A Close Reading of Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn: The Master of Disguise Further descriptions of characters previously mentioned are also provided, introduced or expanded upon in greater detail within the text as well. It’s no surprise when the temperament of Huck’s father is again described as a troublesome drunk with a tendency to have bad happenings follow where ever he goes. It’s quite obvious when he reunites with Huck he is out for his money and has no real affection for his son. Introduced in this section is the character Mrs. Judith Loftus. Mrs. Loftus is at first presented as one of the more sincere people in the novel who is genuinely trying to help Huck in any way possible. The irony is when she begins to discuss how her husband, whom she states will help Huck get to his destination in town safely, is attempting to hunt Jim like some sort of animal to collect reward money. It might seem odd but this was the actual irony of life in the south at this time. Although Mrs. Loftus was a kind women she didn’t see anything wrong with hunting men for reward money, another example of Twain showing the odd interworks of slavery. Bibliography: Twain, Mark. Huckleberry Finn Ch. 11. The Norton Anthology: American Literature, Volume 2 : 1865 to the Present. Shorter Seventh ed. Vol. 2. Boston: W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated, 2007. 135-36. Selected Text: "The nigger run off the very night Huck Finn was killed. So there 's a reward out for him—three dollars. And there 's a reward out for old Finn, too—two hundred dollars. You see, he come to town the morning after the murder, and told about it, and was out with 'em on the ferryboat hunt, and right away after he up and left. Before night they wanted to lynch him, but he was gone, you see. Well, next day they found out the nigger was gone; they found out he hadn 't ben seen sence ten o 'clock the night the murder was done. So then they put it on him, you see; and while they was full of it, next day, back comes old Finn, and went boo-hooing to Judge Thatcher) to get money to hunt for the nigger all over Illinois with. The judge gave him some, and that evening he got drunk, and was around till after with a couple of mighty hard-looking strangers, and then went off with them. Well, he hain 't come back sence, and they ain 't looking for him back till this thing blows over a little, for people thinks now that he killed his boy and fixed things so folks would think robbers done it, and then he 'd get Huck 's money without having to bother a long time with a lawsuit. People do say he warn 't any too good to do it. Oh, he 's sly, I reckon. If he don 't come back for a year he 'll be all right. You can 't prove anything on him, you know; everything will be quieted down then, and he 'll walk in Huck 's money as easy as nothing." "Yes, I reckon so, 'm. I don 't see nothing in the way of it. Has everybody guit thinking the nigger done it?" "Oh, no, not everybody. A good many thinks he done it. But they 'll get the nigger pretty soon now, and maybe they can scare it out of him."

Bibliography: Twain, Mark. Huckleberry Finn Ch. 11. The Norton Anthology: American Literature, Volume 2 : 1865 to the Present. Shorter Seventh ed. Vol. 2. Boston: W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated, 2007. 135-36. Selected Text: "The nigger run off the very night Huck Finn was killed. So there 's a reward out for him—three dollars. And there 's a reward out for old Finn, too—two hundred dollars. You see, he come to town the morning after the murder, and told about it, and was out with 'em on the ferryboat hunt, and right away after he up and left. Before night they wanted to lynch him, but he was gone, you see. Well, next day they found out the nigger was gone; they found out he hadn 't ben seen sence ten o 'clock the night the murder was done. So then they put it on him, you see; and while they was full of it, next day, back comes old Finn, and went boo-hooing to Judge Thatcher) to get money to hunt for the nigger all over Illinois with. The judge gave him some, and that evening he got drunk, and was around till after with a couple of mighty hard-looking strangers, and then went off with them. Well, he hain 't come back sence, and they ain 't looking for him back till this thing blows over a little, for people thinks now that he killed his boy and fixed things so folks would think robbers done it, and then he 'd get Huck 's money without having to bother a long time with a lawsuit. People do say he warn 't any too good to do it. Oh, he 's sly, I reckon. If he don 't come back for a year he 'll be all right. You can 't prove anything on him, you know; everything will be quieted down then, and he 'll walk in Huck 's money as easy as nothing." "Yes, I reckon so, 'm. I don 't see nothing in the way of it. Has everybody guit thinking the nigger done it?" "Oh, no, not everybody. A good many thinks he done it. But they 'll get the nigger pretty soon now, and maybe they can scare it out of him."