Any story has the potential of becoming a classic novel that is read and loved by thousands, but the dimension that makes or breaks these stories lies directly within the characters involved. In Arthur Miller’s playwright, The Crucible, a plethora of distinct personalities are introduced, and it’s the unique interaction and histories between these people that expedites the entire story. Likewise, in the novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narration of the tale is told from the perspective of characters that are distinct from any others involved. Nick Carraway possess the eyes through which readers experience The Great Gatsby, and though Carraway is a relevant figure throughout…
During the mid-1800’s there was many “imperfections” in the world, and Samuel Clemens better known as Mark Twain decided to write a book to ridicule some problems concerning religion, greed, civilization, romantic literature, and Melodramatic art. Huckleberry Finn goes on a very complex and intense journey which helps him build a perspective on life as opposed to the ones dictated by those older than him. Throughout Huck encounters situations with problems that mimic actual problems in Twain’s world. Twain makes them look extremely pointless and senseless.…
Up until 1865, slavery and all of its violence and cruelty was accepted across the United states. The self-acclaimed "Land of the Free" was not a free land for slaves like Fredrick Douglass, or even Jim, a fictional character in the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Slavery depicted in the previously mentioned novel is very much cushioned when compared to the reality of slavery depicted in the autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. However, Mark Twain, author of the former manages to capture some realities within his satirical version of life before the American Civil War. Both novels portray the classic version of slavery, where Africans are inferior to the English, but Twain's…
Huckleberry Finn is a unique character, especially for considering his resourcefulness for his age. With Huck being about 13-14 years old and being able to think on the spot, make legitimate realizations, and find solutions to issues that some adults may not be able to find, prove his potential. For example, Huck is a quick thinker, when he stumbled upon the Grangerford’s property and he created the George Jackson story, it proved his ability to adapt to a difficult situation and find a solution for it even at a young age. Huck was raised under considerable circumstances, but he always finds a way to stay fed, rested, and on top of a situation, many of his peers would struggle in his position and probably would not be able to last as long as…
Huckleberry Finn is a novel set in the rural south of the United States during a period in history when slavery and racism were part of everyday life. The novel introduces two main characters: Huck Finn, an adventurous but naïve, white boy, and Jim, a runaway slave whom is travelling with Huck down the Mississippi River. Throughout the course of the novel, both characters are faced with their individual internal struggles; Huck in particular is faced with the pressing notion of whether or not he should turn Jim in to his rightful owner and do the “right” thing, or disobey the law and help Jim obtain his freedom. Being nothing more than a foolish and naïve boy, Huck does not know the meaning of true love and friendship, until Jim opens up to him and they begin to bond no longer as white boy and black slave, but as humans.…
In the timeline of the 1800’s, children often developed a prejudicial stance due to the distorted views of their parents, teachers, and friends. However, Huckleberry’s disbelief of the social norm allowed him to listen to his heart, and not let the people around him shape the thoughts and opinions in his head. The unbiased outlooks in which the protagonist forms in the novel contrast from those around him, and to view the theme of slavery through Huckleberry’s eyes, instead of the indoctrinated society’s perspective. Huckleberry is shown to truly value his friend Jim, and is able to see him as a true companion, rather than a…
Set in a pre-civil war time period, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is overall controversial and symbolic of a greater moral that is heavily present in this society. During this time was a large separation of North and South over the ethics of slavery and the morals of the enslaved population. During this story the protagonist, Huck Finn, makes a very important ethical decision upon whether he should or should not turn in Jim, a runaway slave. Huck has a moment of moral liberation and searches the social and religious principles of society. By having to think about these things when making a decision such as this, it can be said that this society is backwards. Mark Twain suggests that society is morally wrong with what they believe is right, their opinion of civilized and has a faulty logic.…
In Mark Twain’s book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn was a troubled kid who grew up and matured in several ways. Huck ran away and had to learn how to make it on his own, and as he went on that journey of going from boyhood to adulthood he learned so much about doing the right thing.…
Author Henry James has said that "it takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.” For over one hundred years slavery had crippled the African American people and aided the white man; however, when the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect it would become a slow catalyst of change that would take over a century for the Civil Rights Movement to be at its pinnacle. Racial limits would be pushed, lasting tension would arise. A great American novel of this time should depict the questionable change in racial demographics of the United States. Set before African American freedom, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain has been incessantly praised by authors and critics of all levels for pushing boundaries. It needs to be placed “in the context first of other American novels and then of world literature” (Smiley 1). Much like the American way of leaving the old country behind and immigrating to the United States, the novel’s loveable, young country boy of a narrator, Huckleberry Finn, pulls in readers of all kinds and feels the loneliness of being on his own travelling in the south, save for his runaway slave friend Jim. Along their adventures up and down the Mississippi River to free Jim, the reader follows Huck’s moral development, which is built up during different episodes in the story, but ultimately undone in the end. Although the “roundabout” nature of the end of the novel and Huck’s moral regression has rendered distaste, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn deserves its place in the literary canon of American literature for its variable structure, good-natured narrator, and reflections of Antebellum America.…
Most books read in high school end up being stories of the coming of age time for the main character. For Huck Finn this is no exception. Throughout his journey along the river he changes as a person from being a boy to a man. He starts out as a carefree and uncivilized boy attempting to break free from the constrains of civilization. He takes nothing seriously and everything is a temporary pleasure for him. This attitude was clearly expressed when Huck and a few of the other boys meet with Tom Sawyer to discuss creating a band of robbers. Huck readily offers up Miss Watson, one of his guardians, as a sacrifice if he broke the rules. This earlier version of Huck didn’t think twice about killing off one of his loved ones. Later however, Huck’s morality develops and he matures into a thoughtful and loyal young man who understands such things such as “…it don’t make no difference whether you do right or wrong, a person’s conscience aint got no sense,” (175). It was a few moments like that in the book that show that Huck really came of age and that he had grown up and his character had really changed. The book is yet another coming of age phenomena that young adults can relate with and should read about. Huck’s very different lifestyle may…
Huckleberry Finn, the main character of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," faces many challenges growing up. Being a runaway child of an alcoholic and abusive father, Huck encounters many obstacles. Statistics do not show a positive outlook for someone with a bad childhood. Neglected by his father, Huck smokes cigarrettes as a coping mechanism. In the article, "Child Abuse and Neglect," it states that children who have been neglected have the "inability to accurately recognize emotions in others.…
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can be read as a series of smaller stories tied together by themes of racism and hypocrisy perceived by Mark Twain in late nineteenth century Southern culture. One of these smaller stories takes place at the Grangerford plantation, where the reader is introduced to Colonel Grangerford and his three sons: Buck, Bob and Tom. The Grangerford family serves as an allegory meant to show Southern readers both the horror and the futility of hatred and violence.…
Children are born into perfect worlds, where they don’t have to worry about anything or anyone. As time goes by and life continues, they are affected by society and environment around them which allows them to think and get to their own conclusions about different aspects of the everyday life. Huck Finn is a very complex character in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." He grows as a character through many different experiences and develops consciousness throughout the novel.…
The person I am going to compare from Huck Finn is my dad and Huck’s dad. First off Huck’s dad doesn't want Huck to be well educated because he himself is not educated. Also Huck’s dad does not want him to become civilized or sophisticated. Because he does not want him to be any better than he is. Also he beats him left and right. He is hardly ever at home always out and about doing whatever.…
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel based on the journey Huck, a young boy with an abusive father, and Jim, a runaway slave, have down the Mississippi River to Free states for an end goal of freedom. Freedom means different things to both of them, to Huck freedom means to be able to do what he wants and not be “sivilized”, while Jim’s definition of freedom is being able to live in peace with his wife and children. While on their journey to freedom they develop a caring unusual friendship. There is a great deal of controversy over whether or not The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught in schools. Critics claim that the novel is an important piece of American literature and that it throws the reader into a time when slavery was lawful and accepted, and gives the reader a new perspective on slavery even if it has racial hints and discrimination. Many people including myself believe, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, should not be taught in High Schools but instead taught in college because of immaturity among students, racism, and the dark use of slavery.…