Barn Burning | Quotes

During the first trial Sarty tries to be loyal to his father and convince himself Mr. Harris is his enemy. However, Sarty knows Abner is guilty and siding with his father puts him on the wrong side of the law. Thus, he feels despair as he is torn between the two sides.

During the trial Mr. Harris states he provided Abner with the means to fix the problem between them, Abner's runaway hog. Abner, though, did not fix the pen with the wire given him, and the problem escalated. Mr. Harris tried to resolve the problem without resorting to the law, but Abner's obstinacy left him no other choice.

Sarty knows he will have to give false testimony in the Harris trial to save his father. He is reluctant to do so but fearful of his father. He feels he has no other choice, and the dishonesty draws him downward into grief.

Abner repeatedly tries to instill family loyalty above all else in Sarty. He expects complete obedience, even when he is legally and morally wrong. He threatens if Sarty betrays his family, Sarty will end up alone.

Sarty is strongly affected by Major de Spain's grand mansion, which he sees as a place of peace and safety. He hopes the atmosphere of his family's new surroundings will lift his father out of his violent ways and allow him to become a better man.

After Abner has deliberately ruined the rug, Major de Spain taunts Abner about his poverty. While Abner is certainly in the wrong, de Spain's contempt only serves to worsen the situation and widen the social-class divide between them.

Sarty tries to support his father after Major de Spain penalizes him for ruining the rug. To Sarty, Abner has tried to do as de Spain asked, even if he did not do the job well. He finds his father's punishment unfair for this reason, not realizing his father meant to ruin the rug all along.

Lennie's feelings about her husband's violence surface through her protests against his actions. Although she voices dissent, she is too weak to stop Abner from doing harm. She cannot shield her family from his abuse, and she cannot stop his arson.

Sarty's brother is a younger version of Abner, helping his father plan and execute crimes in defiance of authority. The brother may eventually become even worse than Abner, as this statement shows; even Abner doesn't want to see Sarty tied up.

Sarty feels compelled to warn Major de Spain that Abner intends to burn down his barn. As his mother restrains him, his cry shows he is willing to resort to extreme measures to do what he believes is right. Violence is all he has known at home, and here he shows he is ready to dish it out, if necessary, to get his way.

Sarty has come to the breaking point with his family and his past. Despite his feelings of family loyalty, he can no longer live with the old, violent ways. He walks away from them without regret, knowing it is the only way to create a better future for himself.