...Should Huck Finn be Banned Throughout history there have been various books banned. From religious books like the Bible to books like The Diary Of Anne Frank and the list goes on and on. However the book “ Huck Finn” should not be one of the books added to this list. For a couple of reasons like the life lessons taught in the book, the ability for the author to right about there surrounding, and to see a perspective of a slave trying to escape to freedom. Which leeds me to believe that Huck Finn should not be banned. We all have those moments in life where we do something wrong and learn from it. Just like the life lessons Huck Finn learned on his journey to help free Jim. For instance in chapter 15, page 94, and paragraphs 2 and 3 the author...
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...color of one’s skin. In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, racism brutally appears in Mark Twain’s book and continuously seems to beat the reader with outrageous racial and cruel quotes that makes a person hate human society and their disgusting, despicable ways. The dehumanizing of people through the travesty of racism and slavery makes one shudder at how brutal the people of the 1800s acted. When Aunt Sally asks Huck, while he is pretending to be Tom Sawyer, if anybody has been hurt in a shooting he answers by saying, “No’m. Killed a nigger” (Twain 276). As if a slave dying does not count as a person, Aunt Sally goes on to say how great that...
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...Man VS Society in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Through out the story we see Huck go against what society expected of him. Society at that time only knew slavery, and so Huck was given these ideas. However, you can see from the beginning that he knows something is wrong with the way society lives. Huck is much more open minded and free willed. He didn’t want to conform to being civilized, and as society continued to pressure him he begins to get a new perspective on slavery. He experiences it first hand, and he now understands why slaves want their freedom. To continue, Freedom is something that is very prevalent in this story, and it is something that Huck wants. Huck becomes a slave to his father when Judge Thatcher says that he belongs with him, and not with Mrs. Watson who was previously taking care of Huck. Even though Huck’s father is an abusive drunk the government still forces Huck to stay with him. To elaborate, Huck’s father represents the harshness and cruelty of society. Slavery was all anyone knew and so the government didn’t think twice about making Huck a slave to his father. In contrast, Huck began to like his father’s way of life. His father did what he wanted to. He talked how he wanted to do. There were no rules. When Huck was living with Mrs. Watson she made him go to school, talk correctly and politely, and dress appropriately. This was how society said a person should look and act. Huck learned quickly that this was not who he was,...
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...believe that Jim is as superstitious as you could get. He is simple-minded, trusting, and naïve in a way. He foolishly believes that all will turn out right in the end: it will be an easy trip to Cairo, they can hop on a steamboat to the North, and Jim can easily buy back his family. The initial impression of Jim convinces readers that this will be his permanent character throughout the novel. However, Jim’s character turns a corner while staying on Jackson’s Island with Huck. Jim is no longer a superstitious runaway slave. He is now a well-rounded, realistic, down to earth, human being. Mark Twain’s stereotypical description of Jim originated within the common traditions of his time. When Twain finally completed Huckleberry Finn in the late 1800’s, black position and identity in society was still undefined and unclear. African American people were still looked on as not being humans. Unfortunately for him, Jim was cast by Twain as being associated with having the stereotypical superstitions of enslaved persons. In the novel, Huck believed that, “Jim was most ruined for a servant, because he got stuck up on account of having seen the devil and been rode by witches (6)”. African-American people came from miles away just to hear Jim talk about his beliefs on...
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...Published in 1885 by Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was very progressive for its time. The novel shed new light on racism from the past and present years; most of the people living in the southern states accepted the idea of racial separation. Many African Americans in the Southern States were slaves; most African Americans held little to no rights. The adventure begins with Huckleberry Finn, a young white boy, befriending a runaway slave named Jim. Despite the risks in helping to free the slave, Huck stays with Jim throughout most of the journey. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn does not explicitly ridicule racism, but rather implies the negativity of it through various elements of the story. Twain’s portrayal of Jim, Huck’s...
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...novel Huckleberry Finn a “moral code” develops from Huck’s conscience. According to this “code” certain actions by Huck are deemed acceptable but many are viewed as unacceptable by the rest of society. Three aspects of Huck’s conscience moral code can be seen in his views on borrowing, practical jokes, and helping a black friend named Jim. First, Huck Finn has a strange perspective on borrowing. “Pap always it warn’t no harm in borrow things if you was meaning to pay them back some time; but the widow said it warn’t anything but a soft name for stealing, and no decent body would do it.” (Mark Twain 70) Huck definitely took this theory to heart. He believes that if your intentions are not bad or mean, and you plan on giving it back then nothing wrong has occurred. Society’s view is quite different. Society’s interoperation is if you are taking it without asking or prior notice then its stealing. So when Huck takes something and just says he is borrowing it, these actions are viewed negatively by the rest of society. His actions on borrowing are unacceptable because that type of behavior would lead to chaos in a society. People would take from one another and then hide behind the excuse that they were going to give it back. In chapter 12 Jim and Huck buy, hunt, but also steal food when they must. They do feel bad about the stealing and therefore to make themselves feel better they give up a few of the items as sort of a moral sacrifice. This shows that Huck does have a conscious...
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...Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Thousands of moral stories are continuously being read to children throughout the years. Those stories are used to educate, motivate and inspire them while their heart is still “pure.” The purpose of those stories is to change children and their behavior before they are forced to. They are being spoon fed by what society thinks is “right” and what they expect them to follow. So, what if there was a child who never had the chance to learn about being “moral”, could this child still make the right choices? In the book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain tells a story through the eyes of an imaginative, free-spirited young boy, Huckleberry Finn. Throughout the book, Huck is frequently faced with different dilemmas which force him to make life- altering decisions. He is relentlessly required to choose between “right and wrong” questioning his personal views on what he thinks is acceptable. Although he is being portrayed as a carefree and wild young boy who just craves adventure, he is actually reasonably mature in the choices that he makes. Although he seems like a child, he makes quite mature choices when faced with hurried decisions. He bases his decisions on what is practical, not what he FEELS is right. He is clever and cunning despite what other people see him as, which is wild and out of control. Huck is only a boy who, as imperfect as he is, still cares and has feelings towards others including slaves as opposed to the rest of society...
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...Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn himself creates a conflict with society and civilization, and as such takes it upon himself to be free of society’s cold, firm grasp that he had become a part of. Huckleberry runs away on a wild adventure with his slave friend Jim, and together they run and encounter many twisted individuals on their way towards freedom, which ironically for Jim, was in the southern portion of the United States. Mark Twain etches every thought and feeling either of these individuals onto the pages of his novel like a caveman desperately trying to carve a story into a cave wall, yearning for his message to be shared with anyone out there who could possibly be listening. This message is that minorities can never truly have freedom. No matter how far Jim and Huck ran, they were eventually brought back to where they began, and forced to live their lives as they once did, because they were not the victors in the splattered battlefield of these pages, the ink running away from the bodies of the characters like blood from the losers of the battle, telling a story of how it all happened. No, Huck and Jim were the losers, minorities forced to wait until they were given the same responsibilities as the victors who were oppressing them. Mark Twain did not write this novel to be a story. No, Mark wrote this to be an explanation, maybe even a confession, of his beliefs and thoughts. It took Twain seven years to write this book. Most authors when...
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...2015 My friend, Mark Twain What are the characteristics of a good friend? A good friend is someone that is giving, not only with physical possessions but with their intellect as well. Someone that will loan you money without expecting to be repaid, let you borrow their clothes, and give you good advice. A true friend is honest and loyal. They will protect your secrets and “tell it like it is.” They will not mislead you because they have your best interests in mind. A real friend is a person who accepts you as you are. They know you are not perfect, because no one is. Flaws, imperfections and fears, are what make friendships such a beautiful thing, and these things are one of the many reasons why they love you. They aren’t expecting you to change and are understanding when you make mistakes. They are also always there for you, through the best and worst times in your life. Your true friends will be there by your side on the most boring of afternoons, and will be the first to come to your aid in the event of a disaster or in times of crisis. Mark Twain is a man that possessed many of the characteristics of a true friend. Through his books, articles, movies and personal friends you can get an insight as to what he was like in real life. Some people might argue you that his sarcasm and tenacity are not the makings of a true friend rather than a trouble maker. While others believe that those vary same characteristics are some of the important things that make up a friend. I...
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...Huckleberry Finn is a very contradicting novel. While it is considered to be one of the top ten books in American literature it is also one of the most banned books in public schools. Well why would such a great book be banned? Simply because of one word used multiple times throughout the book. I believe this isn’t a good enough reason Huckleberry Finn should be banned in public schools. One of the main reasons this book has the title of a great American novel is because of the author’s writing style. Before Twain, American authors still wrote in a more European style, like Edgar Allan Poe. Twain wasn’t interested in doing that. He wanted to portray the characters better and make you understand what was actually going on in America during...
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...than a year, and that was comfortable for me; I didn't want to see him no more. He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me; though I used to take to the woods most of the time when he was around.” (Chapter 3 – Pg. 14) CHARACTERS: • Huckleberry (Huck) Finn – protagonist, narrator, all around main character. • The Widow Douglas – takes (Huck) under her wing in hopes to better him. • Miss Watson – The Widow Douglas’ sister • Tom Sawyer – Huck’s fellow companion, first introduced in Mark Twain’s previous novel. • Jim – Miss Watson’s slave. • Pap – Huck’s alcoholic, racist, father. • Judge Thatcher – Works along side The Widow Douglas to protect Huck’s well – being. SETTING: The series of events in this episode unfold in the imaginary Mississippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. The scenes unravel in the town where Huck resides with the Widow Douglas and the other housemates, and in the surrounding areas. PLOT OVERVIEW: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a follow-up to the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry (Huck) Finn is a thirteen-year-old adolescent living a life of not knowing what is next. Huck was “adopted” by The Widow Douglas. The Widow Douglas strives to impart manners on Huck and to better him as a young boy. However, Huck was raised in a matter that completely contradicts his new procedures and ways of living. Huck has the mentality of an uneducated, lonely boy who didn’t have much growing up. He is having a tough time...
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...point where Huck growth is finally being shown. It is in this scene where Huck abandons the the duke and the king and starts forming his moral opinion. Jim was placed back into slavery by the conmen and Huck is unsure about what to do. On one end Huck realizes how unfair it is to Jim. On their adventure on the Mississippi River, Jim put up with so many horrible and he was so close to freedom, only to be sold back into slavery. This is even worse considering that Jim ran away because he didn’t want to be a slave in the deep south and yet he ended up one. On the other end, Huck realizes that aiding Jim in his escape is heavily shamed upon on the eyes of his society. At first, Huck feels bad for helping Jim escape and he attempts to write a letter to Miss Watson. He admits that Miss Watson is not a bad person and he is the horrible person for trying to steal her “property”. This is ironic because Miss Watson is actually kind-hearted woman and yet she...
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...Throughout his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain discusses many themes. The most important theme with in this novel is Huck's struggle between society and his own conscience. Twain shows us what is going on inside of the young boy's head many times within this novel. Although Huck battles with society for long periods of time; and on most occasions, his conscience seems to win the fight, helping Huck choose the right thing. In order to understand where Huck was coming from with these conflicts we must understand, the author's feelings on slavery. Mark Twain once said: In those old slave-holding days the whole community was agreed as to one thing--the awful sacredness of slave property. To help steal a horse or a cow was a low crime, but to help a hunted slave, ... or hesitate to promptly to betray him to the slave-catcher when opportunity offered was a much baser crime, and carried with it a stain, a moral smirch which nothing could wipe away. That this sentiment should exist among slave-owners is comprehensible--there were good commercial reasons for it--but that it should exist and did exist among the paupers, the loafers the tag-rag and bobtail of the community,... is not in our remote day realizable. When Twain was growing up, slavery was a part of his world. Slavery was something that you had to deal with, whether you liked it or not. Twain went against society using the characters in his books, to state...
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...Douglass states, “Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities.” (Douglass 43). His mistress at long last turned out to be significantly more rough in her resistance than her husband. She felt compelled to surpass her spouse’s expectations. Nothing appeared to make her more furious than to see Douglass with a daily paper. She assumed that here lay the peril. She would rush at Douglass with a face made all up of fierceness, and grab the daily paper, in a way that completely uncovered her trepidation. She soon realized that "education and slavery" were not companionable. Additionally, Douglass also acknowledges the plight of the poor Irish children in Baltimore. He...
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...Basic English Department, Dezhou University, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, China Email: dz_syx@126.com Abstract—Huckleberry Finn is one of Mark Twain’s outstanding masterpieces. Superficially, it tells a story about a 13 or 14 year old boy’s adventures with Negro Jim on the Mississippi river. In fact, it reflects the growth process of Huck through adventures. His growth is embodied by his choice on independence, his change of attitude towards Jim, his moral growth, and the different social roles he plays. Huck’s growth is influenced by the inner and outer factors. On the one hand, friendship, nature and society make up the outer environment for Huck’s growth. They have great effect on the development of his growth. On the other hand, his own instinct and his sound heart finally decide the direction of his growth. Index Terms—growth, the influence of Jim, nature and society, instinct, sound heart I. INTRODUCTION Mark Twain is a giant in American literature. He is a great realist and satirist in late 19th century. His delicate familiarity with children’s psychology, his thorough understanding of Americans and American society, his great contribution to American English and his immense witty humor have won great respect and reputation among the people around the world. Of all the works Mark Twain accomplished in his life, the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is the most successful. This remarkable masterpiece brings the world prestige to him. It is the combination of simplicity and...
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