Free Essays - Development of Theme in Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Development of Theme in Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he uses

several different themes. His themes help to portray the meaning and

message of the novel. Twain's major theme in the novel is man's inhumanity

to man. He develops this theme through the inhumane actions of Pap toward

Huck, the dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls, and

the betrayal of Jim for money by the King and the Duke.

Twain uses the inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck to help develop

the major theme of his novel. "' I'll take you down a peg before I get

done with you'" (20). This quote shows how man is inhuman to other men,

even if they are related and supposed to love each other. Pap talks and

acts mean towards Huck, even though Huck is his own son. Not only is Pap

mentally abusive toward Huck, but he is also physically abusive toward him.

"But by and by pap got too handy with his hick'ry, and I couldn't stand it.

I was all over welts"(24). The way that Pap treats Huck shows the

inhumanity of man toward other men and helps to develop the major theme of

the novel.

The dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the Wilkes girls

also help to develop the major theme of the novel. The Duke and the King

take their cruelty to another level because they steal and lie to the

Wilkes girls, who are left all alone with no parents.

And not sell the rest o' the property? March off

like a passel of fools and leave eight or nine

thous'n' dollars' worth o' property layin' around

jest sufferin' to be scooped in?-and all good,

salable stuff, too. (170-171)

The Duke and the King are so inhumane that they will go as far as stealing

from three innocent girls. "And he said of course him and William would

take the girls home with them"(176). Not only do the Duke and the King

steal money from the girls, but they also lie to them about bringing them

to England just so they can have more money.

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