Alcoholism in Huckleberry Finn

T.S. Elliot said, "Huck is alone: there is no more solitary figure in fiction. The fact that he has a father only emphasizes its loneliness; and he views his father with a terrifying detachment" (329). Most parents like to see their children excel in life and become productive members of society, but Pap is thinking only about himself. Instead of wishing the best for his son, he is angry because he is becoming a better person than his father. This man would be an awful influence on any child, and should be kept away from Huck.

Mark Twain, one of the most famous and influential American writers, was born in Hannibal, Missouri on November 30, 1835 and died April 21, 1910. Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, he eventually adopted his famous pseudonym in 1863. Shortly after his father's death in 1847, when Clemens was twelve, his father passed away. After his father death, he applied for an apprenticeship at the local-printing shop. While working in the printing shop, Twain learned the skills required to be a printer and developed an aptitude for witty short essays and responses. Mark Twain was enthralled by his opportunity to develop his skills as a printer, and later he realized that he had a unique talent for writing. By working as an apprentice printer, he

The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain and published on December 10, 1884. This picaresque novel takes place in the mid-1800s in St. Petersburg, Missouri and various locations along the Mississippi River through Arkansas as the story continues. The main character is young delinquent boy named Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t have a mother and his father is a drunk who is very rarely involved with Huck’s life. Huck is currently living with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson who attempt to make the boy a more civilized and representable citizen. Later Huck runs away and meets this runaway slave named Jim and they become good friends. As Jim and Huck travel down river in their raft they experience many conflicts.

Though not technically an orphan, Huck seems to wish he were, as he provides insight to his indifference towards his father: "Pap hadn't been seen for more than a year, and that was comfortable for me; I didn't want to see him no more" (226). Upon returning, Pap inflicts such physical and mental abuse on Huck, including captivating him, that Huck resolves to not only flee the situation, but also kill his father, after being threatened with a knife. "I slipped the ramrod down it to make sure [the gun] was loaded, and then I laid it across the turnip barrel, pointing towards pap, and set down behind it to wait for him to stir" (237). Huck clearly resents the man enough to want to kill him, yet can not do so: though Twain employs weariness as the preventive factor, Huck's inaction despite his desire epitomizes his conflicted nature.

Even though Pap is Huck’s biological father, he is everything a father shouldn’t be. For example, he constantly leaves Huck home alone, confined in his cabin for a long period of time. "Every little while he locked me in and went down to the store, three miles, to the ferry, and traded fish and game for wiskey and fetched it home and got drunk and had a good time, and licked me."(Twain 35) This quote not only shows that Huck was left on his own, it also shows that Pap is not a suitable father because of his drinking problem, and also his abusive behavior. His drinking problem is not only a waste of money, but it is a dangerous addiction not only for Pap’s health, but for Huck’s. "He chased me round and round the place with a clasp knife, calling me the Angel of Death, and saying he would kill me, and then I couldent come for him no more. I begged, and told him I was only Huck; but he laughed such a screechy laugh, and roared and cussed , and kept on chasing me up." (39) This quote shows that during one of his hallucinations, he almost kills Huck. Alcohol

Mark Twain was more than the man we all know. For one thing, he was born as Samuel Langhorn Clemens on November thirtieth eighteen thirty-five and given the nickname “Little Sam.” In addition, his birthplace was “a two-room frame house in Florida…Missouri” (Cox, 7) to a John and Jane Clemens. After reaching the age of eighteen he took on an

When Pap wakes with a gun pointed at his head, he confronts Huck about how the gun appeared there (40). Away from the safety of society, Huck must fabricate a lie to save his life, even though he must lie to his father. Life or death situations necessitate Huck’s lying. Before escaping from the cabin, Huck fakes his own death with pig blood, axe markings, and other signs (42-44). Huck commits an epic lie when he fakes his own death successfully; he lies to the entire town as well as to his father.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born on November 30, 1835, in the small town of Florida, Missouri. At 6:22 p.m on April 21, 1910, at the age of 74, Samuel Clemens passed away in his sleep, due to a heart attack. Clemens was preceded in death by his parents John and Jane Clemens, his brothers Orion, Henry and Benjamin, his sisters Pleasant and Margaret, his wife Olivia, his son Langdon and his daughters Jean and Susy. He is survived by his sister Pamela and his daughter Clara. Sam Clemens was known for traveling to deliver speeches, but not as Samuel Clemens, but as the famous author Mark Twain; author of stories ranging from the Prince and the Pauper to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As a child, Sam was introduced to slaves and the idea of

Huck's father is absent until he finds out that Huck has found some money.  Pap is an outcast full of hate for blacks and pretty much for all of society.  Huck, as a product of his society, speaks the language of his society.  By choosing as his point-of-view a young boy from the slave south, Twain is able to present and challenge the values and assumptions of this time.  Among the assumptions and values of the time that the reader encounters in the book are the strict definitions pertaining to Huck's world and the people who inhabit it:

Mark Twain, author of Huckleberry Finn, seems love Missouri, however dislikes several things about the people that live there. Twain seems skeptical about religion due to Huckleberry Finn always being doubtful about it. His idea towards education implies that it is vital, however also is heavily flawed. Alcoholism in Huckleberry Finn is portrayed as unrestrained and that nothing positive comes froms alcohol consumption. These three aspects of human culture are all shown, however religion is the one that is the one that Finn thinks about the most frequently throughout the novel.

Mark twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in November 30,1835, in Florida, Missouri Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was born two months early. The sixth child of John and Jane Clemens. When he was four years old, his family moved to a nearby Hannibal. His father worked as a storekeeper, lawyer, and a merchant. Jane clemens was fun-loving, took care of the children, and like hearing and telling stories to her children. She was head of the household in 1847 when John died of pneumonia. At the age of 14 years old Samuel worked as a printer’s apprentice at hannibal journal, his boss was his brother Orion Clemens and never paid Samuel. He lived in hannibal from age 4 to age 17. At the age of 17 he left his job. Began to learn

In the beginning of the novel mostly, Pap is a major character for many reasons. He is a static and flat character who never changes from his abusive, ignorant, alcoholic and racist self. Although he is not physically present in most of the story, he is present in the thoughts and actions of Huck. Growing up, Pap was never the dad Huck wanted and needed him to be; he was never there for him and even used him to get what he wanted at times. The novel states, “..and he went to Judge Thatcher's and bullyragged him, and tried to make him give up the money; but he couldn't, and then he swore he'd make the law force him,” (Twain, 50). This quote explains how Pap tried to get his sons money for one reason; alcohol. Pap will do anything he possible can to get his alcohol because he is an addict. He will steal, lie and even abuse his son to get what he wants. For this reason, Pap is also an antagonist throughout the novel. Huck is always fighting against his father; both physically and mentally. So Pap Finn is an addict, but there are good qualities to him, right? It’s not too hard to realize that this statement is false. Fathers are supposed to want what’s best for their kids, but Pap is not the same. Pap says to Huck, “You've put on considerable many frills since I been away.  I'll take you down a peg before I get done with you.  You're educated, too, they say—can read and write.  You think you're

Pap shows the effects of “barely there” parenting. In fact, it’s difficult to truly call Pap a parent, except in the biological sense. He abandoned his child and then took advantage when he thought he could benefit monetarily. Readers see the impacts this type of parenting can have. Huck is not as developed or as well read as his friend Tom, however he has learned great lessons in practicality and survival skills. This can be seen when Huck fakes his death and through his ability to survive adult-free, with the exception of Jim, for an extended period of time. During Huck’s stay, or hostage-situation, with Pap in the cabin we see Huck’s childlike nature as he enjoys the structure-free world without religion or education. Ultimately, however Pap’s alcoholism and abuse of Huck causes Huck to flee this situation as well.

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, the author, shows us his view on things like the people in the region around the Mississippi River and there values. He also shows his view on religion, alcoholism, education. He gave the impression that he liked the people of the area but he did not particularly agree with education and religion. One thing that was kind of hard to figure out was whether he was for or against alcoholism. Huckleberry also known as Huck seemed to portray the way Mark Twain felt about the people, religion, education, and alcoholism.

While Pap may have been Huck’s father by blood, he did none of the things that would even remotely make him a “real” father. From Pap, Huck learned nothing but about how immoral and vicious humans can be. Every time Pap is drunk, he terrorizes Huck, so much to the point that Pap’s drunkenness