This was the first time I have read “Barn Burning. ” I really enjoyed it because it promotes justice and standing up for what’s right in life, even though it is sometimes hard. I believe that one of the points of the story is that family, friends, or society can pressure you into the wrong just as Abner Snopes pressures his son Sarty by telling him “You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you.
I believe that this line, implying loyalty to family and the fact that Sarty grew up facing these awful conditions makes it all the harder to stand up for what he knows to be right. Sarty knows that what his father is doing is wrong, but it is hard for the young boy to go against his father and feels like he will betray him. Stepping away towards the right, no matter how deep and long he’s had to face it, makes it ever so rewarding. That’s what I believe this story is all about. Deep inside the surface of this story there is a symbolism behind the burning barns.
I believe the barns represent the wrong that goes on around us throughout all society, government, and else where. It is easy for us to stand back oft times and ignore what is going on, thinking to ourselves that it is just common place. It has always been like that. In this fast pace world that we live in, we worry about ourselves and set aside the wrong that is going on around us. We may ignore the problems and issues facing our freedom, our city or town, or even our family. It is easy to go about on our own, doing our own thing.
We can stand up for what we believe and do what is right. We can make our difference, putting forth a little effort to make change and better the world we live in. We can face the problems that we may be comfortable with, even though we know they are wrong. We just need to break loose taking that first step, as did Sarty in finally gathering the courage that he and his mother needed to have all along. He runs to the house of Major de Spain (which is a very nice house that represents truth and justice) and yells, “Barn!
Barn! ” Sarty runs off and hears a shot is fired. His Father dies. He mourns over his father’s death, thinking he was brave. Sarty has a feeling of resolution and hope and has finally made that step to manhood, being able to make his own decisions. The last line of the story says, “He went on down the hill, toward the dark woods within which the liquid silver voices of the birds, called unceasing-the rapid and urgent beating of the urgent and quiring heart of the late spring night. He did not look back. “
