Barn Burning Summary

Amanda Balazs

"Barn Burning"

First half of page 964

The office of the Justice of Peace is located inside of a store that smells of cheese. The boy's father is standing before the Justice against his "enemy" which is a neighbor. His pig got into his fathers yard and so he told the neighbor that he would keep the pig if it happened again. It did so he kept him until the neighbor sent a man to pay a dollar for the pig. The man told Mr. Harris that hay and wood can burn and later his barn was burnt down.

Second half of page 964

What came of the man who paid the dollar and foretold of the barn burning is unknown. The Justice calls the boy up for questioning. His name is Colonel Santoris.

First half of page 965

The boy stood silent and Mr. Harris demanded to send him out of the room. Does he feel that the Justice isn't a true representation of what America should be? There is definitely a tension between the two. The Justice demands Snopes to leave the country!

Second half of page 965

As they leave the "court" they are harassed and beaten up.

First half of page 966

They get into the wagon with the mother and sister who are dressed up in dresses. The boy is hurt. We learn that they have had to leave town before and each time they left they didn't know where they were going to go.

Second half of page 966 to the top paragraph of page 967

His father is used to hiding out. He had fought in the Civil War and made small fires in the woods for 4 years.

"You were fixing".. of page 967 to the bottom

The father is abusive. The boy wanted to tell the Justice the truth but couldn't because of his fear of his father. The older boy is also afraid of the father too. The mother knows what he is capable of as well.

1rst paragraph of page 968

The father took the older boy on a walk, the boy was afraid and than they saw a big beautiful house. The boy almost felt a peaceful feeling while looking at the house.

2nd half of page 978 to the top paragraph of 969

The father busted into the house and was mean to the man inside. He called for Miss Lula because Major de Spain was not at home.

Rest of page 969

The father wiped horse poop all over the rug in the house as a blatant form of disrespect. Two hours later the must have kicked the people out of the house and taken over it. The kids were told to clean the rug and the mother was fixing dinner.

First half of page 970

The boy watched his sisters clean the rug tirelessly in fear of their father. They ate cold food.

2nd half of page