Huck Finn: The Truth In America’s History
“Neither literature nor history should be changed to be politically correct. Huckleberry Finn should be taught using appropriate historical context.” (Brinks). In the December of 1884, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is published in the United Kingdom. The novel is known as a product of the literature of its time; it’s main focus on the element of realism. It is incredibly widespread, it’s popularity gained from being one of the first books written in informal English. That popularity is still in act today, earning the novel its label of being an ‘American Classic.’ To the good people of America’s misfortune, Huck Finn is put into deliberation of its relevance in the classroom. Innumerable amounts of people question whether the book is appropriate for students because of its use of the deplorable “N-word.” In opposition of the argument, there are many aspects of the novel that provide excellent teaching moments for the children of today to be educated on. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a meaningful book that deserves its place in the American high school school curriculum because it speaks the truth of the nation’s past, provides unparalleled teaching moments and is clearly a product of realism.
History is something that cannot be changed, so there is no need to change it for appearance’s sake. In order for future generations to live on and not repeat past mistakes, teachers must be brutally
In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain in the 19th century is about a young boy named Huck Finn and Jim, a runaway slave who go on an adventure. The two travel on a raft along the Mississippi river creating a bond and making memories. Mark Twain presents Huckleberry Finn as a dynamic character who at first views Jim as property and eventually considers Jim as a friend, showing a change in maturity.
In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck struggles to conform to society’s views and expectations. Society pressures Huck Finn into earning a standard education, but through his worldly knowledge and common sense, he can view the world differently than the people around him. Through his perspective on Southern society, Huck struggles to accept the moral beliefs that have been instilled upon him at birth because he befriends an African American slave. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain effectively uses the motif of dead bodies to suggest that truth finally reveals the inconsistencies in society through Huck’s common sense.
Throughout history, and even into present times, racism appears as an all too common societal concern. From slavery and discrimination to unequal rights, African Americans’ long history of mistreatment led to the desire and craving for freedom. In Mark Twain’s adventure novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, such motives from pre-emancipation era African American slaves become evident. In the novel, the characters’ attempts to leave the shackled south for the non-restrained north in hopes of freedom become justified. By analyzing and understanding how society feels about African Americans based on the geographical locations of the Southern United States, the Mississippi River, and the Northern United States, the reader comprehends the influential drive behind the desire to escape racism.
Year after year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is placed in the top ten banned books in America. People find the novel to be oppressing and racially insensitive due to its frequent use of the n-word and the portrayal of blacks as a Sambo caricature. However, this goes against Mark Twain’s intent of bringing awareness to the racism in America. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is classified under the genre of satire and is narrated by a fictional character named Huckleberry Finn. The novel takes place in the south during the year 1845. With his abusive father, and no mother, Huck is left feeling lonely, and as if he has place to call his home. So he decides to leave town, and on in his journey where he encounters a slave he’s familiar with, Jim, who is also running away. This story captures their relationship and growth as they face many obstacles on their way to freedom. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes people’s greed and violent behavior by mocking the stereotype of southern hospitality.
In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain juxtaposed events in American society to demonstrate to the reader contrasts between different levels of class and race in society.
When one is presented with a difficult choice, two paths reveal themselves - the selfish path and the philanthropic one. Many times, unknowingly, a single choice shapes an individual and his whole future. An uninformed, impromptu decision can lead to an individual becoming infatuated with self-indulgence, even at the cost of others. Correspondingly, the same choice can lead an individual to living an altruistic lifestyle. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, the main character, is an uncivilized, carefree individual whose life is devoted to pulling pranks on others. This easy-going personality, leads him on an adventure. As he tries to escape the grasps of Miss Watson, on his journey, he is challenged
Mob mentality is the way an individual’s decisions become influenced by the often unprincipled actions of a crowd. Mark Twain penned The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain grew up in America’s southern states during the early 1800’s, a time in which moral confusion erupted within the minds of humans. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 's protagonist is a young boy named Huck who freely travels along the Mississippi River. Throughout his journey, Huck’s morality is tested as he is subjected to corrupt issues that were common in Twain 's life. One of the complications displayed in the novel includes the violent and impulsive aspects of mob mentality. Mark Twain is able to reveal the immoral nature of mob mentality through outraged and haughty tones within the novel.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an outstanding work of American literature that evokes controversies even 133 years after it’s publishing. It’s known that this novel in the past few years has been banned by several high schools regarding the use of language within the book. However in literature, English, and American history classes today, Huck Finn is still taught frequently. Contrary to opinions regarding the teachings the book in the past, I believe that high schools should include Huck Finn in our curriculum. As a student who has read the book, I believe that the use of language contributes to Mark Twain’s invention of giving a new view on works of literature. Even though the n-word, an epithet that’s been used in the book 219 times
Throughout the adventures of Huck fin it is easy to see that Huck is a heroic figure.
Mitch Albom once said, “Strangers are just family you have yet to know.” Huckleberry Finn, of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, most likely would have agreed with this statement as his personal experience proved it to be true. Finn was a young 13 year old boy who did not have a mother, but a father whom he called “pap”. Pap was an abusive and ignorant human being, and someone Finn desperately wanted to get away from. Pap being his only real family, Finn relied on the people around him, and eventually took the role of a family member with them. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain shows that anyone could be thought of as family regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or blood-relation.
Throughout Mark Twain 's novel he shows the budding of an unorthodox friendship between a runaway slave and a juvenile delinquent. Mark Twain also shows how people from too different but similar situations come together to try to free one another from their troubles. Huck And Jim Are Two you can say friends who are Trying to escape their own Troublesome lives, encountering many obstacles such as getting Jim captured and disguising as different people and much more.In the story of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim and Huck have become very close because they experience some sort of the same situations in life. Jim is a African American slave who wants to run away to make enough money so he can free his family from slavery and be a
Throughout the years, authors have been influential figures in society who push change through the use of their novels. Usually they shed light on topics that are not well discussed and/or try to correct a social norm which is unjust. In Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, slavery and racism are portrayed in a humorous light through the eyes of a child. Twain could have narrated his own story about critiquing American society, but when he uses Huck to recount, he is given the freedom to write about the obvious injustices of slavery and racial discrimination which, the South shied away from. Twain utilizes satire throughout the novel to mock the norms of society throughout the many amusing experiences Huck has with
“It 's not the size of the dog in the fight, it 's the size of the fight in the dog.” This quote said by Mark Twain directly relates to his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The story is about a young boy named Huck Finn, a small dog, who finds himself on a big and terrifying adventure that makes him fight and stand up for what he believes in every day of his journey. Twain uses the life of the young boy to display the faults of the society in which he lived in in a humorous manner with a serious undertone. He explores a range of societal norms in the novel that are viewed today as being major problems. In Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, three meaningful subjects are explored in education, cowardice, and
Although Huckleberry Finn can be brutally honest at times, it still provides readers with outstanding teaching moments throughout. The book shows just how big of an issue race was at one point in the United States. It also effectively uses Jim to show just how severe the punishment for runaway slaves was, something that many children are unaware of to this day. Besides the conflicts, the story also shows how people from two completely different backgrounds can bond with each other. In the story, friendship is represented strongly between Huck and Jim, something that those who wish to ban the book seem to ignore. In the book, Jim is nearly killed after he escapes from slavery. At this point, Huck says, “They hain’t no right to shut him up! Shove! And don’t you lose a minute. Turn him loose! He ain’t no slave; he’s as free as any cretur that walks this earth!” (Twain 289). In this quote, Twain shows that Huck and Tom do have feelings for Jim, showing that they are very caring people. If Huckleberry Finn is banned or altered, students in schools will be unable to fully comprehend the foul treatment towards those of a “lower class”. This foul treatment towards others is a valuable lesson to observe throughout the story. It allows one to experience the cruelty towards others throughout the whole story, which can be a great teaching moment for young students. Offended readers seem to want to ignore this, which again causes one to question their credibility. These readers seem to
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a controversial tale which follows a young white boy and a runaway slave on their journey along the Mississippi, has spurred large debate surrounding fundamental elements of society and has continued to entertain a wide audience for over a century. Whether it’s the humanized runaway slave, the realistic and intelligent adolescent, the outrageous characters, or perhaps the charming vernacular, this adventurous story is arguably the source of “all modern American literature” (Hemingway 22). Mark Twain, the author of such an illustrious text, is an exalted raconteur who utilized frank humor, satire, and regional culture and dialect to convey his typically negative beliefs about society and morality. His