Huckleberry Finn Reading Response Essay

Reading Response Journal (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)

“I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones, too, a little bit” (15). Growing up, Huck Finn has been exposed to contrasting lifestyles, most notably nonconformist when living with Pap, and orderly and educated while living with the widow and Miss Watson. While the widow and Miss Watson take care of Huck, they try to civilize him by teaching manners, providing an education, and exposing him to religious practices. However, their efforts are nearly destroyed when Huck comes under the influence of Pap once again. In contrast, Pap is an alcoholic who constantly runs from place to place trying to get money to fuel his addiction. These two separate backgrounds, not only shape Huck as a person and influence the decisions

During his stay with the widow and Miss Watson, the sisters respectably force Huck to practice religion along with them. He is rather resistant to the exercises and ideas at first because he doesn’t understand how they are helping him, and prefers his old care-free nature. “...Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it.” (10). As this quote indicates, Huck is discouraged by the results, but nevertheless is stuck with the constant reinforcement of religion. Also, after much nagging, Huck agrees to wear the nice clothes they provide instead of his favored rags, and even stops cussing. However, as soon as he is under the control of Pap again, he drifts back to his old habits. “Two months… and I didn’t see how I’d ever got to like it so well at the widow's, where you had to wash, and eat on a plate, and comb up, and go to bed and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book,,,” (24). After he finally manages to escape from Pap’s