Comparing and Contrasting "Doe Season" and "Barn Burning"

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On initial reading of "Doe Season" and "Barn Burning" the only similarity one would think is the fact that the stories include children. Upon deeper analysis of the stories we see that there are many more comparisons. The story of "Barn Burning" starts off describing the strong feelings of the young boy, Colonel Sartoris Snopes, as he watches a court preceding that accuses his father of burning Mr. Harris's barn. He knows his father is guilty. It is apparent, as we continue to read that he is aware of the facts. The fact is that his father is guilty. The man he is supposed to honor and respect has done something dishonorable. His father has burned the barn of a neighbor, who, it seems, had been generous and kind to the family."I gave him enough wire to patch up his pen" (226, 3). Sartoris father was now on trial, and as Sartoris watches, he feared for the family and his father, not for himself. And he feels grief and despair "the smell and sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair and grief" (226, 1). The author uses the term despair a number of times. This denotes hopelessness, and shows us that Sartoris sees that there is nothing he can do about the situation. He has no control and cannot change the course of events. Suddenly, there is a change in the proceedings. Sartoris is called to describe what happened. He is being given an opportunity to impact the decision. However, this creates an incredible conflict. He wants to be loyal to his father, but it seems from the story that he knows he should tell the truth. It seems that he also knows the outcome of what will happen if he tells the truth, as this is not a new occurrence in the family. The argument Sartoris has with himself, at this point, seems to be, do I do the right thing or do I do what is expected, which is lie for my father. Sartoris seems to feel that he has no choice

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