In his article,”Family Relationships,” Sigmund Freud, perhaps the most controversial and studied psychologist in the modern era, argues an interesting and unprecedented theory on families relationships, and their unique links. Freud argues that in the beginning, a child has extreme admiration for his parents, father and mother alike. He says that the child regards his father as an ideal person and wants to be like him. He then says that as the child grows older he  or she starts to gain a disdain for the father, arguing that a boy has more contempt  than a girl. He attributes this disdain to the child’s growing sexual desires for his mother while his father is in the way.

Faulkner’s “Barn Burning,” is a directly related to Freud’s theories on relationship. It relates to Freud’s ideas in that it discusses the conflict of Sartoris, the boy has with his father, and whether or not to protect him. Initially Sartoris know’s his father burned down the barn of Mr. Harris, although he feels to protect his father because, as Freud would say, “For a small child his parents are at first the only authority and the source of all belief.” He thinks that the judge is the enemy without even knowing or seeing anything. His father actually tries to protect this authority by shielding him from the outside influences. Later on, when the boy learns that his fathers actions were wrong on all accounts, he rats him out. Although not because of sexual thoughts both readings describe the certain conflict.