his father's beliefs and doing what he felt was right. In the end he decided to do what was morally right which meant that he had to forsake his family. He willingly broke away from the oppressive conditions of his family and isolated himself from everything he had ever known. In "Barn Burning", plot, character, setting, point of view, and symbolism all promote the development of the idea that when one is faced with a difficult decision, that person should rely on his or her own values, not those of his or her family, to make the right choice.
             Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is a grievous story because it very clearly shows the classical struggle between the "privileged" and the "unprivileged" classes in the late nineteenth century after the Civil War. Time after time emotions of despair surface from both the protagonist and antagonist involved in the story. This story outlines one distinct protagonist and one distinct antagonist. The protagonist is Colonel Sartoris Snopes ("Sarty"), a ten-year-old boy, and the antagonist is his father Abner Snopes. Sarty, the protagonist, is surrounded by his father's antagonism.
             Abner Snopes is opposed to the social structure and the struggle that it imposed on him and his family. Abner makes the decisions for his family though they may not always be right. In Oliver Billingslea's criticism, he states, "What Abner Snopes has done-is doing-to his family is to stifle each member's individuality. His discipline is repressive, almost Puritanical (Billingslea 293). Abner battles against any authority. He does what he wants no matter what the consequences are. Sarty is Abner's only real fear. He realizes that Sarty is a good kid and will turn him in if he is given the chance. While fighting against authoritative figures, Abner is also battling Sarty and Sarty's good will. Sarty refers to Abner as bei...