# Barney Hainsfeather explained — Spoon River Anthology

> Chapter companion for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

## What happens

Barney Hainsfeather laments a tragic mix-up after a train wreck and fire, where he was mistaken for John Allen and buried in Spoon River instead of escaping to Peoria. He bemoans the indignity of both running a clothing store in the town and being buried there.

## Themes in this chapter

### Death and Legacy

Barney's mistaken burial highlights the absurdity and lack of control over one's final resting place and legacy.

### Unfulfilled Lives and Repression

Barney's regret over running a clothing store in Spoon River and his desire to escape reflect a life of unfulfilled aspirations.

## Character check-ins

### John Allen

Mistaken for Barney Hainsfeather in the train wreck, sent to the Hebrew Cemetery at Chicago.

### Barney Hainsfeather

The speaker, a clothing store owner who died in a train wreck and was mistakenly buried in Spoon River.

## Key lines

> If the excursion train to Peoria Had just been wrecked, I might have escaped with my life⁠— Certainly I should have escaped this place.

If the train to Peoria had only been wrecked, I could have survived and definitely left this town.

_Barney wishes for a different outcome that would have spared him both death and burial in Spoon River._

> But as it was burned as well, they mistook me For John Allen who was sent to the Hebrew Cemetery At Chicago, And John for me, so I lie here.

Because the train also caught fire, they confused me with John Allen, who was sent to the Hebrew Cemetery in Chicago, and John was mistaken for me, so I ended up buried here.

_The mix-up in identities after the fire led to Barney being buried in Spoon River instead of John Allen._

> It was bad enough to run a clothing store in this town, But to be buried here⁠— ach !

Running a clothing store in this town was bad enough, but being buried here is even worse—ach!

_Barney expresses his disdain for both his life's work and his final resting place in Spoon River._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters/barney-hainsfeather
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters