Preview

Examples Of Human Compassion In Mark Twain's Yankee

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
280 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Examples Of Human Compassion In Mark Twain's Yankee
Human Compassion In Twains Yankee Throughout Mark Twains novel, Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Twain repeatedly suggests that human beings are naturally kind, not naturally cruel. Twain clearly illustrates humans’ natural kindness towards others when Hank Morgan whispers, “Give yourself no trouble about me; I don’t care anything for the Churches’ curse. Let me help you” (Twain 198). Here, Twain portrays the natural affection that humans share for one another. Instead of turning away from a person in need of help, Hank addresses the woman's disease despite the consequences in which the church may impose. Twain also shows how humans do not seek reward for their kindness, when Hank tells the dying woman “Give yourself

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In his other books Twain also has anti slavery themes but they are very strong in A Connect Yankee in King Arthurs court. Hank states that all the people of England are slaves in one way or another. A lot are slaves phsicaly, some are slaves to the royalty or their land lords, others are slaves to there the church and their superstition. At one point Hank and the king are taken slaves because they don’t have the proper paper work to prove that they weren’t slaves. Hank goes on and on about how slavery kills countries, during his ranting Hank final convinces…

    • 234 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    From this passage, Huck demonstrates the theme that man still has compassion, even for those who treat others with disrespect. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain portrays this theme using irony. Throughout the story, the king and the duke treat Huck with deception and unkindness, such as when the duke lies to Huck about where Jim is. Ever since the king and the duke began traveling with Huck, he has assisted them and taken care of things when asked. Huck knew since the beginning that they were both con artists and lied about everything, but still never showed any sign of disrespect towards them. Even though Huck has shown them much kindness, they have been cruel and deceiving towards Huck and Jim. The natural response to that type of treatment would be anger and resentment. Although Huck did feel that way about most of the duke and the king's actions, he also felt sympathetic when he saw the townspeople tormenting them. After all the trouble the king and the duke has put Huck through, Huck actually says, "it made me sick to see it; and I was sorry for them poor pitiful rascals" (Twain 191). It is ironic that Huck can be so kindhearted towards the king and the duke after all they have put him through.…

    • 515 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Twain is able to expose the selfishness in Southern society during the nineteenth century using several examples of satire and irony. During Huck’s journey along the Mississippi River, he comes across two lying and scheming “rapscallions” (153). The most infamous occurrence with the Duke and the King is when they scam the mourning Wilks family for Peter’s fortune. The mere thirst for money is enough to drive the scam artists to commit a heartless and guiltless act, one that takes advantage of the helpless and grieving. It was one that, according to Huck, was “enough to make a body ashamed of the human race” (162). Through pathos and satire in the Wilks scam, Twain displays the selfishness and greediness of Southern society as a whole. Twain, a realist and a humorist, also demonstrates human selfishness when Huck asks several men to help his family on the raft. When Huck mentions that his father is sick, they say, “we are right down sorry for you,” but they are more concerned with their well-being (90). Ironically, Huck had known that the men would refuse to step foot on the raft, causing them to offer money instead. Huck, a young childish boy, is able to analyze and use the immoral qualities of man to his advantage. With the irony in…

    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sentiment can be easily be stimulated from the readers by writing tender and sorrowful scenes. However, sentiment can also come from angry self-reflexive irony. Instead of the typical sentiment of warmness and sympathy, a different type of sentiment is produced from the words and actions of Daniel. The way he behaved so atrociously to his wife, but then reflected about what he did by addressing to the readers is quite ironic. One moment he is malicious to Phyllis, then the next he tried to pathetically appeal to the audience over his actions; the feeling of what is wrong with him is given by the readers. He does not truly reflect over his actions, but he uses his words to make it seem like he is reflecting to the readers. Doctorow is trying…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    This was a society which for Twain was shrouded in a veil of self-deception and where its practitioners preached hypocritical and absurd religious values. These traits, which are exemplified in characters such as the Widow Douglas, Miss Watson and Silas Phelps are munificent and satirically exposed throughout the novel. These people are all well-intentioned Christians, but their religion has deceived them into thinking that slavery is perfectly acceptable, and that slaves are something less than people. The Watson sisters are one of the most prominent examples of this type of hypocrisy. Early in the novel, Huck observes that the sisters represent two different versions of heaven “I could see that there was two Providences.” (p. 21). The fact that Huck observes and notes this indicates that his awareness of the hypocrisy around him is increasing. Inevitably, he realizes that both places seem dull and undesirable. The Widow Douglas’s version of heaven, Huck observes, can make a “body’s mouth water” (p.21). Of the two versions of Providence, hers has the greater appeal for Huck; and in chapter 3, he admits that he would prefer to belong to the Widow’s providence “if he [God] wanted” (p.21) him. There is, however, a certain hypocrisy and moral emptiness in the widow's religion. In chapter 1, when she chastises Huck for his “mean…

    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In American Literature we discussed as a class, examples of empathy in each of the three books we read throughout the term. With each of these moments from each book, we have to find examples of how they remind of human experiences of our own. In the first book we read which was, The adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Widow Douglas is teaching Huck about Moses and Huck says,”I don’t take any stock in dead guys.”(pg 14) I was baptized and confirmed, my parents have always taught me that going to church isn’t always the most exciting thing, but it is good for you.…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Huck Finn Essay

    • 1762 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Most people often assume that the aim of civilizations is for humanity to function together, jointly and cooperatively, so that humans produce and experience the benefits of moral people who live and act together. However, in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reverse is true. The swap in societal stereotypes is apparent in the king and the duke’s production of the Royal Nonesuch as well as Huck and Jim’s pleasant journey down the Mississippi after escaping the family feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons. Leading up to the performance of the Royal Nonesuch, the king and the duke attract an all-male audience in a small town in Arkansas for a so-called “tragedy”, and make signs promising lewdness in the performance. Conversely, the protagonists of the novel, Huck and Jim, are depicted as noble characters on the outskirts of society, as they lead a carefree existence down the Mississippi River. The central irony in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that in the midst of a “sivilized” society, uncivilized members abound, particularly those who are racist, conniving, and ill-mannered; whereas Huck and Jim, who have escaped society, are more righteous, sincere, and morally sound than any of the other “sivilized” characters who populate the traditional southern communities the novel depicts.…

    • 1762 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    In “A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court”, after being hit in the head, Hank Morgan, the main character, moves back through time twelve centuries. In the novel, Hank Morgan journeys to sixth-century England to enlighten Arthurian society with the advancements of his era. Hank’s conjuring of scientific advancements, although a major theme of the novel, becomes greatly mocked by twain. In many instances throughout the novel, Twain lampoons Hank’s love for nineteenth-century ideas. Hank brings advancements and improvements such as soap, man-factories, and Guns with the intention of creating an ideal society that will benefit all peoples of the kingdom. In “A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court”, Twain pokes fun at Hank’s attempt to use technological advancements, improvements, and political ideas in the sixth-- in order to produce a utopia.…

    • 966 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jonatthan Bennett article

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Bennett argues that sympathy and bad morality can conflict in particular cases. For example, Huckleberry Finn helps his slave friend Jim to escape from his owner Miss Watson; and as a result Huck suffers sever twinges of conscious. Huck’s conscious mirrors the morality of 19th century rural South States where slavery was OK. Huck enables Jim to escape but acting weakly and wickedly. In this conflict between sympathy and morality, sympathy wins. However, what Huck didn’t see is that one can live by principles and yet have ultimate control over their content.…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book, Harper Lee shows the theme a need for compassion by using characterization. In the book she characterizes Atticus “It's not okay” He said “it's not okay to hate anyone” (page 282). The author mainly uses this characterization device to show the need for compassion through Atticus. The author mainly by having characterizes Atticus by having him show a lot of compassion for other people. Atticus also has a lot of compassion for his work and never gives up on his clients. Atticus having so much…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird has several themes such as compassion, sympathy, and compassion. The author, Harper Lee, did an amazing job showing these themes many times during the whole book. Throughout this book example several examples of each are found. Compassion is shown when Atticus Finch is kind to Ms. Dubose despite the harsh words she spoke about him. One of the examples of sympathy is when all the black people stood up in the court room even though Atticus had lost the case. Tolerance is shown many times throughout the entire book, but is shown the most when Ms. Dubose verbally harasses Atticus to his children and his neighbors and Atticus choose to tolerate them and do nothing about them.…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    But at the same time people tend to not think as much because of the modern human instinct to fit in and not stick out and in a group people just go with the flow way too much and don’t speak out about their own beliefs and do what is right when they should. I believe Twain is saying that what is sometimes not politically correct is the right thing to do. As you can see by this statement that was made by Aunt Sally this society and the current one has drifted away from the moral order that was in place before to the corrupt order that they were in and the one we are in today, true we do not have slaves but we still have the concept of man’s inhumanity towards another man we need to get back to the principle of treating each other as people and not look at color nor anything else that we set people aside for today. We as a people need to do what is morally correct but yet also make sure that what is a task is also somewhat politically correct too. That is the whole meaning of man’s humanity towards man is to treat one another with dignity and respect as a person individually not just as a…

    • 4981 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mark Twain displays the good in humanity through depictions of courage in the characters of Huckleberry Finn and Jim. Huck Finn, certainly one of the bravest characters in the novel, overcomes his hardships through his demonstration of courage. One example of his courage occurs upon a crashed steamboat, “The Walter Scott”, when Huck stumbles upon a ruthless band of cutthroats and attempts to stop them. Huck says, “if we find their boat we can put all of ‘em in a bad fix-for the Sheriff ‘ll get ‘em” (Twain 90). Huck demonstrates his fearlessness to risk his own life to bring several murderous criminals to justice. He displays the human virtue of heroism when he decides to free Jim from the clutches of the Phelps family. Although he thought it would cost him his life, Huck summons up the courage to help free Jim. To many, Huck Finn’s demonstration of courage may in fact personify their connotation of courage, however, to others it may only display bravery.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Author Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is written about two siblings, Jean Louise and Jeremy Finch. They live with their father Atticus, a respected lawyer. Living in a town called Macomb County, this family has endured many hardships. Despite the odds, they manage to maintain a very healthy relationship. In today’s society people people do not usually care about others, it is one for all instead of all for one. Lee writes about how having compassion can help create and strengthen bonds with others. To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, explains the effects of having compassion through Scout getting to know Walter Cunningham, Atticus defending a colored man, and atticus treating Bob Ewell with respect.…

    • 862 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sport Obermeyer

    • 1734 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Obermeyer offers a broad line of fashion ski apparel, including parkas, vests, ski suits, shells, ski pants, sweaters, turtlenecks, and accessories. Parkas are considered the most critical design component of a collection; the other garments were fashioned to match the parkas’ style and color. Their products were offered in five different genders: men’s, women’s, boys’, girls’, and preschoolers’. The company segments each “gender” market according to price, type of skier, and how “fashion-forward” the market was. Within each “gender”, numerous styles are offered, each in several colors and a range of sizes.…

    • 1734 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays