Barn Burning

William Faulkner characterizes Abner Snopes as an antagonistic, “gray [eyed]” father looking to vindicate those who have done him injustice by burning their possessions. Although branded as emotionless, Abner uses fire to vehemently burn down and completely destroy the barns of his enemies. The fire deeply contrasts the image Faulkner makes of Abner; passionate, fiery, and flexible caused by a stiff, cold, and detached man. Faulkner further symbolizes Abner's personality through the “black, flat, and bloodless” shadow against the “starlit road.” This scenery sets a perfect mood for Abner's act of indifferent violence towards his son. The determined, unsympathetic, and aggressive “drive” of Abner to burn barns is ultimately the reason he is shot and killed.

Abner's ruthless personality is recognized as he “struck [his son] with the flat of his hand.” This unwarranted abuse was as if he had “killed a horse fly”; an exhibit of Abner's constant reliance on violence for unnecessary punishments. The exaggerated punishment occurred because of what Abner assumed Sarty would have told the judge, not for what his son had actually done. Faulkner's juxtaposition of Abner hitting his son contrasted with Abner striking a mule shows his lack of sympathy and indifference to his kin in the midst of getting away from the law. The allegiance to familial blood that Abner physically strikes into his son also exposes his hypocrisy; a father's callous infidelity to his son versus a son's forced devotion to his father. Faulkner describes this occurrence as “without fear or anger”; thus further characterizing Abner Snopes as a weathered and indifferent man intent on vengeance.