The Creation of Abner Snopes in William Faulkners Barn...

The Creation of Abner Snopes in William Faulkners Barn Burning William Faulkners Barn Burning is an intriguing story about a young boy named Colonel Sartoriss (Sarty) love and hatred for his father, Abner Snopes. Ab is a brutal and frightening man who instills fear into whom ever he seems to be close to. What is the cause of Abner Snopess cruel-heartedness? Maybe its his alienation from the higher class in society that causes him to act in this manner. When such a separation occurs in a community one can feel that he doesnt belong and because he does not belong that the only way the higher class will give him the time of day is if the person acts out and tries to prove that he doesnt need law and conventional society, much†¦show more content†¦He had no traditional schooling and did not have the typical urban setting as a child. This undeveloped mind of his is what leads to his ignorance and insensitivity as an adult. If all you knew as a father was what you yourself thought to be the correct way to raise a family then it is inevitable what will become of that family. Obviously Ab Snopes was not raised according to tradition, he sets boundaries and rules for his children to abide by and yet he himself has no concept of a lifestyle controlled by someone else. The only laws Ab can abide by are the ones he has created himself, which is ironic since he doesnt always practice what he preaches. I look at it through a formalist point of view, if Ab had grown up having to obey the law of the land and new what it was to have a higher authority then he probably would not have been so rebellious towards those who were above him in his clan or community, particularly the wealthy. Since Ab seemingly was not raised in a structured environment he could have learned these unknown skills through education. Abners wolflike independence and conviction in the rightnessShow MoreRelated William Faulkner’s Barn Burning: Abner Snopes Character Analysis1049 Words   |  5 Pages William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"Barn Burning† describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during the Civil War. The main character, Abner Snopes, sharecrops to make a living for his family. He despises wealthy people. Out of resentment for wealthy people, he burns their barns to get revenge. Abner’s character over the course of the story is unchanging in that he is cold hearted, lawless, and violent. First, Abner’s unchanging character shows his cold heartednessRead MoreWilliam Cuthbert Faulkner s Life1128 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Cuthbert Faulkner is more than a famous Mississippi writer. He is a renowned figure, not only for Southern writers, but for writers throughout the world. Faulkner drew the scenes and characters for his novels and short stories from observations made during his childhood and adult life in his hometown, Oxford, Mississippi. During what is generally considered his period of greatest artistic achievement, a span of forty years, from 1929 to 1942, Faulkner accomplished more than most writers accomplishRead MoreBarn Burning: Abner Snopes Character Analysis Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Faulkners short story Barn Burning describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during the Civil War. The main character, Abner Snopes, sharecrops to make a living for his family. He despises wealthy people. Out of resentment for wealthy people, he goes and burns their barns to get revenge. Abners character over the course of the story is unchanging in that he is cold hearted, lawless, and violent.brbrFirst, Abners unchanging character shows his cold heartedness