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Sarty’s Initiation in Faulkner’s Barn Burning
LIU Ke-dong, LIN Shi-rong
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2013.05.006
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Barn Burning (1939), one of William Faulkner’s outstanding short stories, is not only about the struggles between different classes, but also depicts the boy’s initiation into manhood after he sees his father’s rash and irrational revenge activities. The boy protagonist’s constant dilemma is between whether to protect his father’s authority due to the old fierce blood tie or to disclose his father’s quasi-criminal attempts according to his own standard of justice. Based on close reading of the text, this paper aims to make a detailed analysis of the different factors (paternalism and his own idea of justice) that influence the boy’s choices at different stages. After the long-time struggle, the boy finally chooses to follow his own standards of right and justice, which signifies his gradual initiation into manhood.
Barn Burning, justice, blood tie, initiation
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