Barn Burning Ending Explained: What Happened and Why?

What Happens at the End of Barn Burning?

Ab Snopes (Tommy Lee Jones) is a Southern tenant farmer whose unrelenting and violent nature proves to be his undoing in William Faulkner's Barn Burning. Snopes sets his employer's barn on fire when he thinks he's been treated unfairly. His son, Sarty, is horrified. Snopes escapes justice for lack of proof, but he and his family are told to move on. No sooner do they move than Snopes is offended by his new rich employer. Torn between trying to win his father's acceptance and his aversion to what his father will do, Sarty must make a decision and act quickly. Adapted by Academy Award winning screenwriter Horton Foote, Faulkner's complex world of class divisions and hostile family relationships comes to life through a boy's attempt to liberate himself from hatred and poverty.

Peter Werner's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Tommy Lee Jones (Ab Snopes)'s journey. Snopes sets his employer's barn on fire when he thinks he's been treated unfairly.

How Does Tommy Lee Jones (Ab Snopes)'s Story End?

• Tommy Lee Jones: Tommy Lee Jones's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• Diane Kagan (Mother): Diane Kagan's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.
• Shawn Whittington (Sarty Snopes): Shawn Whittington's character undergoes a significant shift in the final act.

What Does the Ending of Barn Burning Mean?

The ending of Barn Burning brings the narrative to a close, though viewer reception has been mixed. The resolution of Tommy Lee Jones's story may not satisfy all audiences.