Theme, Dominant Element, Character, and Conflict in Barn Burning

The story “Barn Burning” immediately begins in a small store in the year 1895. A young boy named Sarty is called to court to testify against his father. Sarty’s father, Abner Snopes has been accused of burning down a man’s barn. Sarty knows for a fact that his father is guilty of this crime. He is also aware that he will have to lie for his father. The judge comes to the conclusion that they are putting the young boy in a bad position and drops the charges but tells Abner to never come back to the county. The next day, Sarty and his family head out to their new home on a farm working as tenant farmers. Abner takes Sarty along to greet and talk to the owner of the farm. Prior to the meeting, Abner tracks horse manure into the owner’s house ruining an expensive rug. The next day the owner tells Abner that he will pay for the rug he ruined by increasing his work quota. In an attempt to reduce this work quota increase, Abner goes to court but is not happy with the verdict. His work quota was reduced, but it was not to his satisfaction. He feels that he has been wronged and decides to set the owner’s barn on fire. Sarty knows this and warns the owner who then rides off towards the barn. Sarty hears three gunshots and concludes that his father is dead. Life gives you many choices both good and bad. They can lead you down the right or wrong path and they can affect more than just you. The dominant element in this story is right versus wrong and family versus the law. Abner Snopes believes that family is above everything else and always takes it to the extreme. This story emphasizes how he engrains this into the mind of Sarty and the rest of the family. "You were fixing to tell them. You would have told him." He didn't answer. His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side