Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain is a satire of Southern society during the antebellum era. It is written entirely in the perspective of Huck, a young and simple boy from the South. From the very beginning, Twain warned the readers not to look deeper into the book than what is presented, “Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted” (130). This along with Huck’s perspective allow the readers to come to their own conclusion about what the novel represents.
Twain uses Huck’s narrative to accurately reflect life in the South during an era in which slavery was a driving force. The advantage of using a first-person narrative, especially that of a young adolescent, is that Twain is free to explore controversial issues without causing an uproar. The character Huck is an uneducated outcast who had to learn to survive on his own. Due to this, when facing certain events, he is direct in his commentary. An example is when Widow Douglass tries to teach him about religion, “By-and-by she let it out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then I didn’t care no more about him; because I don’t take no stock in dead people” (132). Huck was uncivilized before he was taken in by Widow Douglass, so he never had the chance to learn about religious or social nuances. The narrative point of view also allows the readers to understand Huck’s feelings and his growth throughout the novel. Through his perspective, the reader can see Huck’s inner conflict and his resolve
The advantages of using Huck’s point of view is that Twain can use Huck, a simple and innocent child, to explore the issues within society. Huck’s narrative also provides a way for readers to see his progression towards maturity. His unbiased opinion gives readers a clear perspective of society and its values as well as the main character,