In his novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses satire to criticize different aspects of society. The book follows an unruly boy named Huck and a slave named Jim throughout their adventures. During one episode, Huck lives with a wealthy family called the Grangerfords. While living with them, Huck is informed of a feud between the Grangerford family and the Shepardson family that had been going on for some 30 years. Over that time, many people from each family had been killed in the name of the feud. Shortly after Huck learns of this feud, Sophia Grangerford runs off to elope with Harney Shepherdson. After both families heard about this, they engage in a gunfight in which Huck escapes back to the raft with Jim. In this episode, Twain uses multiple satirical devices to criticize “civilized” society.…
“I never see such an old ostrich for wanting to gobble everything-- and I a trusting you all the time, like you was my own father.” (Twain 189)…
"I waked him up, and I reckoned it was going to be a grand suprise to him to see me again, but it warn't. He nearly cried he was so glad, but he warn't suprised." Chapter Page 108…
The story-Huckleberry Finn-is written mostly using nefarious characters supporting the same immoral ideas. Ideas contradicting the protagonist. The quest to reach freedom in certain chapters becomes futile. But, the freedom-seekers do not quell to accomplish their journey. Jim an Huck have been deprived from their freedom and enmity was a part of daily life. I agree with “Leo Marx from Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Fin” that in the end they are back to the beginning. Despite Jim’s declaration as a free man at the end of the story, my thoughts are that his freedom was lived and enjoyed on the river, island, and places explored with Huck.…
At the very start of this section Huck sets out for town disguised as a woman only to find out that Jim was blamed for Huck’s “murder.” Huck raced back to Jim and they set off down the river. These two eventually came upon the wreck of a steamboat where once aboard, they discovered two men attempting to plan a murder. Quietly, the two stole as much supplies as they could carry, along with the two planned murderer’s canoe, and set off down the river once again. Down river they warned a steamboat captain of the wreck and he went to investigate the wreck. After Jim and Huck were separated from a storm, Huck stumbled upon a Hatfield and McCoy feud brewing between the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons. A Grangerford slave named Jack led Huck back to…
and Miss Watson try to "sivilize" Huck by making him stop all of his habits,…
Twain is able to expose the selfishness in Southern society during the nineteenth century using several examples of satire and irony. During Huck’s journey along the Mississippi River, he comes across two lying and scheming “rapscallions” (153). The most infamous occurrence with the Duke and the King is when they scam the mourning Wilks family for Peter’s fortune. The mere thirst for money is enough to drive the scam artists to commit a heartless and guiltless act, one that takes advantage of the helpless and grieving. It was one that, according to Huck, was “enough to make a body ashamed of the human race” (162). Through pathos and satire in the Wilks scam, Twain displays the selfishness and greediness of Southern society as a whole. Twain, a realist and a humorist, also demonstrates human selfishness when Huck asks several men to help his family on the raft. When Huck mentions that his father is sick, they say, “we are right down sorry for you,” but they are more concerned with their well-being (90). Ironically, Huck had known that the men would refuse to step foot on the raft, causing them to offer money instead. Huck, a young childish boy, is able to analyze and use the immoral qualities of man to his advantage. With the irony in…
reminded of the race relations that we all still face. Mark Twain does his best…
All novels contain common elements and qualities. In most cases the plot, conflict, and a narrative voice forms the style of writing. Frequently the incidents told are direct experiences from the narrator himself. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Clemens employ these characteristics, particularly using a constructive voice, symbolism, and a complex connected sequence of events, dealing with human experiences.…
uneducated slave, to realizing that Jim is an amazing friend. Huck was born and raised in a…
"There are many humorous things in the world: among them the white man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."(mark twain) Twain uses this passage to highlight the differences between social levels. Using the reactions of Jim and Huck towards each other's actions, Twain effectively stretches the lines between white and black.…
1. Characterization: What do you learn about the attitudes, beliefs, and personal qualities of the duke and the king from their words and actions? In what way is the characterization of the duke and the king satiric? Consider their claims about their lineage, their acting, and the faulty historical and literary allusions they make. What is Twain suggesting by having the king and the duke pull their first “con” at a religious revival?…
This quote is one that really sticks out at how mature Huck has really become because he realizes how being cruel to each other can really demoralize and destroy people. Most children Huck's age would get a kick from the pain suffered and the misfortunes of other people but he sees the true harm and problems that come from such a thing. This understanding of adult feelings and personal feelings gives us a full view of a more adult thinking…
1. After Huck writes the letter to Miss Watson, he recalls the time he spent with Jim on the river. He also recalls their friendship. This remembrance of their friendship with Jim leads him to listen to his conscience, and he decides that he would “go to hell” if it was necessary to protect his friend. Twain uses irony here because Huck believes he would go to hell for trying to save Jim. Twain is showing the "backwardness" of the south because Huck is being a good friend to Jim but Huck has a weird feeling that he will suffer due to this kindness.…
A black man is whipped and beaten. Three young girls lose their father and all their money is stolen from them. Two families constantly feud and fight. They don't even end this when they begin to lose all those who are close to them. These are all instances of people being treated unfairly. It's man's inhumanity to man that effects many aspects of this novel Huckleberry Finn. Whether people are treated unreasonably in financial matters, physical dealing with each other or people's shallow mined racial views; these are all a part of life. This maybe only one aspect of society, but it is a predominate one, and a very important one at that. People are continuously treated unfairly throughout this novel, and Huck shows his reaction.…