Barn Burning

William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during the Civil War. The main character, Abner Snopes, sharecrops to make a living for his family. He despises wealthy people. Out of resentment for wealthy people, he goes and burns their bards to get revenge. Abner's character over the course of the story is unchanging in that he is cold hearted, lawless, and violent.

First, Abner's unchanging character shown his cold heartless. After being sentenced to leave the country for burning a man's barn, he shows no emotion to his family. During the story, there was not a time when he apologized or offered a work of encouragement to them. His tone of voice when talking to them is bitter and bossy, and he never said thank you. Later in the story after they had arrived at their next house, he orders his wife, her sister and his two daughters to unload the wagon. He walks with his son to DeSpain's house where he entered with...