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Adventures of huckleberry finn literary analysis
Critical analysis of the adventure of huckleberry Finn
Adventures of huckleberry finn literary analysis
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Essay
Going through the motions of life is much like going to the movie theater and walking into a random booth. One doesn’t know what to expect or what will come of any given experience, but like both life and which ever movie one paid $8.50 to watch, they come to an end. If life inevitably comes to an end what is the point of living life if not for the journey that is life itself. Living life is a journey everybody experiences and everybody experiences their own personal journey completely differently. For this reason having a journey of some sort is a very popular theme, that is present in in many works of literature, spanning from books to poems. Such works whose themes incorporate some sort of journey include, The Adventures of Huckleberry
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Finn, Siddhartha, and the short poem “Riveted.” What all of these works of literature have in common is that a journey, whether that journey happens to be physical or spiritual, is present in each. Journeys are important themes in many works, but it is possible to have two journeys in a book and the main idea be about those journeys without changing themes. That happens to be the case in the american classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The novel’s main character Huckleberry Finn embarks on a journey to escape his abusive father and ends up with Jim, who is an escaped slave, and together they flow down the Mississippi river. This journey with Jim is both a physical and moral one for Huck and those two are the themes. Perhaps the easiest theme to recognize is Huck’s physical journey across the book. In this instance, the physical journey refers to the changes in setting and actual traveling being done and has nothing to do with how shredded Huck can get. Regardless, Huck and Jim travel for many days and many miles and along the way they meet a plethora of interesting characters. The dynamic duo visit many places and they never arrive at their intended destination, but instead drift along the Mississippi. The other, more discrete journey found in the book involves Huck and how he progresses and changes morally.
At the beginning of the novel, Huck is introduced as a charismatic and childish lad, who does silly things with his friends like form gangs and raid picnics. As the book continues, Huck starts becoming more mature and conscious of various conflicts that are present in the society in which he lives in. Such conflicts include extreme prejudice and violence, arrogance, and slavery. Throughout the book, Huck states that certain events he happened to witness will “ stay with me forever,” and these events and points in the book serve to show how much Huck has progressed morally. The first of the events that show the progress in Huck's morally journey is the death of Buck, a boy about Huck’s age who befriends Huck after his family takes Huck in as one of their own. Buck’s family, the Grangerfords had a longstanding feud with another family the Shepherdsons and part of the feud is because instead of working out their problems out like rational human beings, they kill one another in cold blood. One day Huck is out in the woods and he stumbles onto the corpse of his friend Buck, lying lifeless on the river bank surrounded in blood. Seeing his friend dead on the ground made Huck aware of the pointless and destructive harm humans are capable of inflicting on each other. The second event that Huck will never forget is witnessing a family of slaves get separated. The family of …show more content…
slaves was picked apart by bidders and in the end the family of unfortunate slaves ended up separated. Emotions ran high and it is at the auction that Huck realized that slaves are also human. The society in which Huck lives looks down at slaves as nothing more than property with no feelings or human instincts. Huck in turn realizes that slaves are human and love each other and have human emotions, because they are human. Huck begins to realize that he doesn’t think like the rest of society since he lives, respects and loves Jim in a fatherly way, and other people see slaves as property that can be bought and traded. Huck doesn’t immediately warm up to the idea of not having the same views as society and blames his bad upbringings. In spite of this, Huck begins to not care if he is against the people of society. This is most evident when Huck passes up the opportunity to turn Jim. Throughout the book, Huck does consider turning Jim in since he feels bad for Jim’s owner Mrs. Watson and gets a couple opportunities to do so, but backs out every single time. Huck gets one last opportunity to turn Jim in to Mrs. Watson, when Jim is captured and jailed. Huck tries to avoid Jim from getting hanged, since Jim is still an escaped slave, and decides to write a letter to Mrs. Watson telling her where Jim was so she could retrieve him. Huck then begins to think about what the consequences would be for Jim and after reflecting for a while, he exclaims, “Alright, I’ll go to hell”(191) and tears the letter to shreds. This part is important since it is the peak or end of Huck's moral development throughout the novel and it serves to show how far Huck has come. Huck states that he’ll go to hell not as expression, but he truly believes what he is doing is wrong according to his society. Huck’s moral development is rather strange because he sees the horrors and cruelty of slavery and he knows that that is wrong, but thinks that even though slavery is wrong, his society is still right and he is a bad child because he doesn’t buy into that. Regardless, Huck trashes the letter and devises a plan to break Jim out of incarceration. By attempting to free Jim, Huck shows that he respects and loves Jim enough to try to set him free at the risk of his own freedom. From the beginning of their journey Huck and Jim form a father-son bond and Jim impacts hoe Huck develops morally. Through this bond with Jim, Huck begins to mature and understand the cruelty and injustices of slavery that everybody in Huck’s society doesn’t see or chooses not to see. Huck states, “It shows how a body can see and don’t see at the same time ”( 207). This quote shows how Huck is one tier higher than his society since he doesn’t pretend and sees things as they are. The journey Huck embarked on took him to many places and allowed him to meet new faces, but it also allowed for Huck to mature morally and that too is a journey. Much like Huck Finn, a young man named Siddhartha, embarks on his own journey. Like Huck Finn, Siddhartha leaves his home and heads out into the world on a journey. Siddhartha is the main character in Herman Hesse’s novel titled Siddhartha, and unlike Huck, Siddhartha has a very specific goal in mind when he sets out on his journey with his close friend Govinda. While Siddhartha’s journey is physical, it also is a spiritual one as he searches for enlightenment and wishes to achieve Nirvana. Govinda and Siddhartha travel together for a couple of years, and in that time they meet The Holy One, Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha. Shortly after this encounter Govinda decides to stay and learn from the Buddha, in an attempt to find enlightenment, and then the old friends part ways. Siddhartha in turn, decides to live among the people of the city and see if he can learn anything from them. Siddhartha becomes a wealthy merchant among the “ Childlike people”and little by little, crumbles to material feelings and temptations. At this point Siddhartha is no closer to achieving Nirvana, so he searches for a teacher. He is promised by Kamala, a courtesan, the secretes of love and Siddhartha has an affair with her. From Kamala, Siddhartha learned and saw how other people loved each other blindly and passionately, and that moment in time he fails to understand the “Childlike people.” Saturated with many riches and possessions he doesn’t need, Siddhartha becomes disgusted at himself for allowing himself to give into temptations, and considers drowning himself in a river. However, Siddhartha is calmed by the slow flow of the river, and decides he wants to stay near the river. He becomes a ferryman and ferries many faces and he leaned their stories. Siddhartha also learned from the river, including the cycles and miracles of life, Siddhartha begins to find new light in these teachings and finally understands the lives of the “ Childlike people.” He learned that love and acceptance or willingness to listen and learn from others was the key to enlightenment. Siddhartha states,”When someone is seeking...it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything...because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal”(113). Siddhartha realizes that he had become so obsessed with reaching Nirvana, that he neglected the little things in life and it wasn’t until he accepted this that his journey begins to end. Siddhartha sees the flaws in his life, but through this many experiences and teachings, Siddhartha finally finds what he’d been looking for, Enlightenment, and that is were his spiritual journey ends. The past literary works have demonstrated that when some one sets out on a journey, things don’t always go as expected.
This appears to be the case in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and in Siddhartha. The short poem, “Riveted” by Robyn Sarah sum up this theme pertaining to the journey. The poem describes life in general as, unexpected and unpredictable, and one doesn't know what stage of one's life one is in. What if tomorrow was one’s last day of being alive? Nobody knows when or where one will quit breathing. This is evident in the part of the poem that states,” It is possible that we are past the middle
now.”
The use of violence used by Twain in his novel is when Huck and his friend, an escaped slave Jim, are separated from one another after a storm on the river. Huck survives the storm and swims to shore. He then finds the Grangerford’s household and stays with the family. Because of Huck’s positions he is stuck in the middle of a feud the Grangerfords have with an opposing family, the Shepherdsons. Huck time spent with the Grangerfords causes him to grow a close relationship with Buck but while fighting with the other family, Buck is shot right in front of Huck and dies in the river. "I ain't a-going to tell all that happened- it would make me sick again if I was to do that," (Twain 115). The violence portrayed in this scene is horrifying that
Society has always denounced the acts of death and children running away from their homes. Huck can be seen as a morbid child as he is always talking about death and murder. Society would rather not have anything to do with people who have such a melancholic outlook on life. Living with years of torment by his drunkard father, Pap, Huck feared the day he would return to daunt his life. When Pap does return, he seizes Huck and drags him to a secluded cabin where Huck is boarded inside and unable to leave: This is where the dilemma occurs. In this position, Huck has a decision to make, either take note to the morals of society and listen to his conscience, which will result in more added years of pain and anguish from Pap, or Huck can listen to his heart and do what he thinks is best.
He gets into all sorts of conflicts that force him to battle and work his way out of them, and in turn, they propel his moral position’s evolvement. It is especially hard on Huck when it comes time to resolving moral dilemmas. He is always stuck between making his own moral decisions, be it conventional or not, or allowing influencers, his father, the widow, and society, to make the decisions for him. He can never let go of the guilt associated with taking the unconventional path and rejecting what society upholds because that is all he has ever been taught in his life. That is why it is hard to apologize to Jim at first, but given time Huck is able to muster the courage to do so because that is the right thing to do even when society says so otherwise. The same goes for helping a slave, such as Jim, escape to a free state where he can find the opportunity to reunite with his family. Ultimately, he violates the demands of society to do what is right and not contribute to the enslavement of another human being. And it is not until the end of the novel that Huck no longer views his decisions as moral failings, but instead as moral triumph because he stayed true to himself and not once did he allow society to dictate his
A hero puts other people before themselves and is admired for their qualities, courage, and achievements. A hero obtains knowledge throughout their journey of helping and healing. From Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry begins his journey with his first dilemma to save a slave, Jim. Huckleberry Finn begins to transform into a courageous hero when he learns the value of a human being.
“Make the best o’ things the way you find ‘em, says I-that’s my motto. This ain’t no bad thing that we’ve struck here-plenty grub and an easy life-come, give us your hand, duke, and let’s all be friends” (Twain 124). Although this excerpt was taken from a con man in the story, it is an important quotation that is not to be overlooked. Twain wrote characters that have all faced oppression, such as Huck growing up with a complicated family life, or Jim who isn’t even treated as a human. But they all overcame their adversity, had remarkable attitudes, and found their personal freedom within the raft. Huck has had a childhood that has been anything but ordinary. He starts out in the home of the Widow Douglas and her sister who both try to civilize
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
When the middle of the novel comes around Huck begins to distinguish what is right and wrong in life and begins to mature and do the right thing. He shows this when he chooses not to partake in the scam that the King and the Duke are playing on the Wilks family. Instead he takes the money back from the King and Duke to hide it because he believes it is only fair to the family. "I'm letting him rob her of her money...I feel so ornery and low...I got to steal that money somehow; and I got to steal it some way that they wont suspicion I done it" (Twain 133) This shows that Huck is starting to see the line between games and real life.
During the course of life, one must experience different changes or actions that will mold us into the person we will become. It could be as little as receiving the 1st "F" on a test or the passing away of a loved one and they all add up to some kind of importance. Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare has Hamlet, the protagonist, struggling through life to find his true self and strives to get hold of his spot in life. However, he is always inhibited to seek vengeance for his father's unlawful death.
The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been called many things, over the years, by critics and scholars. Along with the plethora of criticism about its’ depiction of slavery and its’ use of the word “nigger”, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the father of all American Literature. This high praise is puzzling, considering all its’ faults coupled with its’ unsatisfying ending. However upon a deeper examination of the text itself a parallel emerges among The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the classic Greek epics. In both novels an epic journey is employed by the author to provide a moral education to the main character, as well as shaping the plot and adding meaning to the story as a whole. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the physical journey is what makes the book a classic, it not only provides a moral schooling for Huck, and it is a safe sanctuary for Huck and Jim against the ills of 18th century America.
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.
At the beginning of the tale, Huck struggles between becoming ?sivilized? and doing what he pleases. He doesn?t want to listen to the rules that the Widow Douglas and her sister force upon him, even though he knows the widow only wants what is best for him. Miss Watson pushes Huck away from society even more through the way she treats him. She teaches him religion in such a dreary way that when she speaks of heaven and hell, Huck would rather go to hell than be in heaven with her: ?And she told all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there?I couldn?t see no advantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind I wouldn?t try for it? (12-13). Huck is taught a very different kind of morality by his father who believes ?it warn?t no harm to borrow things, if you was meaning to pay them back?? (70). He likes his father?s idea of morality better because he is not yet mature enough to fully understand right and wrong, although living with the widow...
Subsequently, Huck continues his journey down the river to another town where he suddenly finds himself staying with the Grangerfords. Huck soon befriends a boy named Buck who tells him all about the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons. Both have been fighting for over 30 years but neither of them know exactly why they are battling each other. Buck explains, ??but they don?t know now what the row was about in the first place?(180). The tribal ware fare of the families is suppressed with religion.
While living on the island he meets Jim who was a slave but Huck soon learns that he has ran off and now in the process of making his way up north to Canada. Here Huck is faced along with his first tough decision, to go with Jim and help him, or just go and tell the officials of a runaway slave and get the reward. Huck reluctantly joins Jim and promises him to get him to free land for the sake of a good adventure but he still feels guilty to be conversing with a runaway slave let alone help him escape. Along the way Huck has many challenges, which are just like this one. This is truly remarkable for a child to be able to break away from the influence of society and go with his heart and do what is right especially when it was considered wrong.
...egan, and the purpose of the journey is pondered. Tolkien’s work carries the argument of why God created mankind mortal, and on the road and during the journey, the purpose and destination is not always clarified. These questions that Tolkien presents do not always have an answer. He is neither a real pessimist nor optimist in the ending, instead he is realistic that there will always be the possibility for evil in the world. Past generations can attempt to rid the world of evil to make the future a better place, but it is inevitable that each generation will have to continue the fight for good. Tolkien recognizes the necessity of mortality and death in his poetry so that life can continue on in others. The end of one life or journey is always the beginning of another.
The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an extremely important work of literature that addresses many world problems such as: poverty, race relations, and our role in society. Although some of these issues are not as prevalent today as they were in the 1880s, the novel still sends an important satirical message to anyone who is willing hear this story. This essay will analyze Huckleberry Finn and its relation to society today; the main issues that are addressed include: Huckleberry’s growth as a moral and upstanding person, race relations between African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans including Huck’s relation to Jim and the issue of slavery, the role of society and an analysis of Huck’s role in society and society’s role in Huckleberry’s personality.