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Abner Snopes in the eyes of Karl Marx: Hero or Villain?

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Recommended: Karl marx theory on class

Nazira Abibullakyzy
WLL #101: Introduction to Critical Issues in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Essay 2: Question choice 1
October 31, 2014

Abner Snopes in the eyes of Karl Marx: Hero or Villain?
Both Karl Marx and Faulkner in their works wrote about class struggles. In his Manifesto of the Communist Party, Karl Marx talks about the significance of revolutions of working class against bourgeoisie. According to him, modern industrialization has created new subordinate class called ‘proletariats’, whose fate is vitally linked to bourgeoisie. He criticizes new forms of oppression and new kinds of struggle that were established as a consequence of capitalism, instead of those ones created during the feudalism. Faulkner in his Barn Burning goes back from Marx’s time, providing …show more content…

Proletariats are portrayed as positive characters, who does not own any means of production. They are shown as fighters for justice, whereas bourgeoisie are presented as repressing class and weak participants of labor market. In contrast to proletariats, Abner Snopes characterized as more negative personage. While reading the story, Abner gives an impression of careless, primitive, cold person. Abner’s deeds show him as a proponent of violence and destruction. Faulkner uses metallic terms to disclose Abner’s inner identity, which is the same as his outer appearance: “… the stiff back, the stiff and ruthless limp… without face or depth-a shape black, flat, and bloodless as though cut from tin in the iron folds of the frockcoat which had not been made for him, the voice harsh like tin and without heat like tin”. Abner’s individuality resembles bourgeoisies, who disregard labor of working class. For instance, he viewed Negro servant in a lower social class order. Thus, Abner talked with him in a rude manner. Due to Abner’s primitive characteristics, Marx would not view him as a hero of

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