Analysis Of The Book ' The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn '

People often hesitate to accept what they do not understand. In the absence of love and compassion, it is no question that fear, ignorance, and hatred, all contribute to a melting pot of negativity in the world. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is about the love and friendship cultivated by a young boy and a black slave on the Mississippi River. Despite the pair’s differences, they are able to endure the struggles and difficulties that the toilsome journey brings. Mark Twain, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, emphasizes the shift in Huck’s view towards slavery by contrasting Huck’s initial tone of reflectiveness to his assertive tone, both collectively addressing the issue of racism in society.

Oppression has been a problem in this country, dating all the way back to the Europeans traveling to the New World, and forcing themselves on the Native’s and famously the British oppression of the thirteen colonies. Oppression is still a serious problem today, with almost all minorities, such as women, African-Americans, and the LGBT community feeling it’s pressure. Although these groups have gained seen many changes in their freedom, they are still being oppressed. Oppression is a common theme throughout American Literature, weaving in and out of many that are seen as classic American novels and poetry. Some of these books include Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the poetry of Langston Hughes, Richard Wright’s Native Son and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. The form of oppression that is evident throughout all these works, is racial oppression, and narrowing it down even further, the oppression of African Americans.

“Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is not a racist book and should not be taken out of schools for that reason. If talking about race makes people uncomfortable then history should be taken out of schools too. Slavery and racism has been a big part of this country’s history and shouldn’t be an awkward subject to be discussed. This book has been a part of the education for years. One word should not be the reason that students do not get to experience this classic

“The situation of the orphan is truly the worst, you’re a child, powerless, with no protectors or guides. It’s the most vulnerable position you can be in, to see someone overcome those odds tells us something about the human spirit. They are often depicted as the kindest or most clever of characters.” Michelle Boisseau describes how important these types of characters are. In a Sunday Times article, she states that a lot of the stories and novels are considered to be apologues about orphans becoming the hero of the book. Huck’s story is quite like this subject. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel written by Mark Twain, it’s about a boy named Huckleberry Finn, who sets

“Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.” (Twain, ix) Mark Twain opens his book with a personal notice, abstract from the storyline, to discourage the reader from looking for depth in his words. This severe yet humorous personal caution is written as such almost to dissuade his readers from having any high expectations. The language in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is completely “American” beyond the need for perfect grammar. “Mark Twain’s novel, of course, is widely considered to be a definitively American literary text.” (Robert Jackson,

Tom Sawyer plays a huge role in both Huckleberry Finn’s life and the book. His character allows the reader to see Huck’s increase of maturity throughout the story. Tom is the constant, his immaturity not changing from the beginning to the end of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, while Huck is the changing variable. Tom’s head is in the clouds when we first meet his character. He imagines daring adventures of robbing Spanish merchants and rich Arabs, and we see Huck fantasizing over the same things as if they are reality. Tom’s justifies their actions constantly by saying “I’ve seen it in books; and so of course that’s what we’ve got to do,” (12). With Tom, everything has to be an adventure. Everything has to be a challenge to

Tally ventures to support Gribben’s choice to create an annotated novel that censors out the offensive language in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in hopes that it may allow for a larger audience. Tally believes that the intent behind Gribben’s choice is to make a text with "adult" language available to minors who would not, and perhaps should not, be exposed to that sort of diction at that particular time in their lives. Tally pulls from personal experience to illuminate the positive benefits censorship has had on his own literary experience. Tally then counters the argument by presenting arguments about the sanctity of literature, the "realistic" language of the time, and the book's generally salutary depiction of a poor white boy and an African

According to Carson-Newman College, a literary canon is a body of literature traditionally thought to be suitable for study. Based on this broad definition of the term literary canon, the reader is left wondering whether or not Huckleberry Finn deserves its place in our literary canon? Many people like Jane Smiley, are against it being part of our literary canon for multiple reasons. For example, she is against it because of the appearance of racism and the events throughout the book. However, despite all the criticism this book faces, one point the critics do not consider is the influence this book has on modern American culture and also about how the novel is “a novel of education.” Another thing it fails to recognize is that the criticized elements were part of Mark Twain’s period. Regarding this book’s place in our literary canon, Huckleberry Finn’s uniqueness, as well as its influence on people 's life, are what make this a great novel to study, and make it fit the criteria for being part of our literary canon.

Born in Florida, Missouri, Samuel Langhorne Clemens also known as Mark Twain was born November 30th, 1835. About four years after Clemens was born, his family and himself moved east 35 miles to Hannibal, a port city along the bay. As a young kid, Clemens contained poor health, and so he was to be kept inside most times; however, when Clemens reached the age of 9, he had recovered from his poor health, and attended a private school in Hannibal. At age 12, Clemens father had passed away due to pneumonia, and by age 13, had to leave school to be a writers assistant. At age 17, Clemens left his school, and moved from Hannibal. Soon after, he had gotten his license as a river pilot, and soon developed Mark Twain which means safe to navigate. In 1870, Twain married and had 4

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is a novel of Mark Twain, which presents American history, culture, and social situation especially shows difference between black and white and condition of after the Civil war in 1840s. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, shows a slave’s escape to his freedom and a boy’s escape from society’s standards.

Most of the characters in Huckleberry Finn turned out to be flawed in one way or another. Jim was the only one that, in the end, was truly an exceptional adult. He put up with Tom's game and being constantly put in danger by him. He helped the Doctor with Tom and his other patients rather then thinking of his own freedom. Towards Huck, he is an especially reliable and generous friend. He always selflessly puts Huck first, especially when they were traveling on the river. On the river, he helped Huck survive and made sure he did not see the body of his father in the water. Throughout the novel, Jim consistently has good intentions. He is really the only character in the novel that is completely deserving of respect, though he rarely gets it.

Although america is not quite there yet, we have made very big improvements in our laws and racist views. However there are still huge problems with morals and family values.

Throughout the evolution of the world’s societies, the roles of women seem to act as a reflection of the time period since they set the tones for the next generation. Regardless of their own actions, women generally appear to take on a lower social standing and receive an altered treatment by men. In Mark Twain’s pre-civil war novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, lies a display of how society treats and views women, as well as how they function in their roles, specifically in regards to religion and molding the minds and futures of children. The novel’s showcase of women affords them a platform and opportunity to better see their own situation and break away with a new voice.

Overtime the “n-word” became a word only Black people are allowed to say. When teaching the book as is brings up the problem where people do not feel comfortable reading the word over and over because they know it is not from a black person, it is Huck saying it or another white person. This however is teachable moment were the students have a opportunity to talk about the racial history, the teachers should be able to guide the conversation better (Beck). When correctly guided the students better know our history and we learn from it so in the future we make better decisions. Because the students are the future decision makers and are therefore suppose to be openmind of the outcomes.

Mark Twain’s use of narration through the main character in, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” reveals how Huckleberry Finn is in the middle of two conflicting lifestyles and parental figures which consequently led to his escape from both. He begins the story with Miss Watson, who offers him a lifestyle without physical discipline (beatings) yet enforces teachings of mannerisms and getting an education. After due foreshadowing and worries from Huck, Huck’s father makes an appearance and takes him away to live a life including frequent abuse; yet due to his father’s simple mindset, a lack of schooling and classy behavior. Huck wished to, “...get so far away that the old man nor the widow couldn’t ever find me anymore.” It is within reason to connect Huckleberry’s unstable home life to his escapism. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain is based on a teenage boy by the name of Huckleberry Finn, yet the author’s selected tone for Huck seem to fit his age only in particular situations such as page 82 whereas it contradicts that tone drastically in others such as page 77. The notion that Huck doesn’t want to wake up and start the day is like that of a modern teenager who wants nothing more than to sleep in. However, merely five pages prior, Huck had been executing his plan to fabricate his own death and staging a break in and murder scene for his father to find. The way he spoke, especially in the line, “They’ll soon get tired of that, and won’t bother no more