Human Capacity for Endurance

It is difficult for one to relate to the devastation that war brings when it comes to his own land, for, after the Civil War, no conflict has occurred on American soil. Certainly, modern media has brought war into the homes of most Americans who watch the death and destruction occur in places never visited and to people not known. Somehow, however, there is the belief that the human spirit can endure and, in fact, emerge victorious, in the face of horrific conditions, violence, and loss of property and loved ones. The story of the Sartoris family, and of Bayard in particular, is in fact a story of endurance. Faced with the complete destruction of their home and the absence of John Sartoris, Granny and Bayard find ways to utilize and, indeed, capitalize on existing resources. Ringo is a loyal and ingenious asset who devises...