Huck Finn Sample Outline

Huck Finn Sample Outline
I. Introduction
A. Those readers and critics who simply disregarded Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and labeled Mark Twain a racist, did not take the time to explore and evaluate Chapter fifteen. This poignant chapter marks the critical starting point of Huck and Jim’s relationship as Huck learns a valuable lesson in recognizing how his selfish games can harm a person, even a nigger. And, perhaps, most impressively, Mark Twain’s teachable moment is put in the hands of Jim, a runaway slave, the unlikeliest of heroes. Specifically, the chapter’s conclusion highlights Jim’s sensitive and sentimental nature as Huck’s friend, teacher, and father; and further relays Huck’s ignorant yet impressionable nature as Jim’s friend, student, and son.
II. Thesis
B. Ultimately, Jim and Huck’s role reversal (Jim as teacher and Huck as student) forces Huck to recognize Jim as a person, thus proving Mark Twain was not a racist.
III. Topic Sentence: What is the paragraph about?
C. Jim is Huck’s friend, teacher, and family. The end of Chapter 15 illuminates the development of Jim as a person and an important, positive role model in Huck’s life.
a. “…my heart wuzmos’ broke bekase you wuz los’…En when I wake up en fine you back again’, all safe en soun’, de tears come en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot I’s so thankful.”
a.i. Diction, Imagery, and Symbolism
a.ii. Twain’s use of a broken heart indicates Jim’s love and affection for Huck – he thinks he has lost HF forever = devastation, doesn’t know what will happen = much like how we feel when we lost a loved one. Jim reacts with much emotion over the potential loss of HF –more human than ever before.
a.iii. Diction—“safe and soun’” – paternal, as parents, want their children to be safe and sound..his tears are most certainly happy tears upon discovering there is no love lost after all –“to kiss his feet” , he puts HF above himself, he puts him first --; however, his heart remains broken –from disappointment – which causes him to act in a fatherly manner to explain why he’s disappointed in HF.
a.iv. “Dat truck dah is trash, ‘en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head erdeyfren’s en makes ‘em ashamed” (95). – Diction –Trash and he uses Friend too!
a.iv.1. Not kissing his feet b/c of disappointment Jim uses his own experience as a slave which allows him to relay lesson