Prompt options for William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” 

  • What picture of the Snopes family life can you deduce? Look at the details describing each member to help you understand the Snopes’ dynamic.
  • What does “blood ties” mean according to Abner? Is his own behavior consistent with these claims?
  • Sarty once refers to himself as “pulled two ways like between two teams of horses.” What does he mean?
  • Though Abner often behaves and talks viciously, he is repeatedly described as unfeeling. Why do you think he lacks emotion behind his force? Explain this paradox.
  • Defend the idea that “Barn Burning” has a happy ending. For support, use as many details as you can from the last two paragraphs of the story.
  • In terms of narrative perspective, this story appears to jump back and forth between two narrative perspectives (an objective third-person narrator and the mind of the boy Sarty). Consider, as another possibility, that the apparent confusion reflects the mind of a single character: an “adult” Sarty mentally reliving a childhood experience. Does this perspective change anything about the way you respond to or interpret the story?

Be sure to focus on one prompt in your Journal response.



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