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Morrison and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Rachel Crawford ENGL 222 Dr. Perrin 12 February 2013 Morrison and The Adentures of Huckleberry Finn In Toni Morrison's essay about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, she discusses the racial problems and the use of the word “nigger” in the book. Morrison talks about the word embarrasses, bored, and annoyed her, but that “name calling is a plague of childhood”. She also talks about how there is a fatherhood issue throughout the book. She talks about how Huck can't settle down anywhere. He is almost afraid to be alone because simple things seem to frighten him. But then when Jim and Huck are together all those feelings of being afraid and lonesome aren't there as much. She kind of refers to Jim as a kind of father/ older brother …show more content…

Huck spent most of his time running away and hiding from his dad, because he was afraid his dad would come get him and beat him. I do agree with Morrison that Huck doesn't want to admit that he and Jim are going to have to one day go their separate ways. Huck makes up reasons of why they don't land in Cairo just so he and Jim can stay together. But in Morrison's essay she questions whether Huck will be able to make it without Jim when he goes into new “territory” and goes on adventures without him. I do believe Huck can do it without Jim. One, because he now knows that his father is dead and won't be coming after him. Two, because he has learned a lot from being on his own even though Jim was with him. He still had a big responsibility for both himself and Jim and making sure they made it through all of their adventures. I think that Huck has grown as a boy and matured more than most boys his age, because he is living on his own and not only having to look after himself, but also Jim. Morrison said, “Name calling is a plague of childhood and a learned activity ripe for discussion as soon as it surfaces” (386). I fully agree with Morrison on this point. Growing up you tend to follow what others do, whether it be your family upbringing or friends that have been brought up different than you. When you are a kid, if your friend calls some one a name normally other kids will join in just because that is

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