Huckleberry Finn Literary Analysis
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn contains many recurring themes. The major theme Mark Twain wanted to show his readers was that racial injustice has been integrated into the lives of many people. Throughout the story, African slaves receive drastically different treatment from free Americans, and they also act differently from them. By using literary devices such as characterization, diction, and satire in his writing, Twain continues to prove his point. Twain often uses characterization within The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. African Americans often have their negative stereotyped behaviors emphasized within the story. Some of the African characters, such as Jim and Nat, believed in superstitions. For example, Jim believed that hairballs
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Jim is continually abused both verbally and physically by his captors. Additionally, Huck notices that “the people that’s always the most anxious for to hang a nigger that hain’t done just right, is always the very ones that ain’t the most anxious to pay for him when they’ve got their satisfaction out of him” (Twain 288). The fact that African slaves are not considered humans is confirmed by Aunt Sally when Huck lies about the death of a “nigger” on the steamboat (Twain 230). Pap also drunkenly declares that “niggers” shouldn’t be free or educated and should continue to work as slaves (Twain 39-40). Towards the end of the story, Tom puts Jim through an absurd and elaborate scheme to help him “escape,” even though he was already free, and when the Doctor praises Jim, although some people believed Jim should have a reward, their idea of a reward for him was to stop hurting and insulting him, not to free him from his bonds of slavery. The nature of racism in America is the major theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In the eyes of southern white Americans of the late 19th century, African Americans were inferior, and they were treated in the same way. The story shows that even with freedom from slavery, African Americans would still face prejudice from other people. Mark Twain fleshes out some of his characters, and he uses both irony and hypocrisy in a way that criticizes the actions of many
Jim is continually abused both verbally and physically by his captors. Additionally, Huck notices that “the people that’s always the most anxious for to hang a nigger that hain’t done just right, is always the very ones that ain’t the most anxious to pay for him when they’ve got their satisfaction out of him” (Twain 288). The fact that African slaves are not considered humans is confirmed by Aunt Sally when Huck lies about the death of a “nigger” on the steamboat (Twain 230). Pap also drunkenly declares that “niggers” shouldn’t be free or educated and should continue to work as slaves (Twain 39-40). Towards the end of the story, Tom puts Jim through an absurd and elaborate scheme to help him “escape,” even though he was already free, and when the Doctor praises Jim, although some people believed Jim should have a reward, their idea of a reward for him was to stop hurting and insulting him, not to free him from his bonds of slavery. The nature of racism in America is the major theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In the eyes of southern white Americans of the late 19th century, African Americans were inferior, and they were treated in the same way. The story shows that even with freedom from slavery, African Americans would still face prejudice from other people. Mark Twain fleshes out some of his characters, and he uses both irony and hypocrisy in a way that criticizes the actions of many