We don't know how old Abner was during the war, but we do know that for at least thirty years Abner has been living on the fringes of society, living by no law but his own. Since the war lasted from 1861 to 1865, we can assume that Abner spent most of the war living in the woods. We know that he hid in the woods for four years during the war. At some point he was shot by a member of the Confederate (Southern) army's police force, and has an injured leg as a result. Apparently, Abner also stole horses during the war to sell to the highest bidder. A mercenary fights in an army for money, not out of patriotic duty. We know that Abner was a mercenary during the Civil War. The information the narrator provides about Abner's past and potential motivation gives this character some depth. Although Sarty isn't able to find a way to live with his dad, he has moments of empathy and admiration for the man that help transform Abner from a one-dimensional bad guy into a complex and mysterious character. But Abner is a formidable character in his own right. "Barn Burning" focuses on the impact Abner's behavior has on his ten-year-old son, Sarty. He controls his family with physical and psychological violence, and makes them accomplices in his favorite pastime: burning barns.
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