...Instructor Date Parent figures in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck indirectly searches for a home among the different characters, with whom he interacts. The theme of parental figures is core to this piece of work. There are different characters, which represent parental figures. These are important to Huck, as they help to shape him into a man. The characters that are a representation of parental figures include Jim, Mr. Grangerford, Miss Watson, Judge Thatcher, and Widow Douglas. According to De Koster, these are seen to play an important role in different aspects in the development of Huck, thus are a personification of parental figure to Huck (56). This essay therefore, argues for the theme of parental figures in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Parents are important in the life of a child. Their presence and involvement in the life of their children contributes positively to the growth of the children. However, when parents are absent during a child’s growth process, or are irresponsible, and do not look after the child, this has a negative impact on the child. Parents ought to be there for their children to count on them. In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, parental figure is an emerging theme, because Huck, who plays an important role, lacks parental guidance and care. For most of his life, his biological parents are not part of him, and therefore, have limited influence on him. The impact this has...
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...“It's not as bad as it sounds.” (Huckleberry Finn) Compare how the theme of outsiders is presented in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, D.B.C Pierre’s Vernon God Little and Sylvia Plath’s Ariel. Throughout the history of literature, the idea of an outsider unable to find his place within society is explored frequently in all three texts. The theme of the outsiders is presented in all novels but separated due to the different time periods in which they were set, thus resulting in controversy and criticisms making it difficult to find a place within literature. Mark Twain’s ‘Huckleberry Finn’ is the story of a young boy, Huck Finn, who is faced with a restraint enforced upon him by society and later acknowledges this restraint once he comes to the realization that there is no escape from the society. ‘Vernon God Little’, like Huckleberry Finn, is also a story of a young boy framed as an accessory in a High School Massacre and is rendered to be an outcast in a society which revolves around manipulation and gullibility. Both Pierre and Twain portray the limitations and issues placed upon a young boy growing up in society. Sylvia Plath was viewed as a feminist icon, her collection ‘Ariel’, adopts the theme of outsider, as she believed women were classed as second-tier in a male dominant society and posed as a response to patriarchy in which oppressed women. The three texts intertwine in the portrayal of the outsider and act as a commentary on the societies in which these writers...
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...The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain, author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, created a very controversial book because it spoke very sensitive topics such as slavery. Throughout the book, we follow the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a fictional character, as he travels the Mississippi River. Highlighted during Huck’s journey, slavery and greed are attributed to many American norms. Huck is confronted with these societal issues such as slavery with a slave Jim, owned by Ms. Watson. Huck also faces greed when Pap returns to claim him. Greed is also very evident when he meets the fake dauphin and duke, two con artists who scam many characters in their journey. Twain is very clear on his opinion about slavery and greed in America. Twain is very clever in allowing the reader of the book to connect with Jim on an emotional level, and not portraying slaves as property like many did during that time. Additionally, many of the antagonists are driven by self-serving greedy motivations which portrays Twain’s opposition to greed. This...
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...Conformity & Civilization in Huckleberry Finn A main issue in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the conflict of conformity and civilization. From the beginning of the novel, Huck struggles with what he thinks of society while living with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. As the story elevates, Huck goes to live with Pap and develops further opinions about society. Many of Huck’s values are tested when he escapes to live with Jim on the river on the search for their freedom. Arguably, Huck learns the most about society from his adventures on the river with Jim. Huck’s moral development over the novel advances in many different stages, while different people and events influence Huck. Huck’s first exposure to the idea of trying to civilize someone is while living with Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas. Huck may have utterly despised the idea of living with them at first, but after a while Huck started to rather like the idea of having proper clothes and being clean. Although he started to like some aspects of living with them, it is not to say he completely enjoyed all the aspects of his new life. Huck found a lot of discontent in the moral convictions in his new life. The Widow told Huck “to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it.” Huck knew this wasn’t true, commenting “but it warn’t so. I tried it” (Twain 8). Additionally, Huck didn’t see how it was right for Miss Watson to say that smoking was bad while she snuffed. Huck did not know whether he agreed with...
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...in a Blink of an Eye” REPRESENTATIVE QUOTE: “Pap he hadn't been seen for more 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...
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