Peter Sackett-FergusonMs. UpsonEnglish 373 8-9A25.4.14Burning Bridges: The Application of “Barn Burning” in the Junior English Canon“The past is never dead. It's not even the past." - William FaulknerOne of the most important ideas in the study of history is the belief that history repeats itself and that past trends can be applied to modern events as if they were a cycle. Throughout the world, countless empires and cultures have risen and fallen, often following the same course throughout the process, and the American South is one of the most recent examples; the pattern of meteoric rise followed by dark decay can be seen in the history of almost all cultures . William Faulkner, a writer of the American South during the mid-20th century, knew this more than anyone and wrote extensively about the tribulations of the common man in the postwar South, creating the fictional region of Yoknapatawpha County, in which it is set. his story, "Barn Burning." , a story about a boy named Sarty's conflict with his father. , Abner, who burns barns in an expression of resentment towards the apathetic upper class of the American South, would certainly fit in if he were included. Faulkner's incredible presence in world literature, due to the literary value and continuing relevance of his works, makes it impossible to avoid teaching him in an upper-level English course. Faulkner's writings and "Barn Burning" are applicable in some way in almost every culture of the world, and his works continue to be read despite the relatively low accessibility it imposes... middle of paper... .The prose by Faulkner. (7) Srikanth's reaction is one that readers of many different cultures appreciate in response to reading Faulkner. Despite his legacy in one of the world's most hateful societies, within the race perceived at the time as superior, his writings on the failed expectations of the American dream are applicable to all human beings and particularly relevant to our English curriculum. Because of Faulkner's relevance in modern literature, the literary merit of “Barn Burning,” and the story's applicability to core questions and topics in the junior English curriculum, “Barn Burning” should be taught in 11th grade English. No writer exemplifies the American experience like Faulkner, especially in his collected writings about Yoknapatawpha County, and certainly no writer who is as significant in world literature as pioneering a new style of writing..