The main idea of Huckleberry Finn may be perceived as a racist concept. This is easy to comprehend when you take into account the extensive use of the N word, over two hundred times in the novel. In chapter eight Aunt Sally hears of a steamboat explosion and asks, "Good gracious! Anybody hurt?" The response is "No'm," but then, "Killed a nig*er." Mark Twain used the above to make the book as time accurate as possible, not to convey racism; the fact is southerners did not consider the death of an African American any concern whatsoever at that time.
The main idea of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist concept. The main idea of Huckleberry Finn is the friendship between the Caucasian protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, and an African American, Jim. Huckleberry's sentiments towards the issue of slavery are revealed when he aids Miss Watson's slave Jim, in escaping and joins him in the quest for freedom. Huck is taught to believe Jim was Miss Watson's property and subservient in society. Huck uses his own sense of intuition and logic to look beyond Jim's skin color and finds a man who he can look up to, a fatherly figure. Huck sees a human being in Jim, a man of compassion and intelligence. Helping free Jim freed Huckleberry Finn from the evil which was conformity. Even though Huck is instinctively distrustful, he places his confidence in Jim, and this reveals how Huck valued Jim's friendship. Mark Twain conveys his sentiments towards slavery through Huck's character. Posted by posted by Derek J. W.
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Excellent job pointing out that brief but important conversation about the accident!
ReplyDeleteLet's see whether or not your opinions about the book change as we read further.
Interesting blog Derek; though I am posting this comment after we have read much further in the book, I have concluded that Huck does have some racist traits in his personality. We see Huck’s true colors when he was having a mental battle with himself about whether or not he was going to turn Jim in. On pages 111-116, Huck getting angry that he helped a “nigger” get away. He was confused on what Ms. Watson did to him; in his mind Ms. Watson was a kind lady who taught him how to read and took tried to protect him from his father. He doesn’t know the true horror of slavery. Huck believed that he was depriving Ms. Watson of her property and Huck thought he was wrong in doing so. Though another issue that one can bring up is that, how can we say his fault that he is racist? Why are we pinning it down on him that he is a racist? Huck doesn’t know the difference between what we know as morally right and what is morally wrong? Back then, they saw all African Americans as property and not really human beings. I believe that, the longer Huck and Jim spend time on their journey to freedom, the more Huck believes that Jim is a person rather than a slave/property. Bardia G.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe that Huckleberry Finn is a racist at heart. Most of his views are a result of environmental influences and experience. He is from a society and time where it is acceptable to own people and use them for profit. Huck is only around 14 years old; he still doesn’t have a lot of real world experience. He hasn’t traveled much; he has only seen the social norm for St. Petersburg, Missouri. Considering the circumstances, it is quite remarkable that Huck is aiding Jim and hasn’t turned him in yet. Instead, Huck has embarked on a fantastic journey with Jim and treats him as a friend. Although he was considering turning Jim in, he eventually came to the conclusion that is wasn’t right. Although he thought of Jim as Ms. Watson’s property, he resolved not to bring him back. Huck had been taught corrupt values by Ms. Watson. Just as we have been taught to believe tolerance is important, Huck was taught to believe blacks were subordinate. Perhaps Huckleberry Finn is a racist book, but Huck Finn is not a racist character. Mark Twain shows the blacks as subservient and two dimensional, but Huck shows sympathy for Jim. Perhaps Twain used his novel to get the readers to think about the ugliness in society. Slavery is a repulsive concept and the “N” word isn’t pleasant to hear. It is easy for one to cover their ears and brand the book as racist. However, upon closer inspection, one may see it as a satire on slavery. The book is about Jim’s mission for freedom and Huck’s friendship with him. Is Mark Twain trying to evoke feelings of racial discrimination or sympathy and respect for people in Jim’s condition?
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