Examples Of Satire In Huck Finn

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Recommended: The adventures of huckleberry Finn an analysis

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was one his most acclaimed works to be censored from the public for its controversial nature. Its main purpose was to show the culture and lifestyle in the 19th-century American frontier society. When Twain wrote Huck Finn, the civil war had ended and slavery had been abolished, however, there was still moral and racial tension regarding the treatment of ex-slaves. Throughout the novel, Mark Twain uses satire to mock the lifestyles of people and overall different aspects of American society. In doing so, Twain showcases how hypocritical some Americans can be when it comes to certain issues mainly race relations.
To begin with, when it comes to slavery the author Mark Twain is no stranger to it. …show more content…

In chapter XIII Huck and Jim get involved in a sticky situation with a gang of murderers on a shipwreck. The duo manages to steal the gang’s boat to escape the danger but Huck feels morally obligated to help the gang as he does not want to be responsible for their deaths. Huck finds a steamboat captain and makes up a story in order to receive his aid (Pg. 100-104.) During Huck and Jim’s adventure Huck fools a lot of people to come to his aid just like in the shipwreck accident. Mark Twain exemplifies that people never bother to question the information that is being provided to them and they are easily fooled. This brings up the point that gullible people are to blame for their own deception. Twain mocks the gullibility of civilized society when they continue to be duped by different characters in Huck Finn.
Moving Forward, Twain is anything but subtle with his regards to racism in Huck Finn. In chapter VI Huck’s father (Pap) curses the government when he takes notice of a particular fellow who happens to be of mixed race in town. Pap is disgusted that such a man is able to roam free he states “when they told me there was a state in this country where they’d let a nigger vote, I drawed out….I’ll never vote again” (Pg.38). Pap would give up his own right to vote just to spite black people. Twain uses Pap to display how there are people in society who are willfully …show more content…

When Huck finds out he has been duped by the King and Duke and Jim has been sold to slave traders Huck goes on a mission to set Jim free stating “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” as his proclamation. Even though society tells him that is the wrong choice Huck believes betraying someone as good as Jim is a worse fate than going to hell. Huck’s transition from prejudice to acceptance of Jim gives light to the immoral act that is slavery.
This was another subtle attack on religion by Twain. How can something such as religion claim to be good and loving in spirit when it punishes a person for freeing a man from slavery? Huck basically has to renounce religion in order to save his fellow man. Huck has to put his own set of beliefs in order to make the morally right choice. Twain continues to satirize society and ridicules it for being so ignorant.
In conclusion, Mark twain shares his beliefs about human nature, religion, and racism that surrounded the nation in his period. He uses satire in order to criticize and mock the hypocrisy of the 19th-century society. He also humanizes Jim as the story develops making the readers witness the suffering he had to go through because of racial segregation. Mark Twain did a good job displaying how Huck confronted many evils and how his victories will help in taking the first step in changing

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