who witnessed the Civil War and their Families
The Psychology behind Father and Son Relationship
Introduction
The emergence of any type of chaos is suggestively able to create a distinct adjustment on the behavioral response of human individuals towards stress and pressure. Soldiers, in particular, are faced with the challenge of facing life and death situations and making decisions on how they are likely to embrace their own survival while putting the lives of their enemies in danger (Brewin, et al, 158). Civilians who are likely considered as the indirect target of the wars become the primary victims of the situation. Although they do not want to be in the middle of such situation, it could be denied that they are left with no choice but to leave behind a good life they once have known and accept the fact that things have already changed (Palmieri, et al, 2007). With such turn of things, people are left out in a situation that they might not be comfortable in living with. Hence, to adapt to the situation, some individuals develop particular behaviors that pertain to their desire of surviving. As the war ends, what happens to the civilians?
In the story written by William Faulkner entitled “Barn Burning”, a classical presentation of how humans develop a specific characteristic after the war years and how they affect the generations that come after them through familial relations. Bitterness and frustrations are among the primary issues presented in the story and how such emotions get passed on from the father towards his son.
In this discussion, an analysis of the position of the father and his influence towards his son shall be given attention to. Presenting the emergence of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in the father and how he handles his personal behavioral dilemmas shall also be analyzed especially in relation to his involvement to particular chaotic situations during the civil war. Relatively, the influence he has on his son shall be analyzed accordingly through noting important points with regards the psychology behind father and son relationship. To spearhead the discussion, a presentation on what post traumatic syndrome is about and how it relates to war victims shall first be given attention to.
War and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is generally known as a psychological condition that involves the manner by which a person becomes fully disturbed of his past that it affects his current behavior towards himself and towards the others. Most often than not, PTSD sufferers handle stress and pressures differently; likely engaging in massive outbursts of anger, especially when they are not treated immediatel.
Relatively though, the occurrence of PTSD in a person is less given attention to. Not only because the surrounding individuals do not believe that it is occurring on the individual, but because the patients themselves do not believe in the existence of such psychological abnormality. Or if they do believe that it exists, they often fail to recognize the possibility of them being involved in the said situation. Practically, people have become less interested in identifying their personal connection on the matter, instead, they decide to consider themselves simply getting by and going through some normal changes. The sad truth is that when the situation gets worse, these individuals often bring the other members of their family into deep holes of depression as if infecting them with a disease that is hard to break and hard to cure. The truth is, PTSD is one of the least exposed topics on psychological disorders during the past decade. Practically, Daniel Clark’s article on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the American Civil War proves how John Talbott, an author of articles on psychology, believed that there is no proof that PTSD indeed occurs among individuals who have been engaged in tumultuous situations during the civil war (Clarke, 1). Nevertheless, Clarke points out further that such claim is not anymore acceptable in a modern society that is able to embrace innovation especially in aspects of research and developmental science in understanding human behavior.
Today, it is believed that when it comes to dealing with situations that are close enough to the conditions of war, humans are bound to become engaged into the system. The fight or flight response of a person into such situations intend to define whether or not they are to decide to survive the process of going through the factors that define their new environment because of the occurrence of the war. To those who decide to take the ‘flight’ option, they often move from one place to another, expecting for another better chance at life in other places. For those who chose to take the ‘fight’ option, they often end up being grounded into the situation and getting accustomed to the life it produces. Such concept of fighting the situation has been shown effectively through the story line of “Barn Burning” which shall be discussed in the section that follows.
Barn Burning and Its Implication on Post Traumatic Syndrome
William Faulkner’s written works are most often than not noted for the manner by which they mirror the actual situations confronting the human living (Honnighausen, 23, paragraph 3). This is the reason why most of his works are being used to identify the different elements of human nature especially when it comes to dealing with uncomfortable situations that occur in the society then and now. In the story of Barn Burning, Faulkner aimed to present what chaotic situations in the society could do to the thinking and behavioral procedures that humans embrace.
In this analysis, the focus of the discussion would be directed on the father, Abner Snopes and the ten-year old son in the person of Colonel Sartoris Snopes or Sarty. The two individuals share a distinct bond because of them being father-and-son. However, beyond such connection is a deeper source of relationship that is likely complicating situations between the two. Sarty was described in the story as a jolly child who has taken the concept of innocence from his mother. Born after the civil war, he was able to see the effects of the aftermath of the war, but was not able to see what actually happened during the actual years of chaos in their community. His mother, being the source of positive thoughts and idealisms in the story, has brought him up in a way that he would be able to see the better side of things amidst all the different hardships that they may be experiencing as a family.
On the other hand, Abner Snopes is the complete opposite of his son. Having the chance to see what the war was about and how it has changed their life from good to worse, Abner has developed a bitter idea of what life is and what people are. Seeing everyone as his enemy, or anyone else who have wronged him to be specifically deserving of his punishment, Abner does not hold back from any of his supposed enemies and he is willing to do anything to them (Bertonneau, 122-paragraph 3). Abner is described in the story as an arsonist. Being cold and violent, he acts towards others, including his family with such harsh behavior. Because of this, he is considered by his son Sarty as someone who is absolutely ‘bad’. It is assumed that his behavior as an arsonist serves as a relief from the personal pressure that he is trying to deal with; the stresses that he is in need of facing. Although he does not aim to kill anyone, being a serial arsonist and having the desire to burn the barn every now and again is indeed a dangerous choice of stress relief.
The story also tells about how Abner got his limp through an incident during the civil war when he was stealing a horse thirty years ago. Relatively, such limp reminds him of every bit of situation that he needed to deal with during the war years. It marked him personally and has caused him to hate the life that was created for him by the said occurrence of social chaos. His behavior was basically the result of a trauma. The burning of barns is notably an act of protection that he specifically wants to engage in, especially when he feels that his safety or the privacy of his family is being challenged by outsiders. This behavior is common among survivors of chaotic occurrences in history (Clark, 4). Notably, people who have been out to battle and have adjusted to the situation accordingly, have a hard time realizing that the time is over and that they are now able to enjoy a better life than the times when they had to face the challenges of the war years.
Sarty’s attitude towards his father is specifically defined by the way he recognizes the attitude of his father towards him and other family members. Seeing him to be as destructive as he is prompts Sarty to pose the same attitude that he gets from his father; nevertheless, the values and morals taught to him by his mother caused him to become less of a bitter individual compared to his father (Fowler 423-paragraph 3). It is as if he wanted to be a better person in his father, as it is his own choice to be one (Billingslea, 4-paragraph 3). He is able to see the good situations out of the bad ones and desires nothing but to keep his father safe even though he might have behaved differently around the young boy.
The Father and Son Relationship
Although Sarty views his father to be ‘bad’ and ‘uncontrollable’ , he recognizes that he is indeed just a human being like everybody else (Yunis, 23-paragraph 6). This fact keeps him grounded down as he deals with the outbursts of his father. On the other hand Abner, although disillusioned as he is, tries to comply with the responsibilities he has towards Sarty as a father; which includes guiding him and instilling morals on him especially with regards life and how it should be viewed. Because of the negativity of the situations that he has been accustomed of seeing, his advice and the ideas he is able to share to his son are most often than not of a negative nature as well (Heber, 122). The bitterness he has towards life and towards the people surrounding him, these are the most common topics of the conversations he shares with his son. As a result, although Sarty is but of a young age, he is already familiar with the idea of inequality and bitterness especially when it comes to viewing the negative elements of the society and how one ought to deal with it in a negative approach. Having his positive view of life challenged by such values makes it hard for Sarty to become completely happy about his life. Living within the age of confusion, Sarty had to push himself to understand what his father is trying to say and find a way to connect it with what his mother tries to teach him. For a young boy his age, such condition of thinking could be both beneficial and disadvantageous. It shall determine his vision of life and the perception he has towards stress and life’s pressures. The father and son connection between Sarty and Abner makes it easier for the father to instill values into his son. Although the son may have doubts, it is this connection that might make it easier for the older one to influence the thinking of the younger individual. In the same manner, individuals [fathers or mothers] who are experiencing drastic symptoms of PTSD has the capacity of affecting the thinking of their children this passing on the pressure and distress into the thinking of the younger ones.
Conclusion
In the discussion and analysis presented herein, it has been ensured that PTSD does occur and it creates a distinct impact on the relationship of the individuals suffering from the abnormality share with those whom they love. Given the realization that this generation has already incurred regarding the issue, it is strongly suggested that the onset of symptoms of PTSD be addressed accordingly and immediately especially for the sake of the protection on the behavioral development of the people surrounding the PTSD sufferers. Abner and Sarty are classical examples of father and son connection that could be both beneficial and destructive depending on how both individuals would be given the chance to handle the challenge of PTSD into the relationship they share.
References:
Bertonneau, Thomas. "An overview of 'Barn Burning." Gale Online Encyclopedia. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 June 2014.
Clarke, D. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the American Civil War: A Reappraisal. http://www.academia.edu/5812575/Post-Traumatic_Stress_Disorder_and_the_American_Civil_War_A_Reappraisal. (Retrieved on July 1, 2014).
Fowler, Sigrid Hanson. (2011). Lennie Snopes, a closer look. http://www.missq.msstate.edu/. (Retrieved on July 1, 2014).
Hönnighausen, Lothar. "What Remains of Faulkner." The Achievement of William Faulkner: A Centennial Tribute. Ed. Thomas M. Inge. Ashland, Va.: Randolph-Macon College, 1998. 21-25. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism.Ed. Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J. Trudeau.Vol. 170. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center.Web. 24 June 2014.
Faulkner, W. Barn Burning. http://english.hyde.wikispaces.net/file/view/Barn+Burning+by+William+Faulkner.pdf. (Retrieved on July 1, 2014).
Billingslea, Oliver. "Fathers and sons: the spiritual quest in Faulkner's 'Barn Burning'."The Mississippi Quarterly 44.3 (1991): 287+.Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 June 2014.
Yunis, Susan S. "The Narrator of Faulkner's 'Barn Burning'." The Faulkner Journal 6.2 (Spring 1991): 23-31. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 June 2014.
