Question

What are some questions about the paragraph below from “barn burning” by William Faulkner that can be used for discussion?

"He did not look at his father again until they had reached the black place in the woods, where the road after a while dwindled to a path and then petered out altogether. His father walked faster and faster until he was almost running, stumbling now and then in the red dust, springing up again without faltering. His father swung the lantern and the boy followed, not running, now, quietly. Behind them the door of the house began to thunder shut. "He ain't coming," the boy said aloud and thought, He won't ever. He was not crying. He was simply trying to get a measure of his new situation. He had not even known he was crying. But he was not crying now, as his aunt and his mother and his sisters sobbed quietly in the room beyond the closed door."

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

What does the "black place in the woods" symbolize in the story?

What is the significance of the father walking faster and faster until he is almost running?

Why do you think the boy is not running after his father?

What emotions do you think the boy is feeling when he says "He ain't coming"?

How do you interpret the boy's reaction to the situation?

What does the sobbing of the women in the room beyond the closed door suggest about the family dynamic?

What role do you think the lantern plays in this scene?

How do you think the father and son relationship will develop after this scene?

What do you think the author is trying to convey through the use of imagery and symbolism in this paragraph?

How does this paragraph contribute to the overall themes of the story?