Racism In Huckleberry Finn

In chapter 31, Huck becomes faced with either helping Jim escape, or to abide by slave laws, which “is still a critique of slavery and racism” (Smith 184). Even though Twain used the word nigger, “the novel still presents teachable moments--provoking conversations about slavery, its moral dilemmas for the country, and its historical consequences” (Smith 184). Mark Twain wrote in a way that “enables its American readers to approach the most profoundly troubling issue in their history without risk of being overcome with the fear and guilt that is attached to this subject” (Kaye 14). Twain’s writing style makes this story so understandable that you fail to notice the gap of 132 years between then and now and you realize how similar things are to this

Ever since its publication over a hundred years ago, controversy has swarmed around one of Mark Twain’s most popular novels, Huck Finn. Even then, many educators supported its dismissal from school libraries. For post Civil-War Americans, the argument stemmed from Twain’s use of spelling errors, poor grammar, and curse words. In the politically correct 1990’s however, the point of argument has now shifted to one of the major themes of the book: Racism. John Wallace once said of the book, “It’s the most grotesque version of racist trash” ever written. Were Twain’s archetypal characters and use of vernacular language an assertion of his own racist views, or a critique of the injustice of

 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the greatest American novel ever written.  Despite this praise, Mark Twain’s masterpiece has never been without criticism.  Upon its inception it was blasted for being indecent literature for young readers because of its lack of morals and contempt for conformity.  Modern indignation toward Huck Finn arises from its racist undertones, most notably Twain’s treatment of the character Jim.  As is the case with many canonized yet controversial books, the biggest conflict revolves around the inclusion of Huck Finn on required reading lists of public schools throughout the country.

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Jim, a runaway slave, faces many obstacles in his journey to freedom. Huck Finn, a teenage boy and friend of JIm, is also facing difficulty with whether or not he should be helping Jim escape slavery. Many characters throughout the novel struggle to deal with conflicts. A conflict that people in today’s world are struggling to deal with, is the controversy over whether Huckleberry Finn is a racist novel or not. All-in-all, Huckleberry Finn is profoundly antislavery. Twain creates Him as a man who is brave and heroic. Twain also demonstrates that the blacks and whites relationship is not the only concern over racism, and reveals the voice of a slave attempting to survive in a white slave culture.

It is hard to turn on the news today without being reminded that the world that we live in still has distinct traces of racism from bygone eras, with racially charged protests towards police brutality and accountability. Racism can affect many different groups of people and can be expressed in countless ways. While we have made advances in the treatment and relative equality of others, remnants of a racist time are lodged within our society. Mark Twain’s novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” can be seens as one such remnant, due to its portrayal and attitude towards African Americans. Mark Twain writes the character Jim to be what was a stereotypical African American slave in the mid nineteenth

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, gives an eye opening view of the South during this time period through the eyes of Huck and Jim. Huck and Jim are very unlikely friends but become friends never the less and share many experiences on the river together. The two influence each other in more ways than one and may not even realize they do. They both have their own opinions and views although society heavily impacts them. Society’s view on racism is Huck’s view on racism because that is what he was brought up to be. The society has a powerful effect to smother problems such as slavery and racism. Huck being brought up in a society that ingrains racism in to you as a child is struggling to decide what is morally right and wrong to do and who will hopefully realize Jim's humanity at the end of the novel (Culture Shock).While talking to Huck, Aunt Sally projects "It warn't the grounding -- that didn't keep us back but a little. We blowed out a cylinder-head." "Good gracious! anybody hurt?" "No'm. Killed a nigger." "Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people

     Despite the few incidences of which Jim's description might be misconstrued as racist, there are many points in the novel where through Huck, Twain voices his extreme opposition to the slave trade and racism. In chapter six, Huck's father fervently objects to the governments granting of voting rights to an educated black professor. Twain wants the reader to see the absurdity in this statement. Huck's father believes that he is superior to this black professor simply because of the color of his skin. In chapter 15, the reader is told of an incident which contradicts the original "childlike" description of Jim. The reader is presented with a very caring and father-like Jim who becomes very worried when he loses his best friend Huck in a deep fog. Twain is pointing out the connection between Huck and Jim. A connection which does not exist between a man and his property.

He had a drunken father, that in no way acted as a proper parental figure. Huck

Jim struggles with major racial difficulties during this time period and Huck learns from his father that blacks are inferior to whites. He makes many comments and attempts to compare his son Huck to Jim who is seen to be “stupid” because of the lesser knowledge that Jim has than that of Pap. Although when Pap pretends to die and Huck seizes his chance to plot and escape, Jim accompanies Huck on his journey down the Mississippi river to find a new home. So far in the novel Jim has shown his loyalty to Huck and Huck begins to question both of their positions in society. Huck sees that it racial inequality because there is nothing wrong with Jim. He is a forced laborer barricaded by whites chaining him to the land but when Huck comes along what little does he know it is wrong to be with a black man. Huck varies from his father Pap because not only does Pap treat his son as an aggressive drunk but Pap doesn’t see the goodness that comes from Jim or even the mere similarity between these to humans let alone there skin. Well Huck sees that in Jim and that’s all that matters is that even though Huck isn’t getting an education he sees morality in this novel and discovers

In the novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain uses irony, sarcasm, and satire to show that slavery and racial discrimination are morally wrong and that people shouldn’t be treated differently because of their ethnicity and race. Twain’s use of irony and ridicule exposes and criticizes the society’s viewpoints of what is right and wrong in contrast of Huck’s conscience and his experience on the journey with Jim to come to find what he believes is right or wrong. While writing the novel, Twain was living in a society where racial tensions and discrimination had a great impact during these times. Twain illustrates the stupidity of slavery and racial discrimination by mocking many different aspects of the society in which Huck grew up in. Throughout Huck’s and Jim’s adventurous journey down the river,

After endless trials to test Huck’s philosophy, in the final moments of Huckleberry Finn, Huck has a revelation that all this time, his black traveling companion, Jim “was white on the inside.” But say Huck did understand that blacks were not naturally inferior to whites, that he understood the ideals of our founding fathers, that “all men were created equal.” Then, Mark Twain’s story would lead to the birth of a fresh new character, one who differs completely from the initial Huck Finn, a Huck Finn that sees pass a white-proclaimed social ladder. But instead, Mark Twain’s endless on end build up to what seemed like it should have been a powerful positive message about humanity ended up being the opposite. We naturally allow the worse to

Huck's father is absent until he finds out that Huck has found some money.  Pap is an outcast full of hate for blacks and pretty much for all of society.  Huck, as a product of his society, speaks the language of his society.  By choosing as his point-of-view a young boy from the slave south, Twain is able to present and challenge the values and assumptions of this time.  Among the assumptions and values of the time that the reader encounters in the book are the strict definitions pertaining to Huck's world and the people who inhabit it:

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, racism is one of the main topics that the story is based around. The stories protagonist Huck, has grown up around slaves and even has a father who would rather never vote again than to see an African American vote freely. “When they told me there was a State in this country where they’d let that nigger vote, I drawed out. I says I’ll never vote again…I says to the people, why ain’t this nigger put up at auction and sold?”. (Twain). Even though Huck has been subjected to all of society’s views on blacks in the community and their only usefulness as being a slave, Huck eventually finds himself in the situation where he cares more for a black man, than he does his own father. The novel was written

Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, grew up in the antebellum south where blacks were often viewed as nothing more than just ignorant, lazy, pieces of property with no feelings. As Mark Twain grew older, the perception of blacks as ignorant property with no feelings remained the same and even intensified to a certain extent. Surprisingly, around the time The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written, Mark Twain opposed slavery and presumably cringed at the common notion that blacks were just pieces of property and not even human beings. Coincidentally, a significant character in the novel, Jim, and other minor characters that are black, are portrayed throughout the novel as being stereotypical unintelligent, lazy

A person’s looks can not determine how they feel about a certain race of people. Some of the nicest looking peoples harbor deep feelings of hatred towards races other than their own. Characters like Aunt sally, Uncle Earl, and Miss Watson all seem like very nice people, but they all accept and participate in, whether they realize it or not, racism. Almost all of the characters in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain seem to have pre-conceived ideas towards blacks, and the author does not seem to have any trouble writing the words of their pre-conceived thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain has an accepting attitude towards racism in his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.