Abner Snopes is accused of burning Mr. Harris’s barn, and his son, Colonel Sartoris Snopes (“Sarty”) is convinced that the people of the court are his family’s enemies. Sarty fiercely aligns himself with his father, placing his loyalty to blood and kin above his faith in the justice system. “Barn Burning” is a prequel to William Faulkner’s Snopes trilogy, which includes The Hamlet, The Town, and The Mansion. Although primarily known for his novels, William Faulkner wrote in a variety of formats, including plays, poetry, essays, screenplays, and short stories, many of which are highly acclaimed and anthologized. Like his novels, many of Faulkner’s short stories are set in fictional Yoknapatawapha County, a setting inspired by Lafayette County, where Faulkner spent most of his life. His first short story collection, These 13 (1931), includes many of his most frequently anthologized stories, including "A Rose for Emily", "Red Leaves" and "That Evening Sun." HarperCollins brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperCollins short-stories collection to build your digital library.

フォークナーが描くのは、血縁という呪縛と個人の正義が激突する魂の戦場です。父アブナーの放火は、格差社会への絶望的な抵抗。少年の痛切な視点を通じた濃密な文体は、読者を息苦しい葛藤へ引きずり込み、家族への忠誠の意味を激しく問い直させます。 映像版では炎の視覚的強烈さが際立ちますが、テキストに刻まれた迷宮的な内面描写こそが本作の真骨頂です。言葉でしか表せない少年の「血の叫び」を知ることで、映像の中の沈黙はより深い意味を持ち、不朽の名作としての多層的な魅力が鮮烈に立ち現れます。