Huckleberry Finn Passage Analysis

Huckleberry Finn: Passage pg. 283 – 284

Mark Twain's novel Huckleberry Finn is a blatant concoction of religious bias and varied notions on the role of religion. Satirical characters and the obvious use of sarcastic ideals in regards to the religious situations within the novel allowed Twain to address the issue on so many different levels. Huckleberry Finn is introduced, as being a religious character, as he looks to pray and reflect on virtues of right and wrong as dictated by those religious beliefs for which he has been taught. However, on many different levels he acknowledges a lack of belief in a greater being. Huck's faith quandary was introduced early in the novel as he reflects on the situation when "She took me in the closet and
His journey is driven by the winding river and flowing shores that he and Jim linger past and wander upon and it is in the selected passage, that Huck's struggle of right and wrong, his religious
As Huck finishes writing his letter, which made him, feel so free, he begins to reminisce about the journey he has had thus far with Jim. He recalls that he "couldn't seem to strike no places to harden. . . against him." Huck could not find any means or reasons to "punish" Jim for being anything less then a friend and declares that "All right, then, I'll go to hell" and he precedes to tear up the letter. Huck's view of the situation of right versus wrong and hell versus heaven being so definitive, is an irony of incongruity and an incongruous idea. It links back to the application of extreme results for mild aversions. Huck's failed understanding is once again drawn upon, as Twain looks to explicate once again the faults of the knowledge that he has been given, but this is the true turning point for Huck. As he begins to see past his religious understanding, as much of an understanding as it can be deemed, and sees a sense of morality, though he does not see the situation of morality versus religion. It is the idea that morality contradicts religion that further illuminates the religious irony within the passage. The idea that morality is a realm outside of religion is a contradiction to basic understanding. As typically speaking morality is linked to a basic fear of wrath, judgment, or final descent. It is a notion, that is most commonly drawn from ones religious beliefs, thus, Huck's idea that the moral bound decision