Mark Twain's Personality Revealed in His Writing 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.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by the pseudonym Mark Twain, has been central to American literature for over a century. His seemingly effortless diction accurately exemplified America’s southern culture. From his early experiences in journalism to his most famous fictional works, Twain has remained relevant to American writing as well as pop culture. His iconic works are timeless and have given inspiration the youth of America for decades. He distanced himself from formal writing and became one of the most celebrated humorists. Mark Twain’s use of the common vernacular set him apart from authors of his era giving his readers a sense of familiarity and emotional connection to his characters and himself.

Through the theme of rebellion against society, Huck demonstrates the importance of thinking for oneself and embodies the idea that adults are not always right. This is highlighted in his noncompliance when it comes to learning the Bible and in the decisions he makes when it comes to Jim, decisions that prove to be both illegal and dangerous. By refusing to conform to standards he does not agree with, Huck relies on his own experiences and inner conscience when it comes to making decisions. As a result, Huck is a powerful vehicle for Mark Twain’s commentary on southern society and

Many critics agree that Twain's skilled use of the satirical literary style, defines himself as a writer. "If the prevailing spirit of Mark Twain's humor is not a sort of good-natured self-satire, in which the reader may see his own absurdities reflected, I scarcely should be able to define it" (Howells). This similarity was present in all three short stories.

In the first chapter of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is stuck in a "sivilized" world, when he would certainly prefer to live free. He ends up moving in with the Widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson. The widow changes his clothing and makes him learn the bible. Huck disliked the clothing very much saying “She put me in them new clothes again, and I couldn’t do nothing but sweat and sweat, and feel cramped up.” (156) Ironically, the widow will not allow him to smoke even though she secretly uses snuff. Miss Watson thinks he should get an education and takes it upon herself to teach him spelling and proper behavior. Huckleberry finds spelling very difficult to learn and hates her lectures so much that he decides that Hell has got to better than Heaven. He states, “Well I couldn’t see no advantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind I wouldn’t try for it.” (156) With this reference Twain is reminding us as the reader, of Huckleberry’s childhood innocence. A child would choose hell over heaven.

Mark Twain is more known for one of the most controversial novels in American history, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This famous work

Mark Twain once described his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as “a struggle between a sound mind and a deformed conscience”. Throughout the novel, Huck wrestles with the disparity between his own developing morality and the twisted conscience of his society. In doing so, he becomes further distanced from society, both physically and mentally, eventually abandoning it in order to journey to the western frontier. By presenting the disgust of Huck, an outsider, at the state of society, Mark Twain is effectively able to critique the intolerance and hypocrisy of the Southern South. In doing so, Twain asserts that in order to exist as a truly moral being, one must escape from the chains of a diseased society.

One specific scene in Mark Twain's novel, which demonstrates Huck's true character, is when Jim is secretly sold to the Phelps's plantation. He must once again deal with the struggle between whether he should continue to help Jim flee, or stop his nonsense and confess to Miss Watson, Jim's owner, to the whereabouts of Jim. Huck reaches his decision to write Miss Watson a letter revealing where and how she can find Jim. With his perfectly, polished letter in his hand, Huck shreds it up into pieces yelling out "All right, then, I'll go to hell" (Twain 215). Huck's harsh words show how he stands alone defending Jim's freedom, and he will risk anything to make sure that Jim does become a free slave. With so many religious people in Huck's society, referring to Hell is inappropriate. People whom engaged in sinful activities were considered to be destined

A major theme of the novel is the hypocrisy and double standards that are evident in the society surrounding Huck. This trait is found especially within Christian and religious types in the novel. Twain shows almost every good Christian in the novel as having a generous and kind side, which completely contradicts much of their actions. Twain believes that this hypocrisy is the underlining element that makes religion skeptical. As it is seen in the book, almost every good Christian contradicts himself or herself in some way. Perhaps Huck's first example of this was when the Widow Douglas did not allow him to smoke, as it was a mean practice. However, “she took snuff too; of course that was all right, because she done it herself” (Twain 2). Another example was the Grangerfords. Huck described this family as very nice and kind and even considered Buck a good friend. But once again, the hypocrisy of religious types was bound to come into play. These same people are slave owners and have a feud with a similar family, the Shepherdsons for reasons they don't remember. Perhaps the biggest example of this hypocrisy was when Huck went to church with the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons. As Huck explains, “the men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees.... it was pretty ornery preaching all about brotherly love” (Twain 83). It is obvious that the two families had their guns in their laps while the preacher talked about

In novels, characters are written with care and a purpose with every word. These actions and words are carefully welded together to form a characters that go through development and have emerging traits. A character can be clever, athletic or mindful in social situations. For example in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, his characters are purposely written in a specific way, so that they fit into the story’s plot and insure that the readers interest is maintained. Yet when Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim was not meant to be a character to catch the reader's eye. In the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim is written an undynamic and flat character, who is always dependent on others.

Twain seems to have mocked the Romantic views throughout Huck's story, but he also adopts some of their ideas. Twain has created, as Fertel says, "an improvised creation" (158). He goes on to explain, saying, "Twain, [in the opening] seems to enlist in the Romantic camp" (158) [and] "Huck Finn is centered, on a large part, upon themes with Romantic ideas" (160). While this is true, Romantics do not get away without some jabbing from Twain. This is shown in many instances throughout the novel. While Huck and Jim are on the raft, they come across the wreckage of the steamboat Walter Scott. Scott was actually a romantic author of Twain's time. His sinking showed what Twain thought of his works, they were short lived. Twain questions the romantic premises with Tom's extravagant plans and ideas and Huck's confrontation (Fertel 162). Huckleberry Finn, according to Mawelle, is a voice to Mark Twain's reaction against civilized society who leaned more toward the Romantic view of things. Huck, who in the beginning of the novel, lives with Miss Watson, decides after careful consideration "well I couldn't see no advantage in going where she was going so I made up my mind I wouldn't try for it" (11). Huck is speaking about religion in this case he is saying there is no use for him to go to Heaven if he has to be civilized to get there. This was Twain's jab at society to show

Twain, Mark, pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), American writer and humorist, whose best work is characterized by broad, often irreverent humor or biting social satire. Twain's writing is also known for realism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppression.

In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the young protagonist Huckleberry Finn runs away from his abusive father with Jim, a black slave. Throughout the novel, Huck encounters people that fail to understand the injustice of slavery and violence, despite their education. Although Huck lacks any substantial education, his moral values and judgment are highly developed. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses uneducated, colloquial diction and deliberate syntax to provide ironic contrast between Huck’s rudimentary level of education and profound use of moral judgment.

Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a story of a boy, Huck Finn, who runs away from home and travels down the Mississippi River with a “runaway nigger” named Jim. Huck’s father, Pap, is a drunken low life who doesn’t seem to care for his son. He comes from a poor, troubled family and isn’t very educated which is something he seems to embrace. “Huck Finn runs away not only from an abusive father but also from his good-intentioned guardian, Miss Watson, who tries to civilize Huck, educate him, and make him a Christian” (Sienkewicz). Whether he knows it or not his journey down the river isn’t just an escape, it is a learning experience. Huck learns a few life lessons from dealing with his conscience, to friendship and

Illustrated in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain reveals Huck’s character as honest and transparent; Widow Douglas wants to civilize Huck because he has no manners and she wants to save his soul. Huck portrays to the audience that he is truthful and honest. In Widow Douglas view Huck should be respected by white society which means having to wear new clothes and having to come to supper when called. Huck tries to defy the norms of society by running away from it. As a result of leaving society Huck feels free (para. 2). Huck feels free from society because he feels like society was changing him into someone he is not (para. 2). Society to Huck is condoning slavery and racism. Huck acts “uncivilized” according to Ms. Watson because Huck can’t spell nor behave properly and she is concerned that he will not go to the good place (para. 6). Huck doesn’t want to go to the good place because its is full of white society. Ms. Watson’s interpretation of the good place reveals the ignorance of her society because she believes that in heaven would be a great place with people playing harps and singing all the time (para. 7). Huck doesn’t want to go to heaven because if his best friend wasn’t going he wasn’t going either and he wanted to be with him.