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Barn Burning And Eveline: A Literary Analysis

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Though Sartoris Snopes and Eveline are vastly different characters, from immensely different worlds, the main conflicts described in both “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner and “Eveline” by James Joyce, are quite the same. In these coming of age stories, both characters find themselves wedged between their own interests, independence, and well being and their fidelity to a contemptible parent. Throughout both stories, both Sartoris’s and Eveline’s relationships with their fathers and their difficult situations develop, the ultimate differences between the two characters is how they elect to end their stories. As previously mentions, both settings are extremely different, yet the father of the family causes the main part of the conflict in both stories. Abner Snopes and Eveline’s father are extremely similar: both are aloof and temperamental, both are suspicious and discriminatory. However, the most notable similarity is both fathers have been violent towards their children. This was far more ostensible in “Barn Burning in which Abner Snopes beat his son through out the course of the story. His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of his head, hard but without heat, exactly as he had struck the two mules at the store...” (369). Joyce made a more delicate note of Eveline’s father’s …show more content…

Sartoris deviates from his father by disclosing his father’s plans to burn the landholder’s barn, and then proceeds to run away to the unsettled parts of the America’s. Though Eveline is quite a few years older than Sartoris, she was clearly unable to leave her father. As Eveline tries to muster up the courage that Sartoris so easily found, her fear only increases and enables her. Even with the love of her life’s support and direction, she is still unable to accomplish was Sartoris did so

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