The American Dream Or The American Failure?

The American Dream or the American Failure? When people think of a classic American novel, the one most referred to would be Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, first published in December of 1884. Twain writes about a young boy named Huckleberry Finn, who rebels against the American society during the 19th century as he faces many trials and tribulations that he refers to as bad luck. Finn is without a mother, who passed away earlier in his life and his father is a disorderly alcoholic who only causes havoc in Finn’s life instead of showing him the traits of a real American man. Through all the unfavorable indifference in his early years, Finn came to a crossroads in life to go down the good or bad path in life. After being taken
Dealing with a father who he is not fond of can be compared to Sylvia Plath’s poem, “Daddy”, in which he also hates her father and escapes him, whether that is meant mentally or physically. When Plath says, “I used to pray to recover you” could be compared to when Finn had hoped that his father was the one he found who drowned in a nearby river (Plath 629). Having his alcoholic father dead, would put his worries to rest of anymore surprises appearances to beat and rob his own son. Understand that having a deceased parent is not at all a part of being an ideal American, but in Finn’s case, it would help him achieve his personal goal. While it may sound slightly contradicting, Finn truly values humanity and friendship. This statement by Jim proves his trait of sacrificing society’s beliefs of slaves by helping Jim gain freedom, “Pooty soon I’ll be a-shout’n for joy, en I’ll say, it’s all on accounts o’Huck; I’s a free man, en I couldn’t ever ben free ef it hadn’ ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won’t ever forgit you, Huck; you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had; en you’s de ONLY fren’ ole Jim’s got now” (Twain 184). Being one of the only white men to ever truly take care and keep his promises to Jim, was a very important aspect of their close friendship. It is imperative to realize that the praise Jim is giving Finn is related to the praise Martin Luther King Jr. gives in his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr. King is hopeful of racial freedom just like Jim is. “This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning—“my country ‘tis of thee; sweet land of liberty; of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride; from every mountain side, let freedom ring” (King 587). Both men, living patiently in hopes of one day obtaining the American Dream,