Often, the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is regarded with much controversy by parents in America. Aside from the heavy use of the “n-word” in the book, it touches on some rather controversial themes, such as social equality, slavery and many other things. However these themes should not be frowned upon, but rather, they should be analyzed and interpreted for what they truly are; satire against racism in the South. Over the course of the book, the main character, Huckleberry Finn, embarks on an adventure with a runaway slave named Jim down the Mississippi River on a raft. Through the course of their journey, both undergo great changes, especially Huck, who is torn between what he has been taught and what he is constantly …show more content…
This struggle is shown in the quote, “That was where it pinched. Conscience says to me, “What had poor Miss Watson done to you that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word? What did that poor old woman do to you that you could treat her so mean? Why, she tried to learn you your book, she tried to learn you your manners, she tried to be good to you every way she knowed how. That’s what she done” (Twain 87). Huck’s upbringing in the extremely racist south and his newfound friendship with Jim cause him to clash with himself on his beliefs towards slavery and equality. Another example of Huck struggling with choosing between conformist behavior and individualistic behavior is when he is living with the Widow Douglass, and he often has trouble grasping the “proper” lifestyle she attempts to impress upon him. The Widow Douglass envisions Huck being a behaved, intelligent, and proper southern gentleman. However, Huck develops his own personal opinions that somewhat refute the widow’s stance on religion and behavior. This is all part of Huck’s inability to identify with neither conformism nor individualism. Often in a novel, that which is good and bad is clear to both the audience and the narrator. However, in this particular story, the narrator encounters difficulty in distinguishing what is moral from what is immoral. Similar to his issues with
Transcendentalism can be observed throughout the text of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and through the text textbook examples of Transcendentalism can be seen from the cast of characters and Huck himself and the situations/adventures that he gets himself into throughout his journey, a journey which enables him to develop his Transcendental ideals.. Transcendentalism is a vital part of The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. By reading and studying the content of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it is perceived that Transcendentalism is a prevalent influence that can be attributed to plot and the motivations of the Protagonist.
Year after year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is placed in the top ten banned books in America. People find the novel to be oppressing and racially insensitive due to its frequent use of the n-word and the portrayal of blacks as a Sambo caricature. However, this goes against Mark Twain’s intent of bringing awareness to the racism in America. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is classified under the genre of satire and is narrated by a fictional character named Huckleberry Finn. The novel takes place in the south during the year 1845. With his abusive father, and no mother, Huck is left feeling lonely, and as if he has place to call his home. So he decides to leave town, and on in his journey where he encounters a slave he’s familiar with, Jim, who is also running away. This story captures their relationship and growth as they face many obstacles on their way to freedom. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes people’s greed and violent behavior by mocking the stereotype of southern hospitality.
When one is presented with a difficult choice, two paths reveal themselves - the selfish path and the philanthropic one. Many times, unknowingly, a single choice shapes an individual and his whole future. An uninformed, impromptu decision can lead to an individual becoming infatuated with self-indulgence, even at the cost of others. Correspondingly, the same choice can lead an individual to living an altruistic lifestyle. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, the main character, is an uncivilized, carefree individual whose life is devoted to pulling pranks on others. This easy-going personality, leads him on an adventure. As he tries to escape the grasps of Miss Watson, on his journey, he is challenged
Mob mentality is the way an individual’s decisions become influenced by the often unprincipled actions of a crowd. Mark Twain penned The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain grew up in America’s southern states during the early 1800’s, a time in which moral confusion erupted within the minds of humans. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 's protagonist is a young boy named Huck who freely travels along the Mississippi River. Throughout his journey, Huck’s morality is tested as he is subjected to corrupt issues that were common in Twain 's life. One of the complications displayed in the novel includes the violent and impulsive aspects of mob mentality. Mark Twain is able to reveal the immoral nature of mob mentality through outraged and haughty tones within the novel.
Throughout the adventures of Huck fin it is easy to see that Huck is a heroic figure.
Mark Twain states in his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that “just because you’re taught that something’s right and everyone believes it’s right, it don’t make it right” (Twain 69). In the novel, Twain creates the characters to fit the image of those who resembled Southern society and its’ ideals. He explores the three main themes of education, wealth and greed, and friendship, which are all still relevant today.
The elaborate characters that possess money and wealth are extremely dim witted while Jim, who comes from the lowest socioeconomic class, embodies the qualities, most importantly wisdom and compassion, of a quintessential hero. The wealthiest characters, The Grangerford’s and the Shephardson’s, have a rivalry that is to the utmost extreme; they despise each other. Their hate goes so far as to killing one another and while they may attend church together every Sunday, they stand with weapons holstered at the ready. Although this may be ironically funny, it shows their true lack of intelligence. While the families know they should hate each other, no member of either of the families is at a full understanding as to why they are killing one another. To put one’s life at risk to take another man’s life without even questioning why they are doing it proves they don’t think for themselves. Intelligent people think for themselves and form their own opinions and on the other end of the spectrum the incompetent lack the ability to think for themselves. At the top of the socioeconomic triangle, these rival families lack the ability to think for themselves which strongly portrays Mark Twain’s negative feelings towards the
Huck Finn grew up in an abusive home in which he has no control over. Huck does not wish to ever go back to such a hell since one knows about such a man to do such harsh things. You’re self-wellness by in which you grew upon throughout the years has turned you into the person you are today. The people you’ve been around, the friends you’ve made, and even the enemies you’ve made have made you who you are today. Huck Finn is like you in such a way. Always trying to figure what’s right and what’s wrong. Always trying to adjust to situations he is in for the better. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer, a young but brave kid, has made a gang in which he would like Huck to join. But in order for Huck to join he needs to start being more and more respectful to Ms. Watson who adopted Huck from his abusive father. Tom Sawyer, Ms. Watson, and other characters use this sort of morality building to help Huck with him being respectful to the other folk. Sounds similar, yes? Most of our parents and friends use these types of morality’s in religion, goals, warnings, holidays, and even sometimes themselves such as if you do what they did then you’ll be just as rich as them. Every Action, every word, everything you have received, felt, and have done build your sense of right and wrong.
Throughout the years, authors have been influential figures in society who push change through the use of their novels. Usually they shed light on topics that are not well discussed and/or try to correct a social norm which is unjust. In Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, slavery and racism are portrayed in a humorous light through the eyes of a child. Twain could have narrated his own story about critiquing American society, but when he uses Huck to recount, he is given the freedom to write about the obvious injustices of slavery and racial discrimination which, the South shied away from. Twain utilizes satire throughout the novel to mock the norms of society throughout the many amusing experiences Huck has with
Is it possible for someone to change their views on something that has been instilled in them throughout their life? The novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, follows a white Southern boy, Huck, and his adventures with a slave named Jim. Huck grew up with a drunken, uneducated father, Pap, who constantly abused him when he wasn’t drinking. Ms. Watson, who owned Jim, took Huck in. One night, Pap kidnapped Huck and took him to a secret log cabin. In order to truly get away from Pap, Huck fakes his death and Pap is the one to blame. Coincidentally, Jim also escapes from Ms. Watson at around the same time. Huck and Jim find each other, and Huck agrees to help Jim, a runaway slave. For a southern, white boy to help a runaway
Today, what has been considered by many one of the most dynamic works of American literature yet, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is ranked the 4th most banned book in America over 125 years after its publication. Some are baffled at how a book full of slavery and segregation can be banned when it is simply a reflection of a disturbing past and a learning opportunity for people of many generations to come. Yet, others are against its negative use of derogatory language in nearly every chapter in the novel. Throughout the reading, Twain’s clever use of specific events and dialogue between characters creates a passage into a real-world situation of the 1800’s that expresses the journey to freedom between a slave and homeless
Throughout time people have encountered dilemmas that result in change in society. Perhaps change is something that is mistaken as an unwanted struggle for development, but in fact, people overlook their own fear of uncertainty in what benefits change can bring. Countless times in American history change has been forced upon the people rather than embraced with open arms. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates Huck Finn’s struggle to alter his values and go against what he’s been raised to believe in society throughout his life: African Americans are inferior to whites. In the novel, Twain teams up Huck with a runaway slave, Jim, who is a key character to helping Huck change how he views other
What makes a novel racist? The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is a story of race relations between slaves and whites and is often percieved as racist book. To understand what racism is, we have to define it. Racism is: a belief that inherent differences among various races determines cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others. Going off the definition of racism, this novel represents a clear racist sentiment as white characters excercise their superiority over blacks and society considers it okay. African Americans and slaves are treated as property, considered unintelligent and gullible, and are put through unneccessary hardship
A hackneyed expression is understood to be that one should never deliberate over religion or politics in specific social settings. Religion is and has always been a topic of serious controversy and indifference. Literature has become a major source of media in which religious sentiments are discussed. The description of one boy, Huck and his adventures allows Mark Twain the chance to convey Huck Finn’s perspective on religion to his readers. In his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses such literary devices as satire, humor, and irony throughout his work to illustrate his distaste for religion and religious practices. In various scenes in the novel, Twain illustrates his animosity towards religion, as normally serious practices are portrayed as comical. Huckleberry Finn, the main character, is either directly involved in these scenarios or otherwise a viewer and subsequent narrator of these humorous events.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens went under a pen name of Mark Twain when he began his career as a writer. Born on November 30, 1835, Mark Twain went on to write a couple of novels that have become known as an American classic. One of his most famous novels is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which was published in 1884. The novel follows the journey and adventures of a boy named Huck and a runaway slave named Jim. In chapters twenty-one and twenty-two, Twain uses diction, character, and setting to establish his purpose to create a realistic, historical background.