In the story "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner, we see many changes in the way Sarty, Young Col. Sartoris Snopes, views his father. In the first scene at the courthouse, we see an internal argument about Sartoris when he is called to be cross-examined. In the second scene, we see a similar internal argument that is queued by an internal argument that leads him to shout an outburst. Lastly, we see a final transformation in the way Sarty reacts to his father's intent to burn a barn. Many of the events throughout the story help to develop the change, over the given time.
In the first courthouse scene, Adler Snopes is being questioned about several things, but especially the events that led to his neighbor's barn being burned. The young boy, Sarty is sitting in the back of the room which also doubled as the courthouse. In the arguments, The judge was calling young, Sartoris to the front to be cross-examined, when he then asked the child to be seated. Stated in the text as "Do you want me to question this boy?"
"This case is closed. I can't find against you, Snopes, but I can give you advice. Leave this country and don't come back to it." The first scene is a major turning point for how to rest of the story develops. You see how the father distances himself from the boy as well in this paragraph. Such as when the boy was struck outside the courthouse and the father would not allow the mother to clean the wound. "She was crying, though when she saw him she drew her sleeve across her face and began to descend from the wagon. "Get back," the father said.
"He's hurt. I got to get some water and wash his…" "Get back in the wagon," his father said." This dialogue sort of tells the reader that the father obviously does not care for the son. Also, the night this happened, The father strikes his son and tells him to "stick to his blood, no matter what"
In the second Courthouse scene, you see the father defending himself against Major De. Spain. This was sparked by Adler busting through the door at D'Spains house and ruining a very expensive rug. As stated in the story, he was a reckless father, "Get out of my way, nigger," his father said, without heat too, flinging the door back and the Negro also and entering, his hat still on his head. And now the boy saw the prints of the stiff foot on the doorjamb and saw them appear on the pale rug."
Not only did Adler burst through the door, he trampled on a rug that he offered to clean but did not perform successfully. This eventually led to a second court scene. During the second court scene, Sarty blurts out that," he burnt!"
This not only confused the courtroom but it confused the judge who then belied Adler not only destroyed the rug but then burned it. I would say this scene would be the climax of the story because Sarty has been hit, by not only family but strangers, and the father refused for the mother to care for him, and he is beginning to consider what is right, instead of sticking to his blood.
In the final scene, you see Adler beginning to get angry with Maj. De Spain. Not only is he having to pay for the rug, he isn't able to pay financially, so he will have to pay by growing extra bushels of corn. When the family arrives home, Sarty's father drains the lamp into the jug of kerosene, and orders his kid to go get the oil, "Go to the barn and get that can of oil we were oiling the wagon with," he said. The boy did not move.
Then he could speak. "What…" he cried "What are you…" "Go get that oil," his father said. "Go.". This was the final straw for Sarty in my eyes. He had had enough of lying for his father, he had enough of the lying, dishonest, and unethical behavior his father portrayed. In simply reading you see that Sarty's father hits him again, and tells the mother to hold him.
He eventually breaks away from the arms and begins running, "De Spain!" he cried, panted. "Where's…" then he saw the white man to emerging from a white door down the hall. "Barn!" he cried. "Barn!" "What?" the white man said. "Barn?" "Yes!" the boy cried. "Barn!" "Catch him!" the white man shouted.". Sarty could not let his father openly burn a barn any longer; he set out to stop it, even if it led to his father's death.
In conclusion, you see a big transformation in the life of Sarty over the story. He goes from a troubled child, stuck between doing right and wrong to realizing that his father is wrong, and he chooses to do the right thing. Sarty goes from being hit and told to stick to his blood, to eventually giving up on the blood family plan.
It was around the middle way in the story when you saw the transformation that made Sarty give up the negative behaviors he inherited from his father. This decision eventually cost his father's life, but in the end, Sarty, did not even look back, potentially knowing that his father had never done good?
