wning me body and soul for the next eight months" (PARA 40). Like nomads they were forced to move constantly. Due to seasons and crop rotation, in order to secure work they had to reserve land with different landowners. Ab's emotional instability is a predominant factor contributing to his erratic behavior throughout the story. The family has moved a dozen times from farm to farm, and at times forced to forfeit their agreement with the landlord due to Ab's unacceptable behavior. A behavior which throughout the story is transformed into a rebellion, by Ab smearing the landowner's carpet with horse manure and then suing him for charging him too much for the damage. These acts symbolize frustration with the system and a radical approach to rebel against it. Knowing that punishment could not be avoided when committing such acts, Ab's actions take on a more dramatic meaning as if he is trying to convey a message. He is aware of the economic injustice and he must respond even at the risk of him and his family being prosecuted or ostracized. Ab's constant rebellion is displayed by a rough, sour character and exemplified when he burns his landlord's barn down. He feels despair and loss, and inflicts damage to whomever he happens to be working for. Although the story centers on the feelings and thoughts of Ab's youngest son Sarty, the economic implications of his entire family play a vital role in justifying (not condoning) his father's behavior, which is the pivotal reason for Sarty's controversial feelings on which the whole story is based.Sarty's main dilemma is his loyalty to his family which collides with his disappointment and suppressed dislike of his own father. He tends to hide his feelings by denying the facts, "our Enemy he though in that despair; ourn! mine and hisn both! He's my Father!" (PARA. 1) and "The boy said nothing. Enemy! Enemy! he thought; for a moment he could not even see, could not see that the Justice's face ...
