Snopes had dirtied and asks him to clean it and give it back.
Snopes supervises while his two sisters are reluctantly cleaning the carpet with a lye. He scrubs the surface of the expensive rug with a rough stone. Later, after dinner, the family goes to bed. Snopes forces Sartoris to get the mule and go with him to return the clean rug. When they get there, Snopes throws the rug on the floor after banging loudly on the door many times.
The next morning, both Sartoris and Snopes get the mules ready for ploughing. In the meantime, de Spain comes on horseback. He says that the rug got ruined because it wasn't cleaned properly. Instead of paying a hundred dollars for a new one, de Spain says that Snopes has to provide him with twenty more bushels of corn. After hearing his words, Sartoris defends Snopes, saying that he did his best with the dirty rug and they won't provide him with the extra crops. Snopes asks Sartoris to continue with his tasks. Both of them spend their next days working hard on their land. Sartoris hopes that Snopes will turn away from his destructive impulses forever.
The next weekend, Snopes and his two sons attend the court at the country store again. De Spain, who is well-dressed, is also present there. Sartoris tries his best to defend Snopes. According to him, Snopes never burned the barn. In the meantime, Snopes asks him to go back to the wagon. After hearing Sartoris's words, the judge mistakenly thinks the rug was burned as well as being dirtied and ruined. He orders Snopes that he has to give ten extra bushels of corn when the crops are ready. With this judgment, the court ends. After the court, they fix their wagon at the blacksmith's, eat a light meal at the store, and also visit a place where horses are sold. Both Snopes and his sons go back home after the sun sets.
Snopes pours the kerosene from the lamp back into its big container against his wife's protests. He puts a lit candle stub in the neck of a bottle. Snopes asks Sartoris to fetch the oil. Sartoris does it accordingly but wishes he fantasizes about running away. He tries to dissuade Snopes out of it, but Snopes grabs him by the collar and orders his wife to restrain him. But Sartoris breaks free from his mother and runs towards de Spain house, bursting in on the startled servant.
Breathlessly, he shouts the word "Barn!" Sartoris runs quite crazily down the road, stepping aside as de Spain's horse passes him quickly. In the meantime, three shots are heard, and Snopes is killed. This stops his plan to burn de Spain's barn. At midnight, Sartoris sits on a hill. He is feeling stiff and cold. Next, he hears the whippoorwills and goes down the hill into the dark woods, without pausing to look back.
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