English: Novels
Adventures of Huckfinn
Submitted by: bladezguy
Category: English: Novels
In his satiric novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses the lense of his main character to examine many foibles of American society today. We see tensions build inside Huck, and these tensions reflect the author's criticism of society. When Huck questions racism, religion and superstition it shows that Mark Twain criticizes society in his novel.
During the entirety of the novel, Huckleberry Finn endures an inner conflict with himself about racism. He becomes torn between what he was taught as a young child and what he knows is right. For example, Huck had the ability to turn in his friend Jim, who he knows is an escaped slave. He decided that he was going to turn him in, but when he was about to, he did not. He did not turn in Jim because he realized that he was a human being too, just like anyone else. This quote describes how Huck was feeling when he was writing the letter to Ms. Watson to turn in Jim:
"I was a trembling, because I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself:"
"All right, then, I'll go to hell" (179-180)
Huck then tore up the letter and threw it out. He decided to go against society and listen to what he thought was right, and help Jim escape from slavery rather than turn him in.
Huckleberry Finn also endures an inner conflict with himself involving religion. He realizes the errors of religion and how people are willing to believe almost anything they are told. One example of this is at the camp meeting, where the "king" told the people a story that if he doesn't go to the Indian Ocean, and teach the pirates about Christ, then their souls will be lost. The story is obviously a lie, but the "king" still manages to gain eighty-seven dollars and seventy-five cents. Huck doesn't agree that people should be so willing to believe anything they are told. Another example would be when Huck found out about Moses:
"After supper she got out...
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