Twain's Use Of Hypocrisy In Huckleberry Finn

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain uses Huck Finn’s point of view to tell this classic coming of age story. Twain chose this instead of Jim’s point of view or that of an omniscient narrator so as to make his statement on the society that he lived in more palatable, at first, and eventually more shocking and condemning. Like The book’s predecessor, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn was originally supposed to be light hearted fun, in which a Huck Finn, a naive but clever boy, goes on a daring, sometimes comical, adventure. However, after a four year hiatus from the novel, Twain began to write a much darker and profound story; he pushes the boundaries and shows the inner struggles of a young, white boy over the humanity of

While Twain’s exact religious views are unknown, it is blatantly obvious that Twain despised organized religion and believed that so many people did not “practice what they preach.” The first noticeable example of hypocrisy in the book is Miss Watson; she seeks to instruct Huck on the goodness and love of Christianity and benefits of prayer, but when Huck looks to her for understanding of prayer she scoffs and calls him a fool rather than teaching. She also sets up Huck’s view of heaven as a boring and selective place that excludes the poor. The Widow is also similar in hypocrisy. At one point she chastises Huck for smoking, calling it a “mean practice” that “wasn’t clean,” but then she turns around and uses snuff. Another profound episode in the book is that of the Grangerfords and Shepards. The two families are constantly attempting to kill each other; even going as far as to involve fourteen year old boys in the conflicts. However, whenever attending Church they act civil towards each other, but never putting their rifles more than an arm’s length away. During the Church scene it was especially ironic that the sermon was about brotherly love yet the two families refuse to make amends. They are even presented with the opportunity to bring their families together through the marriage of their progeny, yet they they are so bull headed that neither side will acquiesce.

Jim is a former slave of Miss Watson who decided to run away when he heard her discussing his possible sale to a plantation owner further south, those of which were notoriously labor intensive. While on the run Jim and Huck run into each other on an island that they are hiding out on. After being there for a few weeks, Huck discovers that people might be coming to the island to search for him; Huck races back and says to Jim that people are “after us.” The word “us” is extremely significant because nobody is actually after Huck; they that he is dead. In reality, Huck admires Jim and sees him as the father figure that he has never had, even though he would never admit it. Huck’s lack of a stable father, and when he is there he is often abusing him, leaves a large void to be filled and this allows for it. Jim is very caring and loving; he constantly worries for Huck’s health and safety, often taking Huck’s watch on the river so that he can sleep. He is always calling Huck honey and