Huck Finn Theme Essay

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shows the development of a young boy named Huck Finn. We see Huck develop in character, attitude and maturity as he goes on his adventure down the Mississippi River. This is displayed through his search for freedom from civilization and it's beliefs and through his personal observations of a corrupt and immoral society. Most importantly, we are in Huck's head as he goes through his confusion over his supposedly immoral behavior and his acceptance that he will “go to hell” as he conquers his social beliefs.

Tim Lively Critical Analysis: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Setting: Late 1800’s along the Mississippi River Plot: When the book begins, the main character, Huck Finn possesses a large sum of money. This causes his delinquent lifestyle to change drastically. Huck gets an education, and a home to live in with a caring elderly woman (the widow). One would think that Huck would be satisfied. Well, he wasn’t. He wanted his own lifestyle back. Huck’s drunkard father (pap), who had previously left him, was also not pleased with Huck’s lifestyle. He didn’t feel that his son should have it better than he. Pap tries to get a hold of the money for his own uses, but he fails. He proceeds to lock Huck up in his cabin on the outskirts of town.

The book introduces Huck as the first person narrator which is important because it establishes clearly that this book is written from the point of view of a young, less than civilized character. His character emerges as a very literal and logical thinker who only believes what he can see with his own eyes. In this section Huck’s life with the Widow Douglas and her attempts to raise him as a civilized child sets up the main theme of this book which is the struggle or quest for freedom. Huck’s struggle for freedom from civilized society is paralleled by Jim’s struggle to escape from slavery. Irony as a key literary

Throughout all of his adventures Jim shows compassion as his most prominent trait. He makes the reader aware of his many superstitions and Jim exhibits gullibility in the sense that he Jim always assumes the other characters in the book will not take advantage of him. One incident proving that Jim acts naive occurs halfway through the novel, when the Duke first comes into the scene "By right I am a duke! Jim's eyes bugged out when he heard that..." In the novel, Huck Finn, one can legitimately prove that compassion, superstitious and gullibility illustrate Jim's character perfectly.

Most people often assume that the aim of civilizations is for humanity to function together, jointly and cooperatively, so that humans produce and experience the benefits of moral people who live and act together. However, in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reverse is true. The swap in societal stereotypes is apparent in the king and the duke’s production of the Royal Nonesuch as well as Huck and Jim’s pleasant journey down the Mississippi after escaping the family feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons. Leading up to the performance of the Royal Nonesuch, the king and the duke

-Jim keeps the same five cents on a string around his neck as the five cents Tom left for the candles

Their morality allows deceit and betrayal, as long as there is a benefit. Huck takes pity on these men and allows them to ride in his boat to safety. The Duke and Dauphin begin by conversing about their true identities, and how they are both connected to royalty. In Huck’s narration, he states that “these liars warn't no kings nor dukes, at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds” (Chapter 19). Huck is able to see right through their deceitful tendencies. Huck however, does not want any trouble, so he lets them continue the charade. These men have no regard for damage that they cause through their lies. Huck is not fond of them, and believes that they are genuinely bad men. Furthermore, Mark Twain portrays the Duke and Dauphin more as silly, and unaware than damaging to others. Through Huck’s narration, Mark Twain is able to convey the message that these men are rascals and will never amount to anything more. For example, as the Duke and Dauphin travel through towns, they con the people by demanding money for tickets to their show, and putting on bad or short performance. In one town, they put on a performance called “The Royal Nonesuch” (Chapter 22). The Duke and Dauphin convince the townspeople to buy tickets to see a play for three nights. All goes well until the third night. On the last night, their comedy act successfully get the audience laughing; however, the play only lasts

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a theme of freedom is expressed. Freedom takes on a different view for each character in the novel. In Huck's journey, and in Jim, the runaway slave, they acquire freedom. Jim's hunt for freedom is an escape from slavery, while Huck's is a method to get away from the civilized world. Their search for freedom is for one reason, their happiness. This is expressed throughout the novel in Jim's wish of escaping slavery and Huck's desire for being uncivilized.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel written by Mark Twain, is an important literary work because of it's use of satire. It is a story written about a boy, Huck, in search of freedom and adventure. In the beginning of the story you learn what has happened since The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huck and Tom found a hidden treasure that was later invested for them. Huck was taken in by Mrs. Watson, who attempted to teach him religion and proper manners, but was taken away when his father returned. Pap, being a drunk and abusive father, imprisons Huck because he wants the money Huck has invested for him. Huck fakes his own death and hides out on Jackson's Island, where he discovers Jim, Mrs. Watson's former slave, is also hiding. Jim

Huck Finn's relationship with slavery is very complex and often contradictory. He has been brought up to accept slavery. He can think of no worse crime than helping to free a slave. Despite this, he finds himself on the run with Jim, a runaway slave, and doing everything in his power to protect him. Huck Finn grew up around slavery. His father is a violent racist, who launches into tirades at the idea of free blacks roaming around the countryside. Miss Watson owns slaves, including Jim, so that no matter where he goes, the idea of blacks as slaves is reinforced. The story takes place during the 1840's, at a time when racial tensions were on the rise, as northern abolitionists tried to stir up trouble in the South. This prompted a

Violence and Greed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Violence and greed motivate much of the characters' actions in Mark Twain's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Acts of violence include1 the Grangerfords feud with the Shepardsons, the robbers' plans for Jim Turner, and one town's revenge against the King and Duke. Also, Jim's escape and his plans to steal his children, possibly with the help of an abolitionist, is an example of violence in Twain's novel. Greed can be found in Pap's wishes to gain control of Huck's money, and the King and Duke's lifestyle.

They are lowlifes that do nothing but cheat people. Huck, the king, and the duke found a little town to do a play and the same night the circus is in town. After the circus, no one goes to the play and the duke was very upset and made a show only for man. The last night of the performance, people bring a lot of rotten food to throw at them but huck, the king, and the duke left for them to do what they what of the rations. ”I’ll would like to know how they're putting in their opportunity they can turn into a picnic” (Twain 153). Huck is taught not to be a rapscallion and to not make enemies.

One theme in Huck Finn that is still present in today’s society is “Nature offers an escape from society’s restrictions and evils”. In the book, Huck escapes living with Pap to live on Jackson’s Island. Pap is Huck’s father, a dangerous alcoholic who hurts him. Huck sleeps

This theme is also carried over to the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although, the theme isn’t quite as strong, it is still prevalent. The biggest difference in the two novels is the sense of hope in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain shows that even though you may be born into a bad situation or a lower class, there is still hope for the future. Through his adventures there are setbacks that Huck and Jim are able to overcome and conquer.

To many readers, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is known as the “Great American Novel”. It tells a story about a young boy and an escaped slave who develop an unlikely friendship while traveling down the Mississippi River. Twain explores many American literature themes in his writing. Three themes that appear frequently throughout the novel are freedom, nature, and individual conscience.