The Endless Circle in William Faulkners Barn Burning :: Barn Burning Essays

The Endless Circle in William Faulkners Barn Burning William Faulkners short story Barn Burning is the tale of a greyman forced into a role by society. Barn Burning takes amaze in the post CivilWar South where a mans place in society is derived by their actions during thewar. Ab Snopse, a man who served both the North and the South, is plagued withhis non- subjection and failure to accept authority. When Ab comes into conflictwith his employer, he finds himself taking dominate from the authority figure,and reverting back to his conservative ways. Having no allegiance, Ab makes themove from helping hand to the enemy by burning down barns. Along with legion(predicate) of Faulkners short stories, Barn Burning is set inthe imaginary Mississippi county of Yoknapatawpha. During the restoration ofthe South, the time period following the Civil War, the only thing that unplowed theSouth alive and running where the memories of fallen heroes and the belief thatthe South would someday rega in the status that it had once held. Families likethe Sartorises and the de Spains were glorified and praised for honors thattheir family members had achieved during battle. The honor that families likethese were minded(p) placed them in public offices, and gave them opportunities toprosper where others could only dream about. This same honor seemed to carry onto those who shared the names of the great war heroes. Hey, the evaluator said.Talk louder. Colonel Sartoris? I reckon anybody named for Colonel Sartoris inthis county cant help but tell the truth, can they? (Kennedy 163). On the other hand, the Snopses are viewed as dishonorable. During thewar, Ab Snopse was considered a mercenary for serving both sides of the way. ...nights passed during those four years in the woods hiding from all men, blueand gray, with his strings of horses (captured horses, he called them) (165).Ab stole horses from the North and the South, to grasp a living. He was evenshot by a confederate soldier, His father turned, and he followed the stiffblack coat, the wiry figure walking a little stiffly from where a Confederateprovosts mans musket ball had taken him in the heel on a stolen horse thirtyyears ago...(164). Actions like these caused the biotic community to look down uponthe Snopses, which in turn caused Ab to invoke revenge upon his adversaries. When Ab comes into conflict with an employer, he reverts to his oldCivil War ways of non allegiance to benefit himself.