Sartoris Snopes In Barn Burning

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Jason Behr, who is an American film actor, says, “It is not about finding a home so much as finding yourself.” Behr’s quote relates to Williams Faulkner’s story, Barn Burning because Sartoris, who starts as a skinny and hungry boy, ends as a courageous, independent, and hungry boy. Sartoris Snopes is a son of Abner and Lennie, who also has three other children. Sartoris is two out of the four siblings that Abner takes on his felonies and court rearrangements. At the beginning of the story, Abner is on trial for being accused of burning Mr. Harris’s barn; Sartoris is called to the stand. Abner and his family are asked to leave the country and never come back. As soon as his family rides off on their wagon, Sartoris’ character begins to develop through thoughts in his head, seeing an extraordinary house, and receiving and observing abuse. At the beginning of the story, Sartoris does everything his father asks him to do, even if their …show more content…

Although, he is pulled away from causing any more trouble than his father already created. Sartoris is hit by his father multiple times throughout the story and observes his mother being thrown into the wall for stopping Abner from committing another crime. Seeing and receiving abuse has led Sartoris to grow as a character and become a brave young boy. Hermann Hesse, who is a German poet, said, “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” Hesse’s quote relates the William Faulkner’s story, Barn Burning because Sartoris holds unto his family even though there is verbal and physical abuse from Abner. However, at the end of the story, Sartoris allows his father’s wrath to be motivation and strength to run away from the only home, his family, that has ever stayed with him. By running away, Sartoris thinks what is best for him; he desires more to life by himself than starting a new life every time his father causes