...discuss Huckleberry Finn, a very young kid that father was very abusive with no other family members to take care of him. These two older women tried to care for Huck by the name of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, they tried to raise him the good old-fashioned way but Huck was too street smarts and hyper to listen to abide by the rules anyway, plus his drunken, despicable dad played a part in his action also. Huck was a fast thinker at all times he faked his death, after his dad tried to get the ladies to sell there slave by the name of Jim to give him money if they wanted to continue to raise Huck. After faking his death, he decided to go down the Mississippi River. Jim went with him because he wanted to go and be free,...
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...Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, Huck is just a confused thirteen year old boy growing up in the racist American South. He is the son of an alcoholic and is often misunderstood. Those around Huck consider him to be immature, such as Ms. Watson who acts as a caretaker for Huck throughout his father’s absence. As a child, Huck is able to view the world differently than all the adults around him. His experiences throughout his adventures down the Mississippi river force him to question the things society has taught him. During this adventure, he tends to care more about the opinion of others than his own, however his opinion changes in time. Huck’s biggest test of morality is his relationship with Jim, the escaped slave of Ms. Watson. Huck has always been taught that slaves and those of color are below him just because he is white. This is an internal moral struggle for Huck, because he knows to society he is “wrong,” but to him their friendship makes it “right.” The concept of being wrong in the eyes of society and making it right goes beyond just Huck and Jim’s bond. The relationship that Jim and Huck develop over the course of the story is important because the experiences that they share teach Huck to think for himself, allowing him to trust his morals. Huck has grown up in an environment in which Jim is nothing more than the slave of Ms. Watson. From the beginning of the story Jim is not viewed as an actual human, but “property”. Huck has been taught that...
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...unexpected friendship. Huck and Jim’s escapade down the Mississippi River in search of Jim’s freedom from the fetters of slavery are the core of this book. Initially, because Huck views Jim only as “Miss Watson’s big nigger,” Huck did not respect him (8). This changed, however, as Huck revealed in his passages after making fun of Jim. Early in the novel, “Jim is merely the object of a boyish practical joke,” as Tom takes Jim’s hat and hangs it on a branch above his head (Millicent Bell 65). Huck’s next prank on Jim with the rattlesnake caused Huck to feel like “such a fool,” yet there was still very little sympathy for Jim (Twain 51). Later Huck begins to feel...
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...Basic English Department, Dezhou University, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, China Email: dz_syx@126.com Abstract—Huckleberry Finn is one of Mark Twain’s outstanding masterpieces. Superficially, it tells a story about a 13 or 14 year old boy’s adventures with Negro Jim on the Mississippi river. In fact, it reflects the growth process of Huck through adventures. His growth is embodied by his choice on independence, his change of attitude towards Jim, his moral growth, and the different social roles he plays. Huck’s growth is influenced by the inner and outer factors. On the one hand, friendship, nature and society make up the outer environment for Huck’s growth. They have great effect on the development of his growth. On the other hand, his own instinct and his sound heart finally decide the direction of his growth. Index Terms—growth, the influence of Jim, nature and society, instinct, sound heart I. INTRODUCTION Mark Twain is a giant in American literature. He is a great realist and satirist in late 19th century. His delicate familiarity with children’s psychology, his thorough understanding of Americans and American society, his great contribution to American English and his immense witty humor have won great respect and reputation among the people around the world. Of all the works Mark Twain accomplished in his life, the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is the most successful. This remarkable masterpiece brings the world prestige to him. It is the combination of simplicity and...
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...they are hidden underneath the initial impression and are waiting to be revealed. In Huckleberry Finn, there is a character who possesses this multilayer quality. This coming-of-age novel tells the tale through the perspective of Huckleberry Finn, a young adolescent boy who travels along the Mississippi River with a slave named Jim in the pre-civil war era. Throughout the book, Jim plays various roles in Huck Finn’s life. Huck views Jim as a slave in the beginning, but realizes that he is also a father figure and a friend. To Huck and the rest of the world during this time period, Jim was a slave. Even though Huck tried seeing past Jim’s title as a slave, society constantly reminded Huck of Jim’s enslavement. In document E,...
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...Twain's motivation for writing “The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn”, is not to start a conversation on race rather; to start a conversation on morality of our thoughts and actions. Twain developed his purpose through a story of Huck and the situations that test him. In the society where he resides a common word is “Nigger” in referring to African-Americans who were mostly slaves. This negative connotative word is what changed the focus away from the main purpose of the book. Twain expressed the true message of the book through Huck's “Adventures”, and how he is tested on his morals. During these Adventures Huck does not act in the stereotypical way expected of a boy in this society. This represents why “ The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn” is not a racist book rather a depiction of a boy in a racist society who choose to pick a different outlook on what is morally right. By considering the use of the word “Nigger” throughout the book, analyzing the adventures that tested Huck, and the relationship that developed between Hick and Jim. To make a stereotypical southern society Twain choose to mock the dialect and common language used. He choose to keep the society in the book as similar as possible to the one that would be seen in real life. This leads to negative conclusions on how Huck was raised and also to question the morality of the book. To dispute this Jane Smiley in “Say It Ain't So Huck” is that the use of this word causes there to be a deeper racism in this novel [pg...
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...Racism has been an ongoing conflict and has been dated back as early as the 1600s in American history.Unfortuantely, in today’s world, racism continues to present itself in all the crevices and corners of society. It is found in movies, television shows, books, magazines,or even on the street in everday occasions. But what exactly is racism and why does it continue to be a problem? Racism is defined as “the belief that members of different races possess specific qualities or abilities and that those qualities mark them as either inferior or superior to another” by Gale Student Resources and Context. Racism affects any individual of a certain race, however in America, this issue has mostly affected African Americans, who’s ancestors were once bound...
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...In the 1880's, Mark Twain wrote,The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn set in the 1830's. This story was taking place right in the middle of the slavery time period along the Mississippi River. Jim, a character in the book, is a slave for a widow who has taken a boy named Huck under her wing and raised him after struggles he had with his family life. Jim is a confident, strong, kind person who has always been a great slave for the widow. Once Jim decides to run away and flee, him and Huck decide to runaway together and adventure across the southern slave states together. Jim changes greatly as the book progresses and as he faces new conflicts throughout the story. Jim's character is a loving man who is never afraid to take life head on and battle for what he believes is right. As the story moves along, Jim becomes more and more like a father to Huck. Jim is a major dynamic character that is full of emotions. Huck grew up in a very struggling household and never had a good father figure. Huck is trying to escape from his father and get away from him forever. When Jim and Huck choose to run...
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...“It's not as bad as it sounds.” (Huckleberry Finn) Compare how the theme of outsiders is presented in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, D.B.C Pierre’s Vernon God Little and Sylvia Plath’s Ariel. Throughout the history of literature, the idea of an outsider unable to find his place within society is explored frequently in all three texts. The theme of the outsiders is presented in all novels but separated due to the different time periods in which they were set, thus resulting in controversy and criticisms making it difficult to find a place within literature. Mark Twain’s ‘Huckleberry Finn’ is the story of a young boy, Huck Finn, who is faced with a restraint enforced upon him by society and later acknowledges this restraint once he comes to the realization that there is no escape from the society. ‘Vernon God Little’, like Huckleberry Finn, is also a story of a young boy framed as an accessory in a High School Massacre and is rendered to be an outcast in a society which revolves around manipulation and gullibility. Both Pierre and Twain portray the limitations and issues placed upon a young boy growing up in society. Sylvia Plath was viewed as a feminist icon, her collection ‘Ariel’, adopts the theme of outsider, as she believed women were classed as second-tier in a male dominant society and posed as a response to patriarchy in which oppressed women. The three texts intertwine in the portrayal of the outsider and act as a commentary on the societies in which these writers...
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...such as Hawthorne, Thoreau, Melville, Poe and Whitman. Their writings focused on the puritan aspects of their ancestors or of the dark romance and psychological perspectives writers such as Poe and Melville used. However, after the war, this movement began to fade and Realism increased as the choice reading of the people. This was due to multiple events and changes in culture that led to Americans looking for something better to relate to. The first event was the end of the Civil War. The Civil War showed the violent intentions men had towards each other and also showed the vulnerability of men and the nation and how ungodly man actually was. However, Realism did not begin immediately after the Civil War but rather took off in the 1880’s. So what happened in the 1880’s then? The 1880’s saw the major migration of the typical American from the country to the city due to the rise of the industrial revolution and the increase in jobs in manufacturing and more efficient distribution methods. The migration to the city led to a new culture of Americans whose hard work days with long hours left little room for the desire for imagination and symbolism as American Romanticism had...
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...– Pg. 14) CHARACTERS: • Huckleberry (Huck) Finn – protagonist, narrator, all around main character. • The Widow Douglas – takes (Huck) under her wing in hopes to better him. • Miss Watson – The Widow Douglas’ sister • Tom Sawyer – Huck’s fellow companion, first introduced in Mark Twain’s previous novel. • Jim – Miss Watson’s slave. • Pap – Huck’s alcoholic, racist, father. • Judge Thatcher – Works along side The Widow Douglas to protect Huck’s well – being. SETTING: The series of events in this episode unfold in the imaginary Mississippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. The scenes unravel in the town where Huck resides with the Widow Douglas and the other housemates, and in the surrounding areas. PLOT OVERVIEW: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a follow-up to the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry (Huck) Finn is a thirteen-year-old adolescent living a life of not knowing what is next. Huck was “adopted” by The Widow Douglas. The Widow Douglas strives to impart manners on Huck and to better him as a young boy. However, Huck was raised in a matter that completely contradicts his new procedures and ways of living. Huck has the mentality of an uneducated, lonely boy who didn’t have much growing up. He is having a tough time changing his...
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...Huck Finn: Comparing and Contrasting the Controversies Surrounding Banning Books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, deemed one of the great American novels, was published by Mark Twain in 1884. From the start, this novel has sparked a lot of negative criticism. There were heated debates among critics, and in schools debating whether or not to ban this controversial piece of literature. In today's society, this book still offends sensitive readers, because it was written in a time when people were not sensitive to the plight of African Americans. Just a month after it was published, The Concord, library in Massachusetts banned all copies stating that it was “Not suitable for trash.” (Ruta1) It was believed, that racism was at the heart of this book, and the content was, and still viewed as being harsh. Louisa May Alcott was a popular author who served on the very first library committee in Massachusetts, where The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned. She voted against this book from being sold, read or viewed. Criticizing Mark Twain saying that "Huck should not sweat. He should perspire." (Ruta1) Other libraries began removing their copies stating that it is inappropriate for children to read. The number of concerned citizens continue to debate on this subject today. Derogatory words are seen throughout this story in reference to showcase the difference between the two classes, white verses black. This book not only celebrates an unlikely friendship between...
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...Friend, Mark Twain By Owen Pangilinan Dr. Hemington English 001A 21 July 2015 Owen Pangilinan 7/20/15 July 20, 2015 My friend, Mark Twain What are the characteristics of a good friend? A good friend is someone that is giving, not only with physical possessions but with their intellect as well. Someone that will loan you money without expecting to be repaid, let you borrow their clothes, and give you good advice. A true friend is honest and loyal. They will protect your secrets and “tell it like it is.” They will not mislead you because they have your best interests in mind. A real friend is a person who accepts you as you are. They know you are not perfect, because no one is. Flaws, imperfections and fears, are what make friendships such a beautiful thing, and these things are one of the many reasons why they love you. They aren’t expecting you to change and are understanding when you make mistakes. They are also always there for you, through the best and worst times in your life. Your true friends will be there by your side on the most boring of afternoons, and will be the first to come to your aid in the event of a disaster or in times of crisis. Mark Twain is a man that possessed many of the characteristics of a true friend. Through his books, articles, movies and personal friends you can get an insight as to what he was like in real life. Some people might argue you that his sarcasm and tenacity are not the makings of a true friend rather than a trouble maker...
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...The first man to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball in the 20th century, Jackie Robinson is one of the most celebrated baseball players in history. Jim, the moral center of Mark Twain’s The Adventure’s of Huckleberry Finn .Who doesn’t portray a baseball player, yet both Jackie Robinson and Jim both share the same heroic qualities. Both are courageous, noble, and strong-minded. Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919 and grew up in Pasadena, California, where he attended UCLA. While attending there he won letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track. He was regarded as the most all-around athlete in the U.S. at the time. After serving three years in the army, he began playing baseball with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues. After hid successful season in 1946 with the team’s Farmclub he became the first African American major league baseball player since the 19th century. In 1947 he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. But before Jackie Robinson there was Moses Fleetwood Walker, he was the 1st African American major league baseball player to play baseball in the late 1800’s. On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson became the 1st African American to play major league baseball. He broke the color line, which led to many white teams playing against all black teams or interracial teams: Jackie Robinson caught many Americans attention and his story was widely retold through American culture in many different forms. Such as through...
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...In “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, there is many symbols that he uses to tell the story. The two main symbols are the land and the river. He uses the land and the river to show the differences of life on land and life on the river. The land is the symbol for all the bad things that happen and the river is a symbol for all the good. Both the good and the bad help the characters grow from the beginning to the end such as maturing, finding themselves, and meeting their goals of achieving freedom. The land represents the total opposite of the river and is used by Twain to portray what life was really like during that time. The land is symbolic for the bad in Huck and Jim’s life experiences. Anything bad that has happened through the book is originated from the land. Land is symbol of violence, cruelty of society, death, hatred, betrayal, and abuse. Society is very judgmental and unfair. People were racist, and refused to see things any other way. The majority of black people were slaves, slaves were looked at lowest possible class. Therefore, any black person, such as Jim was seen as nothing more than a piece of property. This is what made it so hard for people to understand the relationship between a white boy and a black man. Land means Huck must live in civilization and is forced to be a product of his society. Ms. Watson and the widow Douglas tried to teach Huck manners but he couldn’t be civilized, nor did he want to be for he was much too wild. She...
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