Huck Finn
Natalie Rodriguez
Ms. Pollack
English 10
3 April 2009
Huckleberry Finn Essay
The novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is very controversial by the arguments that are brought up from its racist tendencies. The novel includes many scenes and events where slaves were mistreated. The n-word is brought up quite frequently, which can be considered a clear sign of racism. Mark Twain belittles African Americans with the unnecessary comments and dialogue spoken from the voices of other characters; examples include scenes where society did not except blacks as human beings, when slaves were badly mistreated and looked down upon, and when Huck and society were insensitive toward blacks. Mark Twain expresses racism in one of the quotations said by Aunt Sally. It is viewed as belittling black people because he is not considering them people, or a part of society as a human being. “We blowed out a cylinder-head… Anybody hurt? … No’m. Killed a n-word… Well it’s lucky because sometimes people do get hurt” (Twain 221). The quotation reveals both Mark Twains negative view and society’s negative view and influence on African Americans being looked down upon. Society was ignorant and considered African Americans to be different from them; therefore they were not viewed as people because of their race. An example of slaves being mistreated and looked down upon is when Jim does not understand why a French man has an accent and talks a different language. Huck does not bother trying to explain it to Jim and says, “I see it warn’t no use wasting words… you can’t learn a n-word to argue. So I quit” (Twain 80). This reveals to the reader that Huck looks down on Jim and thinks it is a waste of time to try and teach him or any other slave, because they just wouldn’t understand. In that quotation Twain is revealed as insensitive toward blacks because he thinks of them as stupid and ignorant. Huck’s father negatively poetries black people as
Ms. Pollack
English 10
3 April 2009
Huckleberry Finn Essay
The novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is very controversial by the arguments that are brought up from its racist tendencies. The novel includes many scenes and events where slaves were mistreated. The n-word is brought up quite frequently, which can be considered a clear sign of racism. Mark Twain belittles African Americans with the unnecessary comments and dialogue spoken from the voices of other characters; examples include scenes where society did not except blacks as human beings, when slaves were badly mistreated and looked down upon, and when Huck and society were insensitive toward blacks. Mark Twain expresses racism in one of the quotations said by Aunt Sally. It is viewed as belittling black people because he is not considering them people, or a part of society as a human being. “We blowed out a cylinder-head… Anybody hurt? … No’m. Killed a n-word… Well it’s lucky because sometimes people do get hurt” (Twain 221). The quotation reveals both Mark Twains negative view and society’s negative view and influence on African Americans being looked down upon. Society was ignorant and considered African Americans to be different from them; therefore they were not viewed as people because of their race. An example of slaves being mistreated and looked down upon is when Jim does not understand why a French man has an accent and talks a different language. Huck does not bother trying to explain it to Jim and says, “I see it warn’t no use wasting words… you can’t learn a n-word to argue. So I quit” (Twain 80). This reveals to the reader that Huck looks down on Jim and thinks it is a waste of time to try and teach him or any other slave, because they just wouldn’t understand. In that quotation Twain is revealed as insensitive toward blacks because he thinks of them as stupid and ignorant. Huck’s father negatively poetries black people as