Dec 23, 2009

Barn Burning | Critical Overview

In one sense, criticism of ‘‘Barn Burning’’ has displayed a remarkable unanimity, for this story throws into sharp relief a young boy's existential choice involving the two notions of ‘‘blood relation’’ and "morality." Whatever conclusion individual critics draw about the tale, their arguments necessarily center on the meaning of that choice. In preparing to read the story and again in considering it afterwards, readers must ask themselves a key question: If family ties constitute a moral obligation on the individual, is there any higher morality which might require...