William Faulkners use of a setting in a short story, such as Barn Burning, effected the entire outcome of the story from start to finish. In Barn Burning, a young boy must face his father and face the reality of a harsh world. He must also discover for himself that his father is wrong and learn to grow up the right way in a racial environment. Faulkners setting is one of the most important literary elements that help the audience understand the story.When an author puts a simple-minded group of people in a complex plot, one would get a confusing story line. William Faulkner does just this. He takes a young black boy and puts him in the real world of chaos and disorder. The world of the South, race is one of the most important factors in the way one would live then. Sartoris Snopes struggle to free himself from his violent, driven father (ASST, 7.) The only way he can retain his own dignity at the end of the day is to believe in his own courage and goodwill. Between this young boy, Sartoris, and his father, Abner Snopes, there is a naturalistic kind of loyalty that comes from a higher power. This loyalty is what saves Abner from the wrath of the white men, during the beginning of the story.In the beginning of the story, Sartoris (Sarty) is faced with his first major conflict. He is in a court room/store as a witness to a barn burning. The judge can only pardon Abner because Sarty is just a boy and is not used as the essential witness, but the judge tells them they must leave the country for their own safety and the safety of others. Sarty thinks to himself all the mean while, how he must not talk to the white men. Our enemy ourn! mine and hisn both! Hes my father! (Faulkner, 377). In this, he sees all the white men in the courthouse as the enemy, even the judge. Here Sarty is thinking to himself how the Justice is the enemy because he is white. This is because he has grown up to think so. Slavery was an important part...
