Loyalty In Barn Burning

In “Barn Burning” Colonel Sartoris, the son of Abner Snopes, is questioned by Justice of Peace about accusations that his father burned Harris’ barn. Whether if it’s true or not, William Faulkner, the writer of “Barn Burning” highlights the theme about loyalty with dialogue between Colonel Sartoris and his father. This approach increases tension between Colonel Sartoris and his father because Colonel Sartoris’ loyalty is tested since he knows his father is guilty.
During the accusations, the Justice of Peace puts his interest on integrating the ten year old boy, since children are more trustworthy. Colonel Sartoris struggles to tell the Justice of Peace that his father is not guilty. There is a pressure of silence throughout this small integration. The boy tells himself that his father “aims for me to lie” (2) even though, he knows it’s not
This moment shows that his father works hard to take care of the family and it deepens when his father’s rug doesn’t meet expectations for the owner of the house, Major de Spain. The hard work is shattered when his father is being told that the rug for Major de Spain is ruined and the man says that it “cost a hundred dollars.”... and adds that “You never had a hundred dollars. You never will.” (9) This shows to Colonel the stress of working so hard for so little money. This incident escalates by getting worse because the Justice of Peace says to Abner “I hold you in damages to Major de Spain” (10-11) This is the moment of breaking through the barriers of peace because now the father is up to no good, another burning is about to happen. Once again, Colonel is back to being responsible for his father’s crime. Colonel takes a shot to save the barn by yelling “Barn!” (13) to the man who understands that the barn is about to burn. Colonel ends up running away “urgency of his wild grief” (14) running away from the trouble he does not want to be apart