In "Barn Burning", Abner is put at the bottom of many relationships. In his past all of his employers have asserted power over him and his family which is unacceptable to him. Due to his power seeking tendencies, Abner fights the system in an attempt to gain more power for himself. This seems like a noble cause, but his other actions throughout the story are not seen as such.
The method Abner uses to gain power is not a very effective one. Burning down barns does seem like a major insult and inconvenience for Abner's employers, and due to lack of evidence Abner is never incriminated for his crimes, but I fail to see how this betters Abner's situation. This seems like a childish response to an unfair system.
In addition, Abner also seeks power within his own family. As the father he tries to assert his dominance over everyone in his family, which only perpetuates the system which he seems so against. Although I understand Abner's struggle for power I do not fully understand the actions he takes to reach his goal.
Indeed Abner's malicious actions are due to his internal frustration with the power system, but still are not appropriate responses to it. Abner chooses a dark path on his journey to seek silent "justice", but could have taken a more positive approach to the situation. Abner's decisions leave Sardy no choice but to follow his conscience and report his father.
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