Changes…After Barn Burning Essay, Research Paper

…He did not look back. He knew that his father was going to beat him badly, so this time instead of accepting that fate, Sarty decided to get off the road his life was on and head down a new and unexplored path. Hopefully this way will have more security and stability to it than the route his father and family had been on. Family, that made Sarty think for a second. He didn’t know what he was going to do, after all he had no one now. He was scared, alone, and hungry when he was suddenly startled by something behind him, it was Major de Spain and his nigger. “What you doing boy,” he said, “don’t you know your bastard father left here this morning?” “Yes sir,” he replied, “he left me for what I done, and now I ain’t got no father no more.” The Major was quiet and thought for a moment, and then said to his nigger, “Fetch up that boy and help him onto my horse.” Sarty was puzzled, but got up on the horse anyway. Then the Major spoke, “You are brave doing what you done, and I thank you for that. You knew the consequences and went against your blood because you knew what he was doing was wrong, and that takes real courage, the kind I’d like to have around me.” With that they headed back to the Major’s house without a word spoken. He had his nigger fetch Sarty some new fancy clothes from town, and had Sarty wash up while he was gone. After Sarty bathed and got dressed he went down to dinner with the Major and his wife. There was more food on the table

than Sarty had ever seen, or even imagined. He was aware that rich people ate well, but he didn’t know they could eat so much. There was enough food on the table to feed his family for a week. There was turkey, ham, potatoes, corn and green beans, fresh bread, yams, and both an apple and pecan pie. “Sarty,” the Major spoke, “you take whatever you want. From now on what I have is yours, and I will treat you as if you were my child. You will be subject to my rules, my laws, for if you agree I choose to make you my son. Do you accept the arrangement that I have set?”, concluded the Major. Sarty looked down and started to think about his life and his family, but all he could see was burning barns and his family abandoning him. He was their son and brother, their blood, and the just left him like a forgotten piece of clothing. “How could they just leave me?” he asked. “I did the right thing, and I am sick and tired of moving from place to the next. It is all his fault, my father the horse thief turn barn burner. Well, they turned their back on me, so I’ll do the same. I have no father, and today I start a new life, a better life.” he concluded. Sarty looked up and spoke, “I accept your deal Major de Spain, and from now on I am no longer a Snopes, I am simply Colonel Satoris.+ I am grateful for what you have done for me, and I aim to make you proud’” he exclaimed. “Today I start my new life with nothing hanging over my shoulders, and at last I am finally free.” And they all lived happily ever after