Huckleberry Finn
Topics
1. In the novel, the Mississippi River acts as the center of the novel, it plays an important symbolic figure. To the main characters, Jim and Huck, the river is their place for freedom and adventure. Both of these characters were stuck in a society that they did not want to be a part of (Huck, tired of ‘sivilized’ folks; Jim, of being a slave). Jim views the river as freedom and poverty from his former slavery and Huck finds the river to be somewhere he can be himself. By making an escape to the calm and peaceful river, Huck and Jim express their aversion towards society.
2. The person in this novel that showed true nobility of character was Jim. He was first introduced to the readers as the slave that worked under Miss Watson. Although Jim appears to be idiotic and senseless due to his belief in absurd stories, he later turns out to be the character with compassion and loyalty. As the novel progresses, we actually see Jim transform into a father figure for Huck. Despite his separation from his family and risking his life for his freedom, Jim remains positive and protects Huck as if he were his own child. Jim is consistently noble and loyal in all his actions and proves the be the only fit adult role model for Huck.
3. For Huck Finn, there is no clear line between honesty and dishonesty. There are times when he tells the truth and times when he knowingly lies. Huck differentiates each side according to loyalty and betrayal, he is truthful to the ones he is loyal towards (Jim, victims to duke and king, etc.) and dishonest to people who deserve it (duke and king). Huck deceits when he needs to keep his bigger plans a secret and is honest when he needs to keep his plans going. The irony found in Huck’s constantly swaying honesty is that he admits to his dishonesty. It is also ironic that Huck seems it fit to be both truthful and dishonest to someone he is loyal to (Jim).
4. For the topic of slavery and freedom, the characters that comes to mind are Jim
1. In the novel, the Mississippi River acts as the center of the novel, it plays an important symbolic figure. To the main characters, Jim and Huck, the river is their place for freedom and adventure. Both of these characters were stuck in a society that they did not want to be a part of (Huck, tired of ‘sivilized’ folks; Jim, of being a slave). Jim views the river as freedom and poverty from his former slavery and Huck finds the river to be somewhere he can be himself. By making an escape to the calm and peaceful river, Huck and Jim express their aversion towards society.
2. The person in this novel that showed true nobility of character was Jim. He was first introduced to the readers as the slave that worked under Miss Watson. Although Jim appears to be idiotic and senseless due to his belief in absurd stories, he later turns out to be the character with compassion and loyalty. As the novel progresses, we actually see Jim transform into a father figure for Huck. Despite his separation from his family and risking his life for his freedom, Jim remains positive and protects Huck as if he were his own child. Jim is consistently noble and loyal in all his actions and proves the be the only fit adult role model for Huck.
3. For Huck Finn, there is no clear line between honesty and dishonesty. There are times when he tells the truth and times when he knowingly lies. Huck differentiates each side according to loyalty and betrayal, he is truthful to the ones he is loyal towards (Jim, victims to duke and king, etc.) and dishonest to people who deserve it (duke and king). Huck deceits when he needs to keep his bigger plans a secret and is honest when he needs to keep his plans going. The irony found in Huck’s constantly swaying honesty is that he admits to his dishonesty. It is also ironic that Huck seems it fit to be both truthful and dishonest to someone he is loyal to (Jim).
4. For the topic of slavery and freedom, the characters that comes to mind are Jim