Literary Analysis 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.

In Huckleberry Finn there are several themes. There are themes of racism and slavery, civilized society, survival, water imagery, and the one I will be discussing, superstition ( SparkNotes Editors). Superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation (“Merriam-Webster”). Superstition was a very popular theme in Huckleberry Finn that you saw throughout the story. Huck was somewhat superstitious, but Jim speaks a wide range of superstition and folk tales. In the story it makes Jim seem as if he is unintelligent, when really his superstitions and beliefs come true and shows he

Twain 's use of satire is one of the many things that makes this book a classic. By pointing out human weakness Twain helps show flaws in society and how society can be wrong. This book serves as a lesson about forming your own opinions and in Huck’s cause it is about breaking from society’s morals and deciding that slavery isn’t wrong. Huck 's experiences with Jim, helping him escape slavery illustrate this. Huck sees how people can be cruel even when they claim to be civilized. “”Twain 's satirical attack on slavery, hypocrisy, and prejudice in antebellum America compels readers to look not only at slavery and racism, but also at the whole tradition of American democracy””(PBS). Twain satirises the people Jim and Huck meet and the society they are in. Huck and Jim must oppose the “respectable” people they meet along the Mississippi, Miss Watson, Pap, the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, and the Duke and King(Nichols 13) because they don’t agree there ideas and they would take Jim back into slavery. How Miss Watson can be a

Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most well-known books of American literature, not all that is said about it is necessarily good, especially regarding its ending. First of all, racism, and more importantly, what the novel implies about it, is prevalent from the very first page to definitely, the last. Most prominently, this is because of the 219 times the n-word is said, however, the reason Twain did this is open for interpretation. Obviously, this word is incredibly offensive to the modern reader, which in turn, is part of the brilliance; the novel could never be published into today’s world. Neither could it ever be published before the Civil War. Nonetheless, there

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.

Samuel Clemens, also known by his pen name Mark Twain, wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in, 1885. Young sam grew up in a poor family; his father worked four jobs but died when sam was 12. Sam grew up and headed out west; he became the greatest storyteller and writer around. The Adevntures of Huckleberry Finn is about a young boy, Huck Finn, who runs away with his adult-slave friend named Jim down the mississippi river and their adventures are told in this

“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

Portrayed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain reveals Huck's character to be independent when he portrays himself as transparent, honest, and truthful; as a result, Widow Douglas wants to civilize Huck because if he does not he will die according to his religion like his caretakers say and will not go to heaven. In the piece, Twain reveals that ¨The widow she cried over me...called me a poor lost lamb¨ (para. 3). By Widow Douglas naming him a ¨poor lost lamb¨ she thinks of him as unordinary for being himself, an individual. The Widow wants to change his appearance and how he acts so he can fit in with ¨white society¨. Huck disobeys what society feels he should will not get him into heaven like the rest of them. According to the

.” (Twain, ix) He openly and firstly acknowledges the irregularities in this story and explains that it is not on a whim that he uses this specific type of language but with the purpose to expose the world to a new and original form of literary design. The main character in this story is Huckleberry Finn, the complete opposite of a traditional European hero; he is not the typical king or nobleman that traditional stories tell of. He is an everyday boy uneducated and seemingly unworthy, Huckleberry Finn is the epitome of a real American every day hero. Mr. Twain writes this book as a way to show that just by simply maturing and growing up so that Huckleberry Finn can make the right decisions in all aspects of his life; it makes him a noble character. “We are asked to trust this not as a sport, but rather as a well-considered and well-honed document. . . We are invited to experience and to appreciate this narrative in terms of its thought, its thoughtfulness, and its craft.” (Fertel, 159 –Free and Easy”)

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.

To fully understand the themes within Mark Twain’s novels we all must first understand his upbringing, where he was born, where he was raised, and what was going on within the era of his life. Samuel

Just as the flow of the river and the surprises of nature change the land, individuals must learn to adapt and to change their own society for the better. Civilizations lack the desirable characteristics of an ideal society due to the fact that they enforce standards which encourage the foolish actions of people. As a results, individuals become nothing more than a label of the ascribe statuses and expectations from society. Under current circumstances, civilization forces people to abide by their decisions. Thereby, individuals must learn to mimic nature; nature changes to better itself as well as everything in it. In the 1880s classic American novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain urges individuals to release themselves from the current bonds of society to achieve a greater level of happiness. In order to reach the greater level of happiness unreachable in the current circumstances of society, individuals must learn from and mimic nature’s methods which nature utilizes to better itself.

Respect the elderly. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one hundred and thirty years old, yet unfailingly manages to fascinate, infuriate, and inspire its readership. The novel rests on many a bookshelf and regularly appears on lists of literary legends- though it is equally likely to top a list of controversial and profane works. Certainly, there is no other book in the oeuvre of Mark Twain that commands attention more deservedly than Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the decided champion of American novels due to its adherence to the , authentic characters and tone, timeless social commentary, and immeasurable impact on contemporary literature. The red, white, and blue, the stars and stripes; none of it stacks up in the presence of a boy, a river, and a raft.

Much of the uniqueness that is found in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is also found in its’ partner novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain is special in a way that he was able to incorporate the sense of freedom into a book while also addressing the topic of racism and slavery(Ziff-Oxford). Many of Twain’s literary works function as multi-purpose when it comes to addressing historical topics. According to the Minnesota English Standards, by the end of eleventh grade, students should have actively read multiple documents about historical events and their affects (Minnesota English). Because of the way in which Mark Twain revolves many of his works around historical events, he fulfills these standards and therefore, should be taught more in high schools, as a way to get more practice in these areas.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (published in 1885), considered a classic of American-literature, and to some the zenith of American realism in literature and the apex of satirical writing in history, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has proven itself as a milestone in the history of literature and a turning point in American literature. The garnering of such acclaim, and accolades were due to The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn possibly being the most poignant and successful critique on society every put into writing. Twain does not waste any time with sophomoric cant in his meditation, but instead critiques the inherent cant present in society and the people entertaining this cant throughout that time; showing