Why you should read “Barn Burning”:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Faulkner is considered to be one of the best writers to master
“stream of consciousness” writing – a technique that represents
the circuitous nature of the human mind.
Faulkner’s syntax is very well crafted and brings the reader’s
attention to each sentence as a work of art.
This short story provides the flavor and craft of Faulkner
without the time commitment of a novel.
The characters of Sarty and Abner are vivid and memorable.
Extremely readable and engaging!
Why you may struggle with “Barn Burning”:
1.
2.
3.
Faulkner’s vision is often dark and disturbing.
Since Faulkner’s well-crafted syntax is circuitous, it can be
challenging at times.
The ending is difficult, yet thought-provoking.
Still interested? A suggestion before
before you begin…
The syntax might be challenging to read. When you hit
a difficult sentence, remember to find the subject and go
from there.
You can download the story for free:
http://www.nku.edu/~peers/barnburning.htm
http://www.nku.edu/~peers/barnburning.htm
Fast Facts – “Barn Burning”
Pages – 12 (short story)
Author – William Faulkner
Date Published -- 1939
Setting – Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi
Point of view – Third person limited (Sartoris)
Genre – Coming of Age
Issues/Conflicts – Family / Loyalty / Social Class
Beyond the Basics…
http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/faulkner/faulkner.html
http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/faulkner/faulkner.html
http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/faulkner/faux.html
“Barn Burning” -- Author Information
William Falkner was born on September 25, 1897 in New Albany,
Mississippi. He spent his childhood and much of his adult life in Oxford,
Mississippi. He did not graduate from high school and attempted to enter
the U.S. Army Air Force, but was turned down due to his height (5’6”).
In order to join the Royal Air Force in Canada, he changed the spelling of
his name to sound more British. The war ended shortly after he joined,
before he was able to fight. He attended Ole Miss for three semesters and
attempted a number of different jobs – from postmaster to scoutmaster to
Hollywood screenwriter – with varying degrees of success. He
eventually published twenty novels and over one hundred short stories
and gained wide popular success in his lifetime. He is known for his
experimental use of stream of consciousness – a type of writing that seeks
to recreate the thought process of the human mind. He is considered one
of the most influential Southern writers, and most of his work is set in
the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi. He won the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1949 and many consider his acceptance speech to
be one of the very best. At the age of 64, he died of a heart attack.
Further information on Faulkner:
http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/faulkner_william/index.html
Printable Bookmark! Please print and then cut to use as a reference as you read!!
Only basic information has been provided to avoid “spoilers.” The “Intro” column
indicates the chapter in which each character is first introduced. Enjoy!
Character
Colonel
Sartoris
Snopes (Sarty)
Abner Snopes
Mr. Harris
Lennie Snopes
Description
Protagonist;
10 years old
Sarty’s
father;
burns barns
Accuses
Abner of
burning his
barn
Sarty’s
mother
Lizzie and Net
Sarty’s
aunts
Colonel John
Sarty’s
Sartoris (Flem) brother
Mrs. Lula de
Spain
Wife of
Major de
Spain
Major de Spain Snopes
sharecrop
on his land
Menu Ideas – “Barn Burning”
The setting and time period of “Barn Burning” lends itself
particularly well to traditional dishes, especially those from the
South.
http://www.classbrain.com/artstate/publish/mississippi_recipes.s
html
Here are a few favorites from the above web site:
Mississippi Mud Pie I
1 (8-inch) prepared chocolate crumb crust
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut up
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped nuts, divided (optional)
2 pints coffee ice cream, softened slightly, divided
Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Heat sugar, chocolate chips, butter, cream and corn syrup in small saucepan
over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture is
smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool until slightly warm.
Drizzle 1/3 cup chocolate sauce in bottom of crust; sprinkle with 1/4 cup
nuts. Layer with 1 pint ice cream; freeze for 1 hour.
Repeat with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/4 cup nuts and ice cream. Drizzle with
remaining sauce; top with remaining nuts. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 8 servings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fried Green Tomatoes
3 slices of bacon
4 medium green tomatoes
1 cup fine ground cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup milk
Fry the bacon in heavy skillet. Transfer it to absorbent paper. Cut each tomato into
1/2" thick slices. Put sliced tomatoes on absorbent paper. Mix together the cornmeal,
salt and pepper. Dip tomato slices into a small bowl of milk remove and coat with
your cornmeal mixture. Fry tomatoes in the bacon fat over medium heat until the
cornmeal browns, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Can be served over rice or pasta
and smothered with a cream sauce and crawfish tails or shrimp.
Hot Peanuts
1 to 2 Tablespoons dried crushed red pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (12oz) can cocktail peanuts
1 (12oz) can Spanish peanuts
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Cook crushed red pepper in hot oil in a large skillet 1 minute. Stir in garlic and
peanuts; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat;
sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Drain on paper towels; cool completely and serve.
Southern Fried Chicken
two 3-pound chicken fryers
2 cups all-purpose flour
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup milk
Vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon bacon grease
Cut the chicken into serving pieces, do not remove the skin, and rinse under running
water. Combine the flour and salt and pepper in a bag and shake till well blended.
Pour the milk into a bowl. Heat skillet to about 375, fill the skillet half full of
shortening, and add the bacon grease. Dip the chicken pieces into the milk then place
in the bag. Shake to coat evenly and place chicken in the preheated skillet. Fry the
chicken till golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn chicken and fry an
additional 15 minutes or till golden brown. (Turn the chicken only once.) Drain on
paper bag or paper towels. Repeat the procedure with the remaining chicken. Serve
warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.
“Barn Burning” – Creating the Mood!!
Here are some ideas to set the mood and get the conversation started to
help you appreciate Faulkner’s classic. Enjoy!
Introductory Game Ideas:
Members could discuss the ways they differ from their own
family members in religious or political views, or – on a less
personal note – consider downloading this game that highlights
Faulkner’s riddling syntax.
Faulkner Game:
http://reverent.org/sounds_like_faulkner.html
Literary Terms
Terms – “Barn Burning”
Exposition – the introduction of the setting, characters,
conflict(s) at the beginning of a story. Our first impressions are
influential to our enjoyment and impressions of the story, so
after finishing, skim the first few paragraphs again to see how
the author shaped and influenced your first impressions. Notice
how the story opens with Abner “on trial” and how that affects
your first impression of him. Focus questions: 1, 2
Diction – word choice. Notice how Faulkner recreates the
dialect – or regional speech – of Mississippi during a specific
time in history. Focus question: 3
Syntax – the style of the sentence structure. Notice how the
author’s crafting of syntax affects your engagement as a reader.
Complexity of syntax does not determine literary merit; the
pairing of syntax to meaning does. Faulkner’s syntax is very
specific – his sentences can be very long and complex and
require great attention while reading. He is known for
recreating the meanderings of the human mind and its thought
process by using many clauses within a sentence. Focus
questions: 2, 11
Tone – the author’s attitude toward subject.. Think “tone of
voice.” Tone is created through diction and can be very subtle,
but is extremely important. If you misinterpret the tone, you
most likely misinterpret the meaning or theme of the narrative.
Mood – the emotional atmosphere of a story. Mood is
considered an aspect of the setting (time, place, atmosphere).
When we read a story, we “read ourselves,” so think about what
type of mood your favorite narratives tend to have and how
different moods may influence your enjoyment level.
Theme – the main idea that runs throughout and unifies a story.
Theme should be stated as a complete thought and not as one
word, which would instead be a topic: instead of “family” or
“loyalty,” consider what Faulkner is saying about the nature of
loyalty, especially in relation to family. In classics, themes are
frequently not “morals;” they may or may not represent the
ideal. Focus questions: 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14
Irony – the opposite of what it expected. Dramatic irony is
when the reader has more information than the character does,
providing the reader with an all-knowing perspective.
Situational irony is when a situation turns out differently than
expected. Consider whether it is ironic that Sarty has a more
developed sense of morality than his father. Verbal irony is
when the speaker means the opposite of what is said, so
correctly interpreting tone becomes crucial to the reader’s
understanding of the events and particularly of the themes.
Focus questions: 9, 12, 13
Imagery – the use of words that engage the senses.. Notice how
Faulkner uses imagery to create the characters. Focus question:
3, 4, 6
Symbolism – when an element of the story (object, character,
color, etc.) is both literally present and has significance or
represents something beyond itself. Abner’s campfires are one of
the primary symbols in this novel. Focus question: 8
Foil – when two characters contrast each other. The characters
do not need to be enemies – or even be aware of one another.
Although related, Abner and Sarty are foils in their ethical and
moral development. Focus question: 13
Foreshadowing – when the author provides hints to future
events. Notice Sarty’s unfounded optimism that the wealth of
the Major’s house will keep it safe from his father. Focus
question: 13
Metaphor – when two unlike things are compared. “Metaphor”
is an umbrella term which encompasses many literary devices,
such as personification (giving human qualities to a non-human
thing), simile (comparison using “like” or “as”), or metonymy
(using a part to represent the whole – Faulkner’s use of “blood”
to represent genetics or family ties). Notice how Faulkner uses
metaphor to emphasize certain qualities in his characters. Focus
questions: 3, 4, 6
“Barn Burning” Discussion Questions
The following questions approach the short story from a
number of different angles, i.e., how the story functions as a
work of art, how it reflects the time period, how it addresses
fundamental questions of humanity, and how it engages the
reader. A good discussion tends to start with our “heads” and
end with our “hearts.” So, you may want to save subjective
opinions of taste until after you have discussed the more
objective elements of why this work is considered a classic. It is
tempting to begin with, “What did everyone think?” But if a
number of people really didn’t like the story, their opinions may
derail a discussion of the story’s merits. On the other hand, I
recommend starting with a few accessible questions and asking
every member to respond to ensure that all voices are present
and heard from the beginning. Just a few suggestions! Enjoy…
Warm up questions
Which character did you empathize with the most?
Which characters did you dislike the most and why?
Which parts of the story were most enjoyable to read?
Which parts were slow or difficult to get through?
1. The first sentence of the story is “The store in which the
Justice of the Peace’s court was sitting smelled of cheese.”
What were your first impressions of this story? What is
the effect of starting with the smell of cheese?
2. Notice the second sentence of the story:
“The boy, crouched on his nail keg at the back of the crowded room,
knew he smelled cheese, and more: from where he sat he could see the
ranked shelves closeclose-packed with the solid, squat, dynamic shapes of
tin cans whose labels his stomach read, not from the lettering which
meant nothing to his mind but from the scarlet devils and the silver
curve of fish—
fish—this, the cheese which he knew he smelled and the
hermetic meat which his intestines believed he smelled coming in
intermittent gusts momentary and brief between the other constant
one, the smell and sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair
and grief, the old fierce pull of blood.”
This single sentence is an example of why Faulkner is
known for his syntax – what aspects of his style are
challenging, even frustrating, and what aspects are
stimulating?
3. This second sentence also contains the first of many
references to “the pull of blood” Sarty struggles with – why
does he describe the pull as “fierce?” Later he feels “the
fear and despair and the old grief of blood” and then “the
old habit, the old blood which he had not been permitted
to choose for himself, which had been bequeathed him
willy nilly and which had run for so long” – why might we
feel the “grief” of blood?
blood How do we escape “blood” that
we were not permitted to choose?
4. Notice how Faulkner uses imagery in the following
passages to bring alive his characters:
“[the boy] crouching, small for his age, small and wiry like his father,
in patched and faded jeans even too small for him, with straight,
uncombed, brown
brown hair and eyes gray and wild as storm scud, he saw
the men between himself and the table part and become a lane of grim
faces, at the end of which he saw the Justice, a shabby, collarless,
graying man in spectacles, beckoning him.”
“His father mounted to the seat where the older brother already sat and
struck the gaunt mules two savage blows with the peeled willow, but
without heat. It was not even sadistic; it was exactly that same quality
which in later years would cause his descendents to overover-run the
engine before putting a motor car into motion, striking and reining
back in the same movement.”
“There was something about his wolflike independence and even
courage when the advantage was at least neutral which impressed
strangers, as if they hot from his
his latent ravening ferocity not so much a
sense of dependability as a feeling that his ferocious conviction in the
rightness of his own actions would be of advantage to all whose interest
lay with his.”
Which images and comparisons seem most apt? Sarty’s
eyes to a storm? Abner to a wolf? The Snopes’ cold need
to control even inanimate objects?
5. Which characters seem the best developed and wellrounded? Which seem flat and static? Abner and Sarty
are well-developed characters that come to life, while
Lennie (Mrs. Snopes), the aunts and the brother are flat
and static – what is the effect of this? Why does Faulkner
include the less developed characters? How do they
enrich the story?
6. Abner Snopes is an intense character. Faulkner develops
him with vivid imagery and associates him with tin in a
couple of passages:
“…the stiff back, the stiff and ruthless limp, up the slope and on to the
starlit road where, turning, he could see his father against the stars but
without face or depth – a shape black, flat,
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…”
“…against the serene columned backdrop, [he] had more than ever that
impervious quality of something
something cut ruthlessly from tin, depthless, as
though, sidewise to the sun, it would cast no shadow.”
What other colors, shapes, and elements would you ascribe
to Abner?
7. Why does Abner feel justified when he burns barns?
8. Sarty notices that his father only builds
“…a small fire, neat, niggard almost, a shrewd fire… he might have
divined the true reason: that the element of fire spoke to some deep
mainspring of his father’s being, as the element of steel or of powder
spoke to other men, as the one weapon for the preservation of
integrity, else breath were not worth the breathing, and hence to be
regarded with respect and used with discretion”.
How does the campfire function as a symbol in the story?
What does it represent?
9. When Sarty first sees the Major’s house:
“Hits big as a courthouse he thought quietly, with a surge of peace and
joy whose reason he could not have thought into words, being too
young for that: They are safe from him. People whose lives are a part
of this peace and dignity are beyond
beyond his touch, he is no more to them
than a buzzing wasp: capable of stinging for a little moment but that’s
all; the spell of this peace and dignity rendering even the barns and
stable and cribs which belong to it impervious to
the puny flames he might contrive…”
Why does Major de Spain’s house provide Sarty with a
sense of safety?
10.Why doesn’t Abner wipe his feet before entering the
Major’s house?
11. After his father strikes him, Sarty thinks
“It was as if the blow and the following calm, outrageous
outrageous voice still rang,
repercussed, divulging nothing to him save the terrible handicap of being
young, the light weight of his few years, just heavy enough to prevent his
soaring free of the world as it seemed to be ordered but not heavy enough to
keep him footed solid in it, to resist it and try to change the course of its
events.”
Sarty is obviously wise for his 10 years. How does
Faulkner lend credibility to this powerful, beautiful
sentence?
12. Sarty’s decision to warn the de Spain’s most likely results
in his father’s death. How did you react to this ending?
ending We
are not set up to empathize with Abner, yet do we at the end?
How do you envision Sarty’s future?
13. Sarty has a different sense of ethics than his father does.
From where do you think our personal moral compass arises?
Common wisdom believes that children are most influenced
and affected by their same-sex parent. Is it realistic that Sarty
could have such a different sense of integrity than his father?
14.Sarty struggles with his loyalty
loyalty to his father and his loyalty
to what he knows to be true. Where do you believe we
should draw that line? Have you ever had to make a
similar choice?
15.This story is a prequel to Faulkner’s Snopes series
(trilogy?). Does “Barn Burning” compel you to read the
next novel (Hamlet)?
WrapWrap-up Questions…
1. Would you recommend the book?
2. If you could change anything, what would it be?
3. Do you believe this should be considered a classic?
4. Do you believe it should be taught in high school?
5. What adjective comes to mind when you reflect on the novel?
“Barn Burning” – the film
A 1980 made-for-television version was made of “Barn Burning.” Your group
could watch the movie together and discuss your impressions, or group
members could watch the film before the meeting and then discuss impressions
as a group. Here are a few possible movie questions:
While viewing the movie, which characters were most unlike
how you pictured them while reading the novel?
Which characters seemed “right on” in their portrayal?
What plot elements were left out or changed in the movie?
How was your enjoyment affected by what was left
out/changed?
If this movie were remade today, who would you cast as Abner?
Sarty? Major de Spain?
More information on the film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080417/