Nature Vs Nurture Debate

Huck's dissatisfaction in civilization and it's beliefs is the trigger to his development and growth. At first, Huck is shown as an ignorant 12 year old, born in to the harsh life of pre civil

     The term nurture refers to the upbringing or raising of a child. Miranda's father is her upbringing. He guides her from her early years on the island all the way through her first meeting of human contact. Miranda had to grow up on a deserted island with no other human contact and having to live by and trust only one person's point of view. It is hard for us the

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

Huck, who is a child in a book, has a lot of room for development. In the beginning, he was taught to follow the rules of society like practicing Catholicism and refusing to associate with slaves. However, during Huck’s journey with Jim, he learns a valuable lesson about respecting people based on their character, despite what he was taught by Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, and Tom Sawyer. During the first few days of his journey, he pulls pranks on Jim, like attempting to trick him into thinking that getting lost in the fog was all a dream. However, later on in his journey, he refuses to follow the rules of society in order to save Jim. He even says “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” when he chooses not to tell Miss Watson Jim’s whereabouts (Twain 214). Jim in turn sees Huck as a great friend as well, thus showing how Huck is now seen as a

One of Huck’s first encounters of a moral system was his father who is naturally racist, does not value education, and resents the government while justifying his crimes.

In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Huck matures during his journey on the Mississippi River, alongside his companion, Jim, a runaway slave. At the beginning of the novel, Twain, an ardent abolitionist, characterizes Huck as immoral and ignorant, to convey the racist lens through which whites saw blacks in the 1830s. When Huck escapes civilized society, he begins to form his own opinions, and his eyes open to different perspectives that allow him to develop and reach self-knowledge. As Huck’s character develops, it appears that his morality increases too, since he helps Jim run away, despite the consequences; however, in reality, it is only Huck’s respect for Jim that increases. Twain exemplifies this theme through

People who believe nature is the root of decisions, believe everyone is born with the opinions that will affect their life later. However, people believing in nurture think everyone start with a clean slate and those around that person influence their decisions and characteristics (McLeod). Huck took time and found himself from what he was taught and his thoughts on what he was taught became his nature. In the novel, Huck shows both his nature and his nurture and how they influence his decisions. He progressively becomes more accustomed to his

The Widow Douglas and Miss Watson try to “sivilize” Huck by trying to have him conform from his outsider habits to that of a proper member of society (Twain, 11). Furthermore, they attempt to take him apart and reengineer him to not reflect his previous twelve years experiences and mold him into becoming their stereotypical good boy. However, from the very start of the novel, Huck clearly elaborates on the fact that he does not want to conform to society and states “The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me... I got into my old rags and my sugar hogshead again, and was free and satisfied” (page 11). This statement is a testament to Huck own personal will because it is rough for him to be confined to a house and the strict rules of the Widow Douglas.

Nurture suggests that you're environment changes or makes you develop certain characteristics. Since “Tom” was raised in a rich white home, he was treated well and was spoiled. Since Chambers was switched to "Tom", he believes that he really is a white man and treats anyone beneath him terrible. That is why he treated "Chambers" like he was an object. Also, since "Tom"'s family was rich, he would get many things that he would take for granted.

There are good examples of natural behavior in the book. Huck used instinct a lot. He almost turned Jim in because society told him runaway slaves are criminals, but his natural instinct saw Jim as a friend who needed help. Jim then did the same when he had a difficult choice to make. He could either book it to Cairo, or take Huck to a doctor. He too saw a friend in need and helped Huck out. Again, Twain uses satire to prove a point. In the beginning of the book, Huck Finn appears to be nothing more than a simple, uneducated boy who goes on crazy adventures. At the end of the book, however, you can see that he uses his natural instinct to help him out. Although society has told him that slaves are nothing more than objects, he comes to know and treat Jim as a friend and person. He had numerous opportunities to turn him in, but didn't. In contrast, the seemingly "civilized" people turn out to be the ones who let society tell them what's right and what's wrong, instead of going with their heart like Huck did.

In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, the contrast on civilization and nature developed throughout the novel. When Huck lived with the widow she tried civilized him, but it was obvious he did not want to be civilized. His whole life he grew up without parental figures, so he wasn’t used to having rules or being disciplined. As the reader, it was easy to make the connection that Huck didn’t want to be civilized because he never was when he was growing, and didn’t want to start anytime soon. On Huck and Jim’s journey down the river they experienced nature for what it really was when they sailed on the raft and hid from society. Through encounters with people they met on their journey, the Duke and the Dauphin and the Grangerfords,

Another freedom Huck struggles for is freedom from the two unhealthy family ties he has. The first being the attempted civilization of Huck by the Widow Douglas, and the second being Huck's desire to escape the wrath of his dangerous and abusive father. Whereby the Widow Douglas tries to better Huck as a person, Huck's father tries to drag Huck down to his level. Because these forces are pulling Huck in opposing directions Huck is forced to find freedom from each differently.

In order for Huck to challenge any of the values and assumptions of the time he must first be acquainted with them.  And he is not only intimately acquainted with the values of his society but he holds many of its beliefs himself.  But Huck longs for freedom away

Widow Douglas forces Huck into white society standards by making him wear new clothes, come when called, pray before dinner, and listen about Mosses after dinner (para. 3 and 4). Widow Douglas wants Huck to be “civilized” as she correlates being well-behaved with being able to enter heaven. She believes Huck not complying with her rules determines if Huck will being go to “the bad place” or heaven. The level of civilization and respectability is based off of religion. Because of Huck’s different beliefs and morals, Widow Douglas feels it is her responsibility to “civilize” him in order to change him into a polite, well-mannered individual. Freedom to Huck can be defined as liberation from the corrupt white society represented by Miss Watson's Home as illustrated in Mark Twain’s satirical novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Widow Douglas chooses to “civilize” Huck in which he responds by getting into his old clothing that makes him feel “free and satisfied” (para. 2). Huck views society standards as idiotic and senseless. He prefers defying society because of the freedom he gets to express his individuality. To Huck, his freedom is the equivalence to his happiness. When Huck is describing the woods, he personifies it to be someone who understands his and accepts him for who he really is (para. 8). Huck feels the most free when he is in the woods which is the antithesis of civilization and

From the beginning of Huck Finn, the reader can recognize that Huck is not living the same life as any other child in his surroundings. Huck’s disregard for manners, lack of parental influence, and rebellious attitude leads one to assume that his family life is not quite as healthy as it could be. His adoptive family, consisting of himself and Widow Douglass, appears to him far too civilized. His father is far too drunk, greedy, and neglectful of his own son to provide a healthy family life for him. Perhaps, in relation to his family life with his father, the lifestyle Huck leads with Widow Douglass is too healthy for his taste rather than too civilized.