BARN BURNING MARXIST READING

In his short story Barn Burning William Faulkner

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William Faulkner's short story Barn Burning demonstrates the political and
economic power difference between the rich and poor (working class),
represented by the Snopes family. It story takes place within living memory of the
Civil War. Abner Snopes is a poor sharecropper and onetime thief who takes out
his frustration by burning barns of his employers. The story depicts the clash
between two economic classes, the wealthy agrarian society and the poor
migrant workers (share croppers), and presents a critique of the southern
sharecropping system
For Abner Snopes the only principle in his struggle against de Spains of this world
is that of blood loyalty determination to beat your personal enemy if you can
and keep faith, at all costs, with your clan. Abner Snopes tipifies the
powerlessness of the working class. In the opening trial scene, he does not speak
until verdict is read, showing his lack of voice in the political system as a whole.
He does not believe that he can gain power through word just by destroying.
After leaving Major de Spain's house, he remarks that it was built with nigger
sweat and that de Spain intends to add some white sweat as well. This
comment demonstrates that race does not matter in Marxist class division. Those
who own land and control the means of production hire workers to work for small
wages or life's necessities. Although Abner recognizes the injustice of
sharecropping system, he cannot imagine an alternative system. He can imagine
only violence as a solution to class sonflict.
Throughout the story Sarty, Abner's son, himself wrestles with his father's idea
about class conflict and violence. Eearly on, we see him making mental efforts to
make his father's enemy into his enemy as well. He faces huge pressure from
his father to lie in court so that his father will not be convicted of barn burning.
He eventually understands that he could flee from the system of conflict and
poverty in which his family is trapped. Ultimately he does break with his father.
He warns de Spain household of his father's action, and he runs from his family,
spending the night in the woods. He understands that his father's nihilistic ways
kept the family from realizing a batter life of economic opportunity. The story
ends with the sun about to rise, symbolically letting Sarty begin a new life.
The story suggests that Abner Snopes' barn-burning method is not the answer
to class conflict. By burning barns of his employers, Snopes makes more damage
to himself and his family than those he really wants to punish. He represents the
powerlessness of workers in choosing wrong methods of struggle against
capitalists. His son, Sarty, represents the true Marxist mind that realizes that an
alternative system is needed, one which will allow society to recognize the
equality and humanity of all people.