Grangerford

310032545
A.P. Comp
P. 6
2014 November 16
Detest Thy Neighbor In the novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” the remarkable author Samuel Clemens writes about the hateful feud between the wealthy Grangerford and Shepherdson families. Although both of these families frequently show up to church, they exhibit the very opposite of Godly behavior towards one and other. Clemens intends the readers to understand that even though people can exonerate wealth and fortune, they still have to deal with the normal human feelings such as hate and despise. The Grangerford family lives the life of wealth and God. They are the typical aristocrat family of the pre-Civil War South. This family is not just wealthy, they are extremely wealthy. Each person obtains their own servant, and they own over one hundred slaves. “It didn't have an iron latch on the front door, nor a wooden one with a buckskin string, but a brass knob to turn, the same as houses in town. There was a big fireplace that was bricked on the bottom, and the bricks was kept clean and red by pouring water on them and scrubbing them with another brick; sometimes they wash them over with red water-paint that they call Spanish-brown, same as they do in town. They had big brass dog-irons that could hold up a saw-log. There was a clock on the middle of the mantelpiece, with a picture of a town painted on the bottom half of the glass front, and a round place in the middle of it for the sun, and you could see the pendulum swinging behind it” (Chapter 17). This exists as Huck’s way to explain the richness that these people obtain. Besides their lavish means, the Grangerfords also exhibit honor and hospitality towards Huck. After all, they completely took him in after the steamboat accident. But, what lies on the inside of this prettily painted picture lined with warmth and wealth, opens up hatred and detestation towards none other than the Shepherdson family. The Shepherdson family is very relatable to the Grangerford’s, in the sense that they too are church-going wealthy citizens. They live about five miles away from the Grangerford’s, which is still too close for serenity. Both families decide to remain peaceful at their similar church, but exist as guarded with their weapons. The Shepherdson’s also live a life with hatred remaining on the inside and out. The main point lying between these families is the detestability they have for one and other. They have been feuding with each other for over thirty years. Their intent is to kill the opposing family one by one. Usually they would remain this way, but one night something occurred. Sophia Grangerford ran off with Harney Shepherdson. As the readers can tell, these people are not exactly a match made in heaven, and they certainly do not have the approval of their parents. In result of this act of passion, Huck finds Buck and another Grangerford gun fighting with the Shepherdson’s. This tragically ended with both of the Grangerford’s murdered. This family feud ended in not just hate, but blood too. Wealth and privilege do in fact paint a pretty picture for people in the world. Although, altercations between families still exist, it is pretty much human nature. So after all, Samuel Clemens urges the readers to grasp that no matter how rich and well off people are, nobody can hide the hatred and detestability lying in their souls for one another. Even if the remaining factors lead to murder and vain.