Topic > Analysis of Sarty's Change During Barn Burning by William Faulkner

Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is a character-driven story, as what moves it forward is Sarty's internal growth as a character. We see him start as a child with a strong trust in his beloved father and end as a boy who begins to think for himself and develop a sense of independence and grows up with a stronger character. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sarty's father is a difficult character to like. He is rude, violent, and argumentative, traits revealed in his behavior throughout the story. He abruptly and purposely wipes his dirty shoes on de Spain's carpet, argues over the fee he must pay for the damage he has caused, then attempts to burn down de Spain's barn in a fit of spite. Throughout this progression of events, Sarty is faced with a difficult choice: remain loyal to his father and come to his defense or speak out. Initially the boy remains silent. He insists in court that his father is innocent of the burning of Mr. Harris's barn (an earlier crime that we do not witness but are nevertheless led to believe that Mr. Snopes is guilty at the end of the story), despite being the victim of bullying from his peers. about the matter and the growing evidence that his father is a criminal. At the beginning of the story he spoke as a child observing and observing the things around him. Sarty's lack of language means that his venerability is the "terrible handicap of being young." He said that an enemy of his fathers was “our enemy” and spoke with the loyalty of a lamb, never knowing that he might stray from the flock. About halfway through the story, we can see the tone of his speech change. Sarty shows the change when he asks his father if "do you want to ride now?" when they leave de Spain's house. He seems to have the courage to ask his father certain things, without fearing the consequences. By the end of the story, the language Sarty uses becomes clearer and more independent. Sarty struggles with guilt over betraying his father; in the midst of his grief, the boy refines their relationship by replacing the affectionate cry of "Pap, Pap!" with the formal cry of 'Father, Father!'. Show his development through these examples of his speech. In "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner, the character Sarty experiences great growth over the course of the story. He begins as a child who is afraid of his father, disappointing him and incurring his wrath and violence. He is willing to lie to a judge to protect his father and remain faithful to his family. As the story progresses, and particularly when Sarty sees his father deliberately and maliciously soiling the white carpet of the de Spain, he realizes that his father will never change and if he is not careful, one day he will turn into his father. It is at this moment that Sarty realizes that he must make a choice between his own integrity and loyalty to his father. He chooses integrity, at the cost of losing his family. When he alerts the de Spains that his father has set fire to the barn, it irrevocably changes the course of his life. Shots are fired and his father and brother are probably killed; Now that he has betrayed his family, Sarty has no choice but to run. The final scene of this coming-of-age story shows Sarty walking away, feeling that he will be better and that he has made the right decision. Abner is a tenant farmer who resents the wealthy landowners for whom he works. He expresses this resentment by reacting against them in ways ranging from petty theft and bad work habits to setting fires..