What Does Fire Really Mean?
The campfire in Faulkner’s Burning Barn shows and explains a variety of characteristics that are unique to the Snopes clan. Abner’s father, who had burned the barn at the farm where the family lived, forced them to leave. Later on in the tale, we discover that they were heading for Major de Spain’s home. The family spends the night in a grove of oak trees near a small stream.
Faulkner explains where Faulkner and his family camped out that night. Tree groves, which are often considered beautiful places to camp and show off the wealth of families, can be a good indication of where they camped. The oaks and beeches could indicate that they were staying on the land of a wealthy landowner, perhaps Major de Spain. The family may have decided to stay there because of the nearby stream and the oaks.
The family then needed to build a fire in order to stay warm. The nights were still chilly and the family had a little fire going. They used a fence rail that was cut to lengths and lifted from a neighboring fence. Snopes behaved in a similar way to Abner, who doesn’t seem to give a damn about someone else damaging their property. Abner would not feel shame if he burned someone’s house down. He will also have no problem destroying a fence. Next, the line describes Abner in more detail. Abner has the character of a man who will do anything to get what he wants. Abner does not build a big fire on a cold, windy night. This may be due to the fact that Abner used to only build small fires in order to hide during wartime. Because he refuses change and is set on his ways, Abner continues to make small fires. Sarty’s next few lines reveal another explanation for why Abner builds only small fires.
Sarty wonders if the fire was built to conceal his father or to protect his integrity. He says that the fire “speaks to some deep core of his being” as power and steel do to men. Abner feels that fire is the only thing he has to use against people rich like Major de Spain. Abner was powerless and would have no weapon without fire. Fire was something he could have saved to burn barns, not for heat.
Sarty wants to understand why his further will not burn his family’s belongings, since it is someone else. Sarty then describes how his father used to steal horses both from the front and the back during World War I. Abner always steals and destroys what isn’t his. Sarty must decide whether to remain with his family and become his father, and go on his own or stay and be different.
