English 3 Honors
Ms. Boden
February 21, 2012
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a short novel that has been around for more than 100 years. Through the characters Huck and Jim, Twain demonstrates the importance of friendship and humanity in society. This novel is not for the ignorant or uneducated. The novel uses diction to emphasize how the past should not be repeated. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should belong in the American Canon because it demonstrates how society contributes to our opinions, morals, and attitude. Many students and adults can relate to Huck’s struggle to become free. Most students who read this novel are between the ages of 15-17. Adolescence
is a point in a persons life when they do not know who they are. The book explains the struggle most of us go through. Also, the novel shows the importance of friendship. Through the novel, the students learn that it is right to stand up for a cause. For example, in the novel Huck stands up to racism. This can be applied to someone standing up for someone who is being bullied. Also, the novel contains many historical background of the U.S.A. Through this book we can learn what not to do. Twain emphasizes how evil slavery is and how is should not be done again. Most readers are able to understand this through the choice of words he uses. The novel also shows how ignorant and evil society can be. It lets students open their minds to not judge everyone by society’s standards. However, people complain that Twains diction in the novel is derogatory. African Americans argue that there freedom was hard earned and that the word “nigger” only emphasizes the negative . Some feel that the word is used in wrong connotation and that the book should be banned. They believe that if the youth read the book than it will only influence the use of the word and racism might begin as a problem again. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a novel that has withstand 100 years. People still read it and make connections to the novel thru the themes of freedom, friendship, and society’s standards. However, other people see the novel as derogatory, unsuccessful, and improper.