Appearance Vs Reality In Huck Finn

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is often thought to be a children’s story however the author has a different vision in mind for his book. Mark Twain starts the book forewarning readers “attempting to find motive … moral …[or] plot will be shot” (Twain, notice). This was not intended to discourage readers from looking for a theme or moral but to instead create a desire to read deeper into the text. At first glance, Huck Finn may seem to be just a story for a child but in reality the novel is meant to provoke adults into changing society. Twain discusses the danger of appearance verses reality, how an individual must not conform to society, and how gaining an education provides opportunities. The saying “Actions speak louder than words”
If people all over the world … would do this, it would change the world. In Huck Finn, Huckleberry was taught slaves were property and were dumb. When Huck tore up his letter to Ms. Watson and went to save Jim, he was going against what society had told him in order to follow his heart. “I’d got to decide …betwixt two things. “All right … I’ll go to hell” – and tore it up (Twain 161-162). Acting against injustice is still relevant today. Although America is a free and just country, much of the world is still told to follow only what society has taught them. In Pakistan, women do not have the opportunity to receive an education. A brave young woman, Malala Yousafzai, is an example to the world of not conforming to society. Like Huck, she followed her heart and went to school. Yousafzai won the Noble Peace Prize in 2014 for standing against what society has told her
Doctors and lawyers must receive large amounts of education in order to practice in the field. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Nelson Mendel, un.org/en/globalissues/). Judge Thatcher, in Huck Finn, has the opportunity to use his education to outwit Huck’s father and allow Huck to keep his money. “I think I see. You want to sell all your property to me – not give it. That’s the correct idea” (Twain 12). Education is still crucial to gaining opportunities to better the world around us however the students in America are beginning to care less about their education. “In a 2012 analysis of student performance on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the U.S. placed 27th out of 34 countries in math performance and 20th in science performance” (studentsfirst.org). The United States is losing its opportunities to help the world and it’s starting to rely on other countries for things that America should be able to provide for itself. Education can open so many doors and is a crucial part of contributing to