Abner Snopes In William Faulkner's Barn Burning

363 Words2 Pages
This passage from William Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is written to establish the beginnings of the breakdown of the Snopes family - and of Sarty himself - through the destructive storm that is Abner Snopes. The difference in character between Sarty and his father being described in the paragraph shows the beginnings of a rift between father and son. Where Sarty is very expressive as he is "leaping" and "scrabbling" in a "red haze", Abner emotes in a very contained fashion. Though Abner is "harsh" and "cold" as he "jerk[s]" his son, the words are of a very smothered sort of anger. This clear opposition in temperament between the two men direct the reader towards and impending future division. This contrast is also ironic when considered in correlation