The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an American classic that explores the benefits and struggles of growing up. This novel, exploding with exhilarating expeditions of a young boy who leaves his home to elude the grasp of his drunken father, is sure to capture the reader’s attention. Being one of the first novels to utilize dialect for the entirety of the piece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn informs readers of the education level and language in the South during the late 1870s. While some argue that this novel is racist or has an extensive plot that seems to be filling pages, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a piece of American literature that has authentically set the stage for all future writings to come through
Through Twain’s use of dialect of both blacks and whites in the South, the reader gains a better understanding of the American lifestyle.. For example, Huck explains, “He said he’d be mighty sure to see it, because he’d be a free man the minute he seen it, but if he missed it he’d be in the slave country again and no more show for freedom,” (Twain 103-104). In this quote, Twain demonstrates the common language of the time, as well as the presence of slavery. Although slavery was a common practice in the late 1800s, the author still inputs his own anti-slavery view. Additionally, Twain uses slang when saying, “Oh, dang it, now, don’t take on so, we all has to have our troubles and this’n ‘ll come out all right. What’s the matter with ‘em?” (Twain 86). Twain purposefully uses misspelled words and contractions, which further demonstrates the Southern accent during that time. This dialect also differentiates the level of education between colored and white folk. Overall, Twain’s use of dialect and reference to slavery help add to the American lifestyle, which adds further interest to the
The Boston Evening Traveler review of 1885 even went as far as stating, “Mr. Clemens has contributed some humorous literature that is excellent and will hold its place, but his Huckleberry Finn appears to be singularly flat, stale, and unprofitable.” Numerous people believe that Twain’s work seems to be a little far fetched in the second half of the book, almost as if he ran out of ideas and was just filling space with nonsense. The readers are overcome with confusion as Tom blurts,“Old Miss Watson died two months ago, and she was ashamed she was ever going to sell him down the river, and said so; and she set him free in her will,” (Twain 334). Although it seems rather odd that Tom failed to mention Jim’s freedom, While those arguing from this perspective may have a valid point, my argument is still the strongest. Clearly, one can