Sivilizing In Huck Finn

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 makes a good point when he is living with the widow Douglas. Huck didn’t like to be in a civilized home, he wanted to be out doing adventures with Tom Sawyer. Twain

These chapters establish components of Huck’s self that others hope to influence: his emotions, his intelligence, his fiscal responsibility, his spirituality, his social self, and his physical health and habits. To what and whom does Huck conform and when/how does he reject conformity in these chapters?

He also sees how hypocritical they truly are, and, it can be inferred that, Twain wanted them to represent society in the novel. Huck thinks their way of living was ineffective, and that is why he used to sneak out in the middle if the night, skip school, and smoke his pipe. It was difficult for Huck to adjust from an unstructured home, with no training, raised by an alcoholic and abusive father, to two strict, cookie-cutter women in a house with plenty of rules and regulations. After earning a large amount of money as a reward, with his best friend, Tom Sawyer, Huck's abusive alcoholic father, who he calls Pap, comes back to steal his money by kidnapping him, and while Huck is with his father he says, "I didn't see how I ever got to like it so well at the Widow's, where you had to wash, and eat in a plate, and comb up, and go to bed and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book and have old Miss Watson peeking at you all the time" (Twain p. 37). Huck's view on society is one of dissatisfaction and rebellion, as his opinions reveal how imperfect, and unjust society's rules actually are. Especially after hearing that his behavior will determine whether or not he will go to Heaven or Hell scares him a little bit, because he wasn’t taught right from wrong his entire life up until this point. After this Huck's thoughts are, how can a man not be punished by law (his father), for abusing him, but Huck can be reprimanded for harmless things like

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.

In the fictional novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the reader sees how society can change people but also how it can shape people and how it can sometimes turn out for the best. In the book,

The first influence on Huck to be discussed is that of the darker, corrupt, and greedy side of society. This unfortunate commodity is all around him as the teenager ventures into

Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain portrays Huck as an immature 14 year old boy, living with his abusive father in a racist and restrictive society, that solves his problems by running away. Twain uses Huck and intricate diction to suggest a theme that running away from your problems is never the solution. As the book progresses so does Huck, every few chapters he morally evolves, although his mindset is stagnant when facing civilization.

Huck's dismissal of the dogmas and codes of civilization and his decision to follow the impulses of his heart develop into the two key themes of the book. At the opening of the book, Huck is a young boy who has lived his entire life on the outskirts of civilization, so he makes more deliberate decisions to join or not join society than others born into civilization. Huck tolerates school; however, he rejects the religious code. Miss Watson says that it's the authority for living a civilized life and not going to a "bad place." The extremity of Huck's rejection of society should be measured by what he does, not what he thinks. Huck's decisions are tremendously challenging and dangerous, and he only commits to it after ripples of

Huck is the only true friend Jim has, and he is sure to make that known to Huck. These few words cause Huck to stop and think. Huck starts to realize that maybe he has been treating Jim wrong all along. Huck begins to realize how wrong society truly is. The more people Huck encounters, the more he acknowledges hypocrisy: “Huck narrates the story of his encounters with various southern types...and at other times, his acute ability to see through the hypocrisy of his elders” (“The Adventures…”10).

Not only does Huck’s race and age attract attention from people who worry and want to care for him, but from people who want to take advantage of him as well. The two con men pose as people of high status and trick Jim and Huck into believing them. Unfortunately, because Huck did not realize the deceitfulness of the two men soon enough, him and Jim are blackmailed into having to “bow when [they] spoke” and “say "Your Grace," or "My Lord," or "Your Lordship”” (Twain 180). As a result, Huck is once again powerless and in control by others, where he is unable to speak or do anything that might get the two men angry. Thus, Huck’s freedom is like a reflection of the Mississippi River, where even though the water can flow freely and smoothly, it can also be very dangerous and

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.

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.