If there's one important thing about Huckleberry Finn, it's understanding the dialect. Sometimes I get a little annoyed because I'm not used to the language of the book. Words like what are presented as "wha." However, I believe that without it the book wouldn't be right. I think that the dialect adds a feeling for the time period. If Jim spoke in clear English it would be a lot better to understand, but I probably wouldn't like it. Jim is supposed to be an African-American slave, therefore, he doesn't have as much knowledge as a person who attended school at that time. Nevertheless, I've grown to adapt to the dialect in Huckleberry Finn.
posted by: Katie M.
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Be careful not to confuse dialect with education! Many well-educated people often speak very accented or idiosyncratic dialects of English; your dialect just depends on where you are from and how the people who raised you spoke.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the dialect can get very annoying and confusing sometimes because it may take a while to figure out what is being said. However, the dialect does seem to add a bit more to the novel, specially to Jim's character, it makes them a little more real.
ReplyDeleteWendy C.
I find the dialect to be very annoying, but it is also fun to decode it. After reading it a couple of times (like 5 times), then I am able to come up with a conclusion of what he is saying. I also agree with the fact that the book wouldn't just seem right if the author didn't use this kind of dialect. This is the first time I am reading such a book that has this type of dialect, and I find it fun to read.
ReplyDeleteI also think the dialect used is an important factor towards Huckleberry Finn. However I find myself in the same predicament as others, how annoying it could be to try and figure out what is being said. I still find myself having some trouble with this dialect however it is different than most novels, and without it, this novel would be practical and boring.
ReplyDeleteFrancesca Dilone
I believe that the dialect is necessary to make this novel affective. I completely understand that the purpose of this dialect is to give the novel a realistic feel. However, it is difficult for one to adapt to the dialect and completely understand it. I personally have trouble to reading the novel and completely understanding it unless I read out loud. I think the dialect can be extremely annoying, and slows down my reading.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Solano
I do my readings out loud. That is what Ms.Harford suggested us to do and it works.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mark Twain uses way too much dialect. When Jim speaks I find it nearly impossible to undersatnd what he is saying. It takes a very long time for me to decode his dialogue. I think the dialect is very important but when the dialect is so extreme that I cannot understand what the person is saying the I can quickly loose interst. I think that Mark Twain could have send out a clearer message with his book if he used a lighter amount of dialect.
ReplyDeleteAlberto A.
Hey Katie I completely agree with you. Twain's dialect is distracting and annoying, however I feel that without it, his book would nothave been as successful as it was. Twain's use of dialect adds a realistic feel and atmosphere to the book, and it turns it from a two dimensional to a three dimensional story. Nice blog post.
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