Sarty and Abner

When Sarty and his family arrive at what is to be their last, or at least Abner and Sarty's last, sharecropping venture, Abner shows his disregard for the plantation owner, Major de Spain. Abner purposefully stepped in manure then smeared it all over Major de Spain's white rug. Abner and Major de Spain go to court. De Spain wants twenty bushels of corn plus the amount in Abner's contract to repay the damages Abner did to the carpet. Abner thinks that twenty bushels is too much. The judge decides ten would be better. However, Abner is still not happy.

When the boys and man return home, Abner begins to gather flammable substances in order to burn Major de Spain's barn down. Sarty is sick of this type of behavior. Even at only ten years old, Sarty knows it is wrong to destroy another persons' property simply because you disagree with them. Sarty's internal conflict resides in whether or not he should continue to go along with his father, ignoring his own feelings, or whether he should do something about it. To go along with his father would mean a life of moving constantly, always being afraid, and always having to lie to people to protect his father. Sarty does not want to lie anymore.

Sarty decides at the last minute before his father burns the barn to run to Major de Spain's home and tell him what his father is going to do. De Spain gets a horse and starts toward the barn. Sarty, however, continues to run past. He decides to leave his family, his father. He stops short when he hears gun shots - one, then two more. I believe, as Sarty does, that Major de Spain killed Abner. After he hears this he begins to cry but also begins, again, to run. Sarty is running to a new life. His new life will be one without lies, and one without anymore fires.