1. Both Abner Snopes in Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” and Miss Emily Grierson in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” can be described as tragic anti-heroes, lacking the conventional nobility of mind while struggling for values and morals not deemed acceptable within society. Abner Snopes is trapped in a war of one against the rich and wealthy. Unfortunately the conduct in which he wages this war is far from effective. In order to strike back against the wealthy, who have made their fortunes on the backs of the working poor and African Americans, Abner Snopes burns the barns of his employer. Tragically his personal vendetta against the wealthy ultimately leads to his death, after his own son’s betrayal (although done for the right reasons). Although the measures Snopes takes are unconventional and unacceptable, the audience cannot help but to sympathize with his motives. Miss Emily Grierson, somewhere along the duration of her life seems to simply snap. The culprit, eventually leading to the mental break resulting in the murder of the man she
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Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home” takes one into the damaged mind of a World War Two veteran suffering the effects of PTSD. When Harold Krebs returns home from the war he faces the demanding challenge of assimilating back to community and societal norms. The community values illustrated through conversations between Krebs and his family is similar to those one might find in a small town. These values include marriage, family, and hard work, the real American dream. Unfortunately, Krebs no longer can comprehend such valued norms. This is demonstrated best during the conversation between Krebs and his mother, during which, Krebs tells his mother that he does not love anyone, including her. He has no interest in finding a wife or finding employment. The atrocities that Krebs witnessed in France and Germany during his service left a scar on his psyche, hindering his ability to conform back to the community values he may once have held
Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home” takes one into the damaged mind of a World War Two veteran suffering the effects of PTSD. When Harold Krebs returns home from the war he faces the demanding challenge of assimilating back to community and societal norms. The community values illustrated through conversations between Krebs and his family is similar to those one might find in a small town. These values include marriage, family, and hard work, the real American dream. Unfortunately, Krebs no longer can comprehend such valued norms. This is demonstrated best during the conversation between Krebs and his mother, during which, Krebs tells his mother that he does not love anyone, including her. He has no interest in finding a wife or finding employment. The atrocities that Krebs witnessed in France and Germany during his service left a scar on his psyche, hindering his ability to conform back to the community values he may once have held