Going Down in Flames

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3120865-barn-burning

Dear Annie: I am just a young boy of only ten years of age. I live with my father, mother, aunt, and siblings. We do not have a lot of money, we can be called poor. Being farmers, I guess being poor goes with the job.

That is not why I am writing you, I am writing you because I am concerned for my father. I love him very much, but he is always such an angry man. He lets his feelings get the better of him sometimes, and he lies to cover up his wrong doings. Father just the other day had to go before a judge because Mr. Harris accused him of burning down his barn. He accused my father of burning down his barn because my father would not pay a dollar to get back our pig that had broken in Mr. Harris' cornfield. My father denied burning the barn, and he had me say in front of everyone that he did not. But he did! Father did burn down that barn, I know he did, I know he knows I know he did. He had me lie about it too. If I did not lie though he might have gone to jail. I love my father and do not want to see him in jail, but he lied and had me lie too! After Father saw the judge, we were forced to leave town.

I thought after this that Father would have learned his lesson, that he would calm down. We had not been settled into our new home very long when Father did something mean again. After leaving our last town, Father went to work farming for Major de Spain. He is a wealthy landowner. Father went to go see him at his house and the servant said he was not home. But instead of leaving Father pushed his way past the door and got horse manure all over the nice rug. Miss Lula, Major de Spain's wife was not happy. Later that day a servant brought the rug to us to clean it. We did, but the rug was ruined anyway. Major de Spain told my father he had to pay for damages, and a judge said the same thing. During the meeting with Major de Spain and the Judge, Father had me lie again! This accrued just earlier in the day.

Annie, I love my farther, but I can see he is angry again. The last time he was angry he burned down a barn! I don't want him to do that again! Next time he does he could go to jail, or he could be shot. Is there any reason why my father is like is? Is there anything I can do about it? Should I keep lying to protect him? I love my father but I don't want him to continue to be this way. Is there anything at all that I can do?  

http://www.buzzle.com/

-- The Young Colonel

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Dear Colonel: Do not get deeper into this mess that you father has created anymore than you already are. Your father is a grown man who is old enough to deal with his emotions and understand the difference between right and wrong.

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to be dealing with the situation that you are. Growing up, I also loved my father. I would have done anything if he asked; I idolized him and he was my hero. It sounds like you view you father in much the same light as I did mine. No matter what he does he is still your father and you should love and respect him for that fact. However, that does not mean that you have to agree, accept, or be a part of what he does. You said your father burned a barn; you do not want to be associated with that! If you are associated with that in any way, such as lying to the judge in court, then can found just as guilty as your father. I know you feel a sense of obligation to your father, but you do not have to lie for him, you do not have to cover up his wrong doings, you do not have to apologize for his anger. Everything your father does is his problem to deal with, not yours. I find it heinous that your father would ever involve you in his wrong doings in the first place. He should be looking out for your best interests, rather he is dragging you down with his sinking ship.

While you probably do not want to hear this, I think it is best if you distance yourself from your father, both physically and emotionally. I would usually never say that, but I think he is a greater detriment to you the longer you remain around him. That is hard to hear at ten years old, but I think that it is in your best interest.

I think that the reason your father is the way he is stems from an underlining jealousy. He is jealous of the wealthier people in life, people who are in a better situation than he and the rest of his family. Possibly he thinks he is being treated unfairly in life, and he is just looking to "even the score." That is why I feel your father acts the way he does.

At the end of the day he is still you father, and you must love and respect him for that fact. However you do not have to involve yourself in his vicious activities, and I urge you not to. You cannot change your father, only he can do that if he truly wants to. All you can do is keep yourself out of his troubles, and pray that he finds his way.

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Notes 

• For the part of the letter when it was Sarty's turn to talk, I tried to make it sound the writings of a ten year old. Honestly, that was the hardest part of this blog post, and I do not think I did my best job.  :)

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Works Cited

"Annie's Mailbox." Arcamax Publishings. Arcamax.com, 2016. Web. 4  Mar. 2016.  

Faulkner, William.. "Barn Burning." The Norton Anthology of American Literature.Ed. Julia Reidhead.  1004-1016. Print.