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Analysis essay character of huckleberry finn
Analysis of adventures of huckleberry finn
Mark Twain life and work
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“It takes either a miracle or a tragedy to change someone.” –Unknown. This quote is very true and the character development in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn proves it. As the story progresses, the reader will see many changes not only in how Huck acts, but also how he thinks, despite how uneducated he may have seemed in the beginning. Though, in reality, it’s possible for anyone to change.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, takes place before the American Civil War and talks about a young boy who fakes his death in order to escape his abusive father and start a new life. Along the way however, Huck ends up being stuck with a fugitive slave called Jim and together, they avoid authorities searching for them and ironically,
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at the same time, make their way down south. In the beginning, Huck makes it clear that he’s against the Abolitionists and makes racist teases towards Jim because so far, he’s been taught that it’s okay to do so towards African-Americans. Near the end however, Huck realizes that what he said before was wrong which shows that in dire situations, anyone can change their thoughts. Unfortunately, even though changing someone sounds easy, it’s quite the opposite. Most people feel strongly about their opinions because they think that what they believe is right. So, when someone comes along and tells them that everything they believe is wrong, it does nothing except bias them further; and that’s pretty much how it is with Huck and Jim. Before teaming up with Jim, Huck’s only source of “education” is Pap. He’s told that being racist towards African- Americans is all right and that the Abolitionists are bad. After he spends some time with Jim though, he begins to learn that discriminating people simply because of how they were born is wrong and starts to become more accepting towards Jim. When Huck realizes how important freedom is, he decides to escape from Pap.
In order to do so, he hunts down a pig and spreads its blood all over his house and also on an axe to make it seem as if he were murdered. Then, he proceeds to put a few strands of his air on the blade before dragging the pig’s body down to the river and leaving a trail of blood behind. After escaping, Huck finds himself on a small island that Jim just so happens to be hiding on as well. "Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? En you ain' dead—you ain' drownded—you's back agin? It's too good for true, honey, it's too good for true. Lemme look at you chile, lemme feel o' you. No, you ain' dead! you's back agin, 'live en soun', jis de same ole Huck—de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness!" …show more content…
(p.83) From there, the two of them help each other avoid people searching for them as they travel towards the south in hopes of finding freedom. Along the way however, Huck and Jim run into many obstacles as well as meet new characters and find themselves in new towns. Many of these obstacles have to do with racism, deceit, and whatnot. “I hain’t got no money. ‘It’s a lie. Judge Thatcher’s got it. You git it. I want it.’ ‘I hain’t got no money, I tell you. You ask Judge Thatcher; he’ll tell you the same.” (p.20) As the two of them fight through this obstacles, they begin to bond more and more and Huck starts to understand that being around people who help you no matter what is important, especially in dangerous situations. “Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.” (p.231) At the end of the book, it’s clear that Huck has changed and that his mind thinks differently about not only Jim, but about people in general.
“I mean every word I say, Aunt
Sally, and if somebody don’t go, I’ll go. I’ve knowed him all his life, and so has Tom there. Old Miss Watson died two months ago, and she was ashamed she ever was going to sell him down the river, and said so; and she set him free in her will.” (p.289)
This quote shows that Huck sees slaves as human beings now and believes that they should be able to live freely as white men do. He doesn’t know exactly why he wants to set Jim free, but he knows that it’s the right thing to do. “Well, that is the question, I must say; and just like women! Why, I wanted the adventure of it; and I’d ‘a’ waded neck-deep in blood to—goodness alive; AUNT POLLY!” (p.290)
As for their journey to freedom, it may be a while until Huck literally becomes free of his family and his town, but mentally he is extremely independent and is able to take care of himself without relying on the people around him for help. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t help a good friend in need. “Sometimes you gwyne to git hurt, en sometimes you gwyne to git sick; but every time you's gwyne to git well agin.”
(p.18)
Why would anyone in his or her right mind even think about freeing a slave? Everyone in the society was telling Huck that slaves were no more than ones property, but Huck began to question this belief when he got to know the property for who it really was. During the story there are many times when Huck feels an obligation to turn Jim in to the authorities and just get on with his life, but his conscience kept telling him that this man is a real person. Near the end of the story, Jim was stuck in a holding cell, since he had run away. After much consideration of the situation, Huck decides that he wants to free Jim because he believes that he shouldn't be treated that way. Even though the entire town believes that Jim should be contained and treated like property, Huck still sticks to his morals and goes along with the plan that could get him in trouble or even killed. At the end of the story we find out that Jim had always been free, and we now find Huck's actions to be heroic and noble.
Huck grows more apologetic upon the next prank he pulls on Jim. While traveling on the river, Huck and Jim reach a point in their path where a dense fog rolls in, causing them to lose their way and get separated from each other. Huck takes advantage of the opportunity given by this natural event and decides to play another trick on Jim (94). However, Jim did not handle it too well since he is worried sick. This post fog scene is one of many turning points of Huck’s moral development. He knows that it was wrong of him to make a fool of Jim because it made him feel so mean that he could kiss Jim’s foot (95). Although Huck did not mean it in a literal sense, what he said is powerful because he would have to bend over and lie close to the ground
Upon arriving at Cairo, Huck must decide if he should go along with society and turn Jim in as a runaway slave, or keep his promise to his friend, and see him through to freedom. Huck feels guilty not turning Jim in when he hears him talking about hiring an abolitionist to steal his family. He does not think it is right to help take away slaves from people that he doesn 't even know. To turn Jim in for these reasons would be the influence of society on Huck. Huck 's decision on this matter marks another major step in Huck 's moral progression, because he decides not to turn in Jim on his own. This is the first time he makes a decision all on his own based on his own morality. They stop at Grangerford’s Farm, in Tennessee, after the raft is temporality destroyed. With Huck busy with the Grangerford family, Jim was able to rebuild the raft. Huck just met the Grangerfords, but fits right in immediately. He later feels that someone should take the time to write poetry about Emmeline Grangerford, recently deceased, since she always took the time to write about other people who died. He even tries to write the poetry himself, but it doesn 't turn out right. Then he also sees people shooting at each other makes him sick to his stomach. He sees it as an act against humanity and he simply cannot relate or understand how humans can treat each other in such an uncivil
Many words the book contains are full of vivid disgust towards black slaves. Every single line talks about how white people despise and refuse to accept the black race. Answering Aunt Sally's question about whether or not anyone is hurt Huck answers, "no mum, just killed a nigger."(Twain 213) This is the one and only acceptable way to talk about black people in the "white" society. In addition to this, not only is the black people treated differently from the white, they are also considered to be one's property. "He is the only property I have," (Twain 122) Huck is perforce to say in order to save Jim. This is the only way to get through without the essence of suspicions. Though Huck shows racism in public as society teaches him, deep inside he understands that Jim is a great person. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people then looks and race, showing the importance of beliefs and character.
In his own words, Mark Twain stated, "a book of mine where a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision. And the conscience suffer defeat!" Huck has both a "sound heart" and a "deformed conscience," and the heart overcomes his conscience. His sound heart can be seen when he returns to Jackson Island after disguising himself as a girl. Huck rushes to Jim and says, "Git up and hump yourself, Jim! There ain't a minute to lose. They're after us!" (62). The townspeople are really looking for Jim, but Huck tells Jim that they are after "us.
Huckleberry Finn – The Changes of His Character Throughout the Novel. & nbsp; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is a novel about a young man's search for identity. Huckleberry Finn goes through some changes and learns some life lessons throughout his journey. Huck changes from being just an immature boy at the beginning of the novel to being a more mature man who looks at things from a different perspective now. & nbsp; At the beginning of the novel, Huck tends to have an immature side to him. There are some things in the beginning that show that Huck still has a very childish side to him. They get down on one thing when they don't know anything about it."
In lieu of his escape, Jim emphasized his feelings of becoming a free man. Jim said it made him all over trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom (p. 238). Huck came to the realization that Jim was escaping for a far different reason than he, and began to see this “nigger’s” freedom as his own fault; he was an accomplice. Huck’s conscience became plagued by the fact that Jim was escaping the custody of his rightful owner, and he was doing nothing to stop this. In Huck’s eyes, Jim was essentially the property of poor old Ms. Watson, who didn’t do anything less than teach Jim his manners and his books. Altogether, Huck felt that he was doing wrong by concealing this, and felt miserable to say the least.
... he now realizes that stealing property is bad. Since Huck and Tom, although in a drawn-out manner, free Jim it is implied that he regards Jim as a fellow human being, not a slave. Showing Huck this equality and fostering a friendship between him and Jim could only be done by this kind of physical journey, as the idea of equality was only in its infancy at the time and had not taken root with any southerner.
Ransomed? Whats that???.. it means that we keep them till they're dead (10). This dialogue reflects Twains witty personality. Mark Twain, a great American novelist, exploits his humor, realism, and satire in his unique writing style in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain, born in 1835, wrote numerous books throughout his lifetime. Many of his books include humor; they also contain deep cynicism and satire on society. Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, exemplifies his aspects of writing humor, realism, and satire throughout the characters and situations in his great American novel.
Throughout the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main character, Huck goes through major changes. The story is set before the Civil War in the South. Huck is a child with an abusive father who kidnaps him from, Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, the people he was living with. He eventually escapes from his father and finds Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave. As Huck travels with Jim, Huck begins to realize that Jim is more than a piece of property. During the travel down the river, Huck makes many decisions that reflect his belief that Jim deserves the same rights he has. Because of these realizations, Huck chooses to do the right thing in many instances. Some of these instances where Huck does the right thing instead of society’s version of the right thing include, Huck apologizing to Jim, not turning Jim in, and tearing up the letter he was going to send to Miss Watson.
In the beginning, Huckleberry Finn hasn?t fully formed opinions on topics such as slavery. He is quite immature and content to just have ?adventures? with his friends. During his journey on the raft, he learns much more about himself through his dealings with others. He establishes his very own standards of right and wrong. Huck?s most important lessons are learned through Jim. He learns to see Jim as a person rather than as a slave: ?I knowed he was white inside? (263). More than any other character in the book, Jim is a catalyst for Huck?s maturity. Through Jim as well as other people he meets along the way, Huck becomes a more defined person who?s more fully himself. His development through the course of the novel proves The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to be a gradual journey toward growth and maturity.
Huck Finn, a narcissistic and unreliable young boy, slowly morphs into a courteous figure of respect and selflessness. After Pap abducts the young and civilized Huck, Huck descends into his old habits of lies and half-truths. However, upon helping a runaway slave escape, Huck regains morality and a sense of purpose. Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck lies to characters, casting the authenticity of the story into doubt but illustrating Huck’s gradual rejection of lying for himself and a shift towards lying for others.
Jim gets captured by Mr. Phelps, thus separating Huck and Jim. Huck debates on what he should do in this situation, whether he should write Miss Watson a letter telling her that Jim has been captured or go on his own to figure out how to free Jim himself. Huck writes out a letter to Miss Watson telling her he’s been captured. ‘“It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: All right, then, I’ll go to hell-and tore it up”’ (Twain 206). Huck does this because he remembers all the wonderful things Jim has done for Huck and how great of a friend Jim has been to him. Huck also would rather go to hell than have Jim captured, even though he knows it is wrong religiously, he does not care because his conscience is telling him to go free Jim out of slavery. Huck makes this sacrifice for Jim because of their relationship. Huck also knows it is wrong, but his conscience is leading him towards being a good friend to Jim because of the race issues he knows he has to free Jim.
Huck Finn learns from the actions of people around him, what kind of a person he is going to be. He is both part of the society and an outlier of society, and as such he is given the opportunity to make his own decisions about what is right and what is wrong. There are two main groups of characters that help Huck on his journey to moral maturation. The first group consists of Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, and the judge. They portray society and strict adherence to rules laid out by authority. The second group consists of Pap, the King, and the Duke. They represent outliers of society who have chosen to alienate themselves from civilized life and follow no rules. While these characters all extremely important in Huck’s moral development, perhaps the most significant character is Jim, who is both a fatherly figure to Huck as well as his parallel as far as limited power and desire to escape. Even though by the end of the novel, Huck still does not want to be a part of society, he has made a many choices for himself concerning morality. Because Huck is allowed to live a civilized life with the Widow Douglas, he is not alienated like his father, who effectively hates civilization because he cannot be a part of it. He is not treated like a total outsider and does not feel ignorant or left behind. On the other hand, because he does not start out being a true member of the society, he is able to think for himself and dismiss the rules authority figures say are correct. By the end of the novel, Huck is no longer a slave to the rules of authority, nor is he an ignorant outsider who looks out only for himself. This shows Huck’s moral and psychological development, rendering the description of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” as a picaresq...
In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you meet a rebellious young teen named Huck Finn. Huck is not your everyday hero, especially in the beginning of the novel, but slowly through the story his mature, responsible side comes out and he shows that he truly is the epitome of a hero. Huck is forced to make many crucial decisions, which could get him in serious trouble if not get him killed. Huck has natural intelligence, has street smarts, which are helpful along his adventures, and is assertive. Huck has always had to rely on himself to get through things because he is from the lowest levels of white society and his dad is known more or less as the "town drunk."