Paul`s Case And Barn Burning Essay, Research Paper

The stories ?Barn Burning? written by William Faulkner and ?Paul?s

Case? written by Willa Cather both have two separate characters with very

similar troubles. Each has a uniquely sad narrative. ?Barn Burning? is a sad

story because it not only shows the classical struggle between the

underprivileged and the privileged classes, but also the struggle between a

father and his son, Sarty. Together, these two boys share comparable lifestyles.

Each has conflicts with his father, fantasize of a wealthier existence, and flee

from the tribulations in his life. Sarty?s main dilemma is his loyalty to his

family, which collides with his disappointment and suppressed dislike for his

own father. He tends to hide his feelings by denying the facts, ?our enemy he

thought in that despair: ourn! mine and his both! He?s my father!? (Faulkner

171). Sarty appears to be fearful of his father: ?If I would have said they

wanted only truth, justice, he would have hit me again. But now he said nothing.

He was not crying. He jut stood there.? (Faulkner 173) In comparison, Paul and

his father also have conflicts and Paul too seems to be afraid of his own

father. He decides that he would much rather spend the night in the cellar of

his house than go inside and face his father. Paul does not feel as much at home

when he is at his father?s house as he does at Carnegie Hall where he works as

an usher and spends most of his time. Paul?s teachers and his father believe

his working at the theater affects his schooling. As a result, Paul?s father

takes him out of school and forces him to work for a company referred to only as

the "firm of Denny and Carson" as an office boy. Paul?s dream to

live like the stars is taken away when his father forbids him to work, visit, or

go anywhere near the theater. It is at Carnegie Hall that Paul became struck by

the glitter and the starlight of the stage. He is not star struck in the sense

that he wanted to perform in any way; he is simply content to observe others’

performances. He is struck in the sense that he wants to live the way the

characters in the plays do. He imagines them living to all the extent of their

money, glutting on beautiful music, art, and life. Sarty, like Paul, is somewhat

materialistic. He dreams of a large house and the comfort of money. He desires

to be in a higher-class distinction despite his father?s bitterness regarding

the upper class. Sarty views the de Spain mansion as a citadel protected against

momentary stings from his father, ?the buzzing wasp.? (Faulkner 174) His

father sees the house as ?pretty and white,? built on ?sweat, nigger

sweat. Maybe it ain?t white enough yet to suit him. Maybe he (de Spain) wants

to mix some white sweat with it.? (Faulkner 175) Paul pocketed nearly one

thousand dollars from the cash in the deposit belonging to the company his

father made him work for. His dream is shorted by his crime when the story of

his theft and his father’s search is published in quite a few large newspapers.

Instead of facing his crimes and his father, he jumps in front of a train,

thereby, of course, committing suicide. Paul’s last thoughts are on the things

that he will never get to do, because he ended it all before his time. Like

Paul, Sarty runs away from the only life he has ever known and all of his

family. Sarty wants to live out his dream, which consists of a moral life

according to his own values.