A Comparative Study of Parent-Child Relationships in Short Fiction

This essay provides a comparative analysis of parent-child relationships as portrayed in Richard Ford's "Great Falls" and William Faulkner's "Barn Burning." The essay examines how the protagonists in each story navigate complex familial dynamics and the impact of parental figures on their development. In "Great Falls," the essay explores the changing relationship between a son and his parents amidst a divorce, focusing on themes of loneliness, independence, and the transition into adulthood. Conversely, "Barn Burning" is examined to show how a son grapples with his father's immoral actions, ultimately choosing his conscience over familial loyalty. Through close textual analysis, the essay highlights the differing approaches to parenting, the children's evolving understanding of parental authority, and their journey toward forming their own identities and moral compasses. The essay concludes by emphasizing the shared theme of the young protagonists' forced maturation and their ability to independently interpret the events that shape their lives.

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Parent child relationships
“Great Falls" and "Barn Burning" are two great stories that revolve around the
relationships within a family. While "Great Falls "by Richard Ford that speaks about the confines
within a family, "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner shows how a child chooses honor over
blood. In both stories, one can study and compare the parent-child relationships and how a
growing child looks beyond his parents and becomes more independent.
In "Great Falls," the son Jackie is caught within the events that play out between the
mother and father. Jackie's father teaches him how to hunt, asks him about girls, and even offers
him a sip of whiskey. By doing so, he is teaching Jackie how to be a man. He asked him
questions like” Do you worry about girls? Do you worry about your future sex life?” (Ford 539).
However, the plot is not just about a father son bonding but also about the lonely existence of his
mother behind in the home. His father reminds him about what his mother once said” nobody
dies of a broken heart” (Ford 538). Comprehension begins to settle on Jackie when he sees a
change in the relationship between his parents and his own relationship with them. He knows he
is losing his mother not just because of her physical absence, but because she was not the same
person, she thought she was. Even though he is with his father in a physical sense, he feels that
his father is no longer the same person. Thus, for him, he has lost both his father and mother
metaphorically. The current state of the situation makes him feel lonely and solitary. His
mother’s words” Your life is your own business, Jackie” (Ford 546), leave him in deep thoughts.

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He wonders if he is old enough to think about his life and take charge of it. After his parents'
divorce, life takes a great fall for Jackie and how he finds himself suddenly in the world of adults
and enters adulthood. He suddenly feels all grown up and mature like an adult as he reassures his
father that things will "be all right' (Ford 544). Jack is left alone in his own world to seek the
answers to his questions. He must find his own explanation of the events that took place and
changed his relationship with his parents forever.
The short story "Barn Burning" focuses on the relationship between father and son.
Instead of a warm, supportive, and caring father-son relationship, there is no respect or
admiration here. Abner, a migrant tenant farmer as a father figure, is just the opposite of what is
expected from a normal father. He wants his son Sartoris to lie for him as he doesn't want him to
get caught for burning barns. The young boy finds it difficult to choose if it is right to lie to
protect his father, or he should tell the truth. “He aims for me to lie, he thought with that frantic
grief and despair.” (Faulkner 508). Faulkner draws attention to how the thickness of blood
relations get tested under the yards of morality. Even though the boy doesn't agree with his
father, he still supports his decisions as for his father. "You are going to be a man. You got to
learn. You got to stick to your own blood “(Faulkner 510). The young boy defended his father
even though he knew his father was wrong. However, toward the end, of the story, he is willing
to go against his father for justice and his conscience. His loyalty towards his father undergoes
transition, and gradually he realizes that blood need not be always thicker.
When one compares parent-child relationships in both the stories, the young child is
forced to reevaluate the position of his parents in his life and questions the notion of parental
authority. Finally, the child is left on his own to deal with morals, identity, and humanity and in
both the stories, the young child is forced to think like an adult. He leaves the protected world of

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childhood and suddenly gains maturely. He develops a better understanding of parental authority
and his identity and interpret them on their own.
Works Cited

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Faulkner, William, “Barn Burning” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction 7th Edition edited by
Richard Bausch and R.V. Cassill 8th Edition, W.W. Norton & Company. 2015, pp. 507-
519.
Ford, Richard, “Great Falls” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction 7th Edition edited by
Richard Bausch and R.V. Cassill 8th Edition, W.W. Norton & Company. 2015, pp. 536-
547.