FREE ESSAY ON HUCK FINN CRITICAL ESSAY

HUCK FINN CRITICAL ESSAY

Critical Essay
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twain told the truth in great novels and memoirs and short stories and essays, and he
became a writer of international renown still translated into 72 languages. He became,
through the written and spoken word, America's greatest ambassador and its most
perpetually quoted. Samuel L. Clemens was born in 1835 in a town called Florida, Mo., and
before he became a famous writer under the pen name Mark Twain, he worked on a riverboat,
as a prospector for gold, as a reporter, and at other enterprises( Twain 12). He was not
a young man of excellent reputation - a conclusion reached by Jervis Langdon, an Elmira
businessman who had been asked by young Sam for his daughter Livy`s hand. Still, the
marriage occurred and, shortly thereafter, in 1871, the couple moved to Hartford, renting
a home in the Nook Farm neighborhood from John Hooker. They soon began construction on an
eccentric and expensive mansion, where they lived for two decades. In the billiard room
of this house many of the greatest books of Mark Twain were finished, among them Tom
Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Roughing It, Life on the Mississippi, and A
Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court. During his two decades in Hartford, Mark Twain
enjoyed the company of many good friends in his close-knit neighborhood, like William
Gillette and Charles Dudley Warner, as well as frequent visitors from around the country,
such as General William Tecumseh Sherman, explorer Henry Stanley, and author Bret Harte.
He became a well-known public figure, often making news in the Hartford Courant (
Compton`s Encyclopedia ).
Twain's years in Hartford were perhaps among his happiest, for in addition to his
literary successes it was here that he, Livy, and their three daughters, Susy, Clara and
Jean were all together. Twain would eventually outlive everyone but Clara. Financial
trouble hit the Clemenses in the 1880s, particularly after Twain invested hundreds of
thousands of dollars in a mechanical typesetting device being developed by James Paige.
The typesetter was a failure, Twain's investment was lost, and in 1891 Twain and family
left Hartford to live less expensively in Europe. Twain is thought of today in many
circles as a great humorist( Twain 25). This is, of course, true. His wit is legendary.
But his work is far too complex to characterize only in that way. The writing is full of
social commentary, and his voice was controversial at the time of his writings and
remains so today. Huck Finn, in some circles, is a racist book because of its repeated
use of the word nigger by its characters and because of the portrayal of the slave Jim.
But many scholars, including those from an African-American heritage, argue that Twain
was accurate in his depiction of the times and a force for change and for understanding
the horrors of slavery. Aside from his writing, Twain was also a publisher (he printed
the memoirs of U.S. Grant), a much- acclaimed (and well-paid) lecturer, and an
entrepreneur. It was his investment in the Paige typesetter that ultimately led to
bankruptcy and forced him and Livy to close up the Hartford house and take their three
daughters to Europe. He died after Livy and two of his daughters and is buried in Elmira,
where he summered throughout his life, in a grave that is marked Samuel Langhorne Clemens
-- Mark Twain --1835-1910. While it is his talent for writing that made him famous, the
experiences of his earlier life play very important parts in his books. His experiences
as a steam boat pilot are used in many of his books, including Huck Finn. Mark Twain is a
term that he learned during his time as a river boat pilot meaning two fathoms deep. The
renowned author`s greatest book about struggle and hopes and dreams is The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn. Many would say that Huck Finn is a very troubled young boy. . Huck's
dad brought Huck up the hard way with out a mother and instilled many of his beliefs into
Huck. He passed some of these bad habits onto Huck which leads to my thesis that, Huck
often finds himself in tight predicaments and being brought up the way he was, taught
that lying and stealing aren't wrong, proved very useful in getting him out of many of
these predicaments. Because Huck's father brought him up to be such a great liar and a
stealer Huck has been able to escape from many close calls. So in order to escape from
his fathers drunken grasps he must concoct some plan to keep his father away from him for
good. Huck was brought up in an environment where he saw lying and stealing almost all
the time and almost became accustomed to it, Huck himself became a liar and a stealer
too. . Huck was brought up a liar and always would be a liar no matter how hard he tried,
these had become his natural instincts along with staying alive. So if Huck's father had
not brought him up the way he had and Huck had lived a proper life, a civilized one, then
I do not believe that Huck would be able to survive one day in the awful cruel world he
lived in. Because his father brought him up tough and strong, and defiant he survived
(Twain 37 ).
Huckleberry Finn and Holden Caulfield make take journey into self-discovery. In The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn is trying to find purpose and identity through
conflicting of morals. While Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, is an adolescent
struggling to find mature into manhood. In comparison, they are both on a journey towards
maturity and identity. Life itself is a journey full of bonding and experiences which
lead to wisdom and understanding. Without maturity one may never have these essential
experiences. This leads to an empty shell of a person, never truly feeling passion, love
or peace. Huck Finn is a young boy deciding which morals to hold true. The quest for
what's right is long and confusing. During his adventure is forced to choose between his
morals and his conscience. When Huck runs into the bounty hunters he is forced to make
one of these decisions. He must choose whether to turn his run-away slave friend Jim as
his conscience advises or to trust his morals and protect his friend in need.
Fortunately, his will is strong and he creates an elaborate lie to prevent Jim's capture.
Huck seeks refuge in nature, where right and wrong don't exist and life's beauty is what
is truly important. He mentions that nature is peaceful and he need not worry about
either his morality or conscience but is allowed to ponder these personal discrepancies.
Holden Caulfield, however, has a much more complex yet equally important struggle. His
struggle is of his own hypocrisy and misunderstanding. This struggle can be overwhelming
for some and it is for Holden who requires help to come to terms with maturity. Even
though he is constantly speaks as if he is experienced in connection and bonding, they
were always just fa?ades. Holden thinks he is superior to his environment because he has
a false knowledge of it and it's workings. This is best explained by his reaction his old
friend June whom he would like to have a meaningful relationship with but cant come to
grips on how. Inspite of all he thinks he knows he is really only the faker he despises.
Both Huck and Holden must complete their own journey's to become complete individuals.
This journey is only a step on the staircase of life which ultimately leads to
inner-peace and happiness. Each experience is unique and powerful but are essential to
getting the whole picture. What Huck finally comes to terms with is that life's questions
should be answered from the heart. He also decides that humanity has evolved into a
corrupt species whose ideas aren't worth the headache. His answer is to flee society and
all of it's constraints and live in nature where he is free from civilization. Holden has
a tougher decision to make since he must completely reverse his thinking completely. The
first step is to realize his hypocrisy which he was able to do but couldn't truly solve
his problem and was forced to seek professional help in the end. Fortunately, both
characters ultimately progress onto the next step by some means outside the conformity of
normality ( Twain 145-190).
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, essentially follows young Huck on a series of
adventures and experiences with his close friend (and runaway slave), Jim, as they both
escape society's burdens. The novel, in a sense, encompasses everything good, bad and in
between about and concerning the society of that time. Some important parts of the story
Huckleberry Finn are summarized as follows. The steamboat situation does two things, it
expresses Mark Twain's views of the Romantics, and furthers Huckleberry Finn's
development. The steamboat is called the Walter Scott. This is significant, as there was
an author of the same name who wrote literature in the Romantic style. The steamboat, is
therefore symbolic for the ending of the movement, and as it sinks, Realism takes its
place( Twain 45). Huck also shows development of character in tricking the watchman into
going back to the boat to save the criminals. Even though they were thieves, and had
planned to kill their friend, Huck still felt that the forfeit of their lives would be
too great a punishment. Getting lost in the fog leads to a major turning point in the
development of Huck Finn's character. Up to this event, he has seen Jim as a lesser
person than himself. Huck Finn says, It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up
to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it
afterward, neither. He continues by explaining how he could never do such a thing again.
Huck has clearly gained respect for Jim here, which explains the risks he is willing to
take for Jim later in the book. A short yet significant scene is when the men on shore
want to check Huck's raft for runaway slaves. He escapes by tricking them into thinking
that his dad is onboard with smallpox. This scene show a negative view of human nature.
The men had helped Huck, until they realized that they were in danger themselves. They
put their own safety above that of others, and while this is sometimes acceptable, it is
by no means a noble trait. Their behavior with money supports this viewpoint. They gave
Huck 40 dollars in gold, but put it on a piece of wood so that they would not have to
expose themselves to the disease. The feud between the Granger fords and the Shaped sons
is a venue for many of the themes in Huck Finn( Compton`s Encyclopedia).While everyone
around her thought she was very gifted, her poems are amateurish and overly depressing.
This is Twain's belief about the romantics in general. Twain ridicules the honor system
that binds the two families to slaughter each other for an act that no one can remember.
He points to their hypocrisy in commenting favorably on a sermon of brotherly love, with
their guns in hand. This feud adds to Huck's distaste for society and it's teachings, and
is part of his moral metamorphosis. The Royal Nonesuch attacks the human inclination to
see things that would generally be inappropriate. It was the line WOMEN AND CHILDREN NOT
ADMITTED that drew the huge crowds of men for the sole purpose of being tricked. It also
illustrates Mark Twain's view towards con men and scams. Unlike popular opinion, he feels
that anyone who is tricked deserves their fate, as it was their own ignorance which
brought it upon them. The Duke and the Dauphin's attempt to mascarade as the brothers of
Peter Wilks is an important part of Huck's development. The Duke and the Dauphin pretend
to be William and Harvey Wilks, brothers of the deceased Peter Wilks. They try to take
Peter's estate, however, Huck decides to return the money to Peter's three daughters.
This action demonstrates further moral growth, as does his choice to abandon the two con
men. This quote, and the decision accompanying it, represent the highest point in Huck's
moral development. He has decided to free Jim, and in doing so, reject society. While the
society his has grown up in teaches that freeing slaves is wrong, Huck has evolved to a
point where he can realize that it is right, and that his own beliefs are superior to
those of Southern society. Tom Sawyer's useless rescue attempts are considered by many to
be the worst part of the book. There is an apparent stagnant period in Huck's development
during this sheared. When he decides to free Jim, Huck has made great strides. However,
he lets Tom take the controls and sits quietly while Tom puts Jim through ordeal after
ordeal. Many believe that the ending would be better if there weren't so many fortunate
coincidences, and Huck continued with his moral growth( Twain 191-210 ). 
In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he uses several different
themes. His themes help to portray the meaning and message of the novel. Twain's major
theme in the novel is man's inhumanity to man. He develops this theme through the
inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck, the dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the
Wilkes girls, and the betrayal of Jim for money by the King and the Duke. Twain uses the
inhumane actions of Pap toward Huck to help develop the major theme of his novel. ' I'll
take you down a peg before I get done with you' ( Twain 20). This quote shows how man is
inhuman to other men, even if they are related and supposed to love each other. Pap talks
and acts mean towards Huck, even though Huck is his own son. Not only is Pap mentally
abusive toward Huck, but he is also physically abusive toward him. But by and by pap got
too handy with his hick'ry, and I couldn't stand it. I was all over welts( Twain 24). The
way that Pap treats Huck shows the inhumanity of man toward other men and helps to
develop the major theme of the novel. The dishonesty of the King and the Duke toward the
Wilkes girls also help to develop the major theme of the novel. The Duke and the King
take their cruelty to another level because they steal and lie to the Wilkes girls, who
are left all alone with no parents. And not sell the rest o' the property? March off like
a passel of fools and leave eight or nine thous'n' dollars' worth o' property layin'
around jest sufferin' to be scooped in?-and all good, salable stuff, too ( Twain
170-171). The Duke and the King are so inhumane that they will go as far as stealing from
three innocent girls. And he said of course him and William would take the girls home
with them( Twain 176). Not only do the Duke and the King steal money from the girls, but
they also lie to them about bringing them to England just so they can have more money.
They plan cruel and inhumane things to do to the girls when the girls have done nothing
to deserve it. Twain also develops the major theme of the novel through the betrayal of
Jim for money by the King and the Duke. ... and nobody came out of the wigwam. Jim was
gone!( Twain 203). The Duke and the King symbolize the nation's scum, and through their
action of selling Jim they prove this as well as prove that they do not care about Jim or
Huck. They are inhumane and just care about money. Huck learns about the Duke and the
King's actions from a boy in town.  'It was an old fellow - a stranger - and he sold out
his chance in him for forty dollars'( Twain 203). The Duke and the King are so cruel and
desperate that they can not even wait to sell Jim back to his owner for $200, they must
have some kind of money, even just $40, now. The Duke and the King are cruel to their
fellow man, Jim, even when him and Huck are so good to them. These are just some of the
many ways that Mark Twain develops the major theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Twain uses this type of deliberate cruelty to help make the major theme clearer to the
reader. By the inhumane actions of Pap towards Huck, the dishonesty of the King and the
Duke toward the Wilkes girls, and the betrayal of Jim for money by the King and the Duke
the theme of this novel is well developed ( Twain Huck Finn )
One of the major themes in Huck Finn is that of refusing to conform to the teachings of
society. Twain does not seem to feel that one should never conform. Rather, he says that
one should follow the moral beliefs that you've decided upon instead of what society
tells you. 
Twain's anti-romantic sentiment is shown in the book. From the name of the sinking river
boat (the Walter Scott) to the overly depressed Emmeline Grangerford, Twain pokes fun at
the Romantic movement(Compton`s Encyclopedia ). It is also important to note, that all of
Tom's hair-brained ideas come from romantic literature. Huck Finn is full of anti-slavery
symbols. For instance, when Huck (as Tom Sawyer) tells Aunt Sally that a slave was killed
in a steam boat accident, she replies Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get
hurt. When the real Tom Sawyer shows up, he puts Jim through all sorts of ordeals with no
qualms about doing so. Twain seems to believe that those who get conned, deserve it due
to stupidity( Twain 56).
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel that will continue to be read for decades
to come. Why? The novel by Mark Twain, or Samuel Clemens, has many themes that relate to
society today. Even today society continues to talk about whether the novel should be
read amongst high-school curriculums. Society is also continuing to deal with racism, and
its effects on the lives of African-Americans. Another theme that is prevalent in society
is lying among American children. Huck Finn is a self taught liar, and a very good one at
that. On the raft, while floating down the Mississippi, Huck has an opportunity to
exercise his gift for lying. The boy enjoys mendacity; he lies for the sake of lying and
keeps the reader turning the page piling on one fiction after another. Just before the
runaways get started, Huck visits a neighboring town to get information and encounters a
farmer's wife. He is dressed in an old dress and is pretending to be a young girl
searching for her relatives. The woman suspects his sex and tries various devices to
ascertain if her suspicions are true.( Twain 250). Among these is threading a needle and
throwing a bar of lead at the rats which swarm around the house. Finally she makes Huck
own up that he is a boy. In any case, this is a great example of a young boy lying until
his nose is a foot long. Lying is prevalent among today's children as well. Racism has an
obvious connection to today's society. In the novel Huck says many racist comments. In
this scene Aunt Sally hears of a steamboat explosion. Good gracious! anybody hurt? she
asks. No'm, comes the answer. Killed a nigger. Aunt Sally later refers to the nigger as
if they are not even a person, regarding the death as if it did not even matter. Well,
it's lucky because sometimes people do get hurt. At first glance at the novel Huckleberry
Finn, many would protest to the explicit use of the N word which was used over
two-hundred times. As a result Huck Finn, one of the greatest American novels is
noteworthy. This book was not written to besmirch the blacks of any rights or defame
their character. This book was written to prove a point about the racial tension in the
South before the Civil War. Therefore, Twain had no intention of being racist. In fact
the message Twain is sending is anything but racist. Today, racism has nearly disappeared
from our lives. There are still many individual racists but for the most part this
disease has been cured. As in the book, most people described as racists are not, for
they are just mistaken. There are school districts across the nation that are debating
whether to ban their children from reading Huckleberry Finn. If this book is taught, the
novel can open student's eyes to the racial tension that ignorance causes. The students
will become aware of their history. They will not be deprived of a lesson in their past
that describes what their great-grandparents went through. We have to remember that Huck
Finn was written fifty years before Martin Luther King Jr. was born. During those times
it was acceptable to lynch an African American man, and acceptable to use the N word. If
this book is taken out of high-school curriculums where would students learn about the
history of racism( Compton`s Encyclopedia)? In conclusion, the many themes present in
Huck Finn will always be relevant to modern society. I believe that Huckleberry Finn will
forever be regarded as a literary classic and as a novel that should be read and enjoyed
by people of all ages.