The element of fire is a very powerful and destructive force to those who encounter it. It is often interpreted as an evil symbol as fires tend to be violent and uncontrollable towards anything in its path. This strong, devastating element of fire can also be used as a central symbol to describe a psychological conflict within one's mind or the problem with interacting with others. In Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" and Barreca's poem "…showed first 75 words of 1329 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1329 total…resentment towards the elite. The feeling of a certain loss of control caused the fathers to feel as though they were exploited by humanity. It was their children who responded to their actions and analyzed them, expressing their opinions of what the element of fire meant to them. It was only through symbolism of a powerful force that we come to understand the significance of fire to both the fathers and their children's vivid memories.