대한영어영문학회

Barn Burning is a coming of age story which focuses on the spiritual growth of Sarty Snopes, especially in his dysfunctional family. Sarty is a son of a sharecropper, Abner Snopes, who is violent, destructive and antisocial, whereas his mother is silenced and hardly visible. Accordingly, Sarty, a 10-year-old boy, who has a low level of differentiation of self, depends on his father entirely and his father wields a powerful influence on him. Abner teaches him to stick to his own blood and even forces him to lie in court for family. However, when he accepts de Spain, who symbolizes justice and truth, as the third person, he forms a triangle. This three-person relationship makes him forget despair and fear caused by his father, though his inner conflict between family and justice even deepens. Finally, on the night his father plans to burn de Spains barn out of vengeance, Sarty refuses to act out his fathers wishes and put his thoughts into words with courage. By breaking away from his attachment to his father, Sarty gains his freedom and his own identity.