Reading up to the 20th chapter, I have had mixed feelings about this book. At first when I began reading the book, I did not like it because of the language. I felt I would have a hard time reading it and actually got frustrated because I usually don’t like reading those kinds of books. But my attitude towards the book changed once I got used to the language and I began to admire the way Mark Twain made the book feel so realistic. He wanted the reader to feel and imagine those times, when slavery still existed and children weren’t as educated as now and because of this I began to enjoy the book.
As you read further into the book it gets more interesting and you begin to realize why the book is called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It's unreal to believe how much Huck has gone through. His childhood will be one to remember. The only problem I have with the book is the way Jim speaks, but that makes the book even better. Jim is a runaway slave who meets up with Huck during the book. At times it is very hard to understand what Jim says, so it can take you awhile to read through what he says, but other then that I am enjoying the book very much. Mark Twain is very good with making up different sorts of situations that Huck gets into. His creativity keeps the reader guessing. I know it keeps me more interested.
Posted by Vadim S.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Connections with the Gilded Age
So far I'm enjoying the book. I especially enjoy the fact that in my eyes, Twain almost creates a microcosmic picture of the "gilded age" of America in the relationship betwixt Huck and Jim. I think this because on the outside you can see two buddies who stick together and seem very content with life. Despite that fact, if you dig deeper into the way they talk to one another or how they behave towards each other, you see something different. For example, in one instance, Huck tries to play a joke on Jim by playing on his "stupidity"-- when he tries to make Jim think he wasn't gone. Although this puts them on bad terms with each other, they still stick together. A lot of the reason that I think this alludes to the state of the gilded age of America is because the state of things in the government at the time were very similar to Jim and Huck's relationship. One example of this is the fact that although corruption ran rampant in all aspects of society America and its people stood together and put up with it. I could be wrong, but what say you?
posted by Justin P.
posted by Justin P.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
More About Dialect
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.
posted by: Katie M.
Controversial Language
I am going to bring up the word “N*****.” Ms. Harford warned us it would show up a lot and it has not disappointed yet. Is the word used with racist intent throughout the book and is Mark Twain a "racist writer"? Today, the word symbolizes hate and the term is so strong that the use of n***** in most situations is a social taboo in English-speaking countries. The book has captivited me and I have made some conjectures about the question based on what I have read. The book was set 20 years before the civil war and it would be amazing if the characters didn't use that word. To the second part of the question, whether Mark Twain is a racist writer, I would object strongly to that too because Huck changes as the book proceeds; he gains a lot of respect for Jim. He starts out believing that slavery is part of the natural order, but he changes his beliefs. He fights his consciousness and does what he believes is right, which is to help his friend Jim escape.
posted by Adnan J.
Note: In order to ensure that our blog can be accessed through the school computer network, I did not spell out the word in question.
posted by Adnan J.
Note: In order to ensure that our blog can be accessed through the school computer network, I did not spell out the word in question.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Tom and Don Quixote
When I first found out that we were going to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I thought that it was going to be an excruciatingly boring experience. I was honestly surprised.
Huck Finn happened to be something more than I thought it would be. I have been really impressed with the book that Mark Twain has written. I love his sarcasm and his use of dialect in the story. I remember that in the eighth chapter, there was a whole page where Jim, Mrs.Watson's slave, was talking. It was very hard to clearly understand what he was trying to say but the incredible thing is that that is how most of us talk even though we don't write like that. What is even more impressive is the fact that someone actually took the time to study the way that we talk and decided to write a whole book like that. I think that that is a lot of dedication on behalf on Mark Twain.
My favorite scene so far was when Tom Sawyer made a reference to Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. As a person who has read Don Quixote, I thought that this was extremely funny. Tom stated that the reason that they (the band of robbers) could not see the Arabs and the elephants was because of the "spell of enchantment." He went on to say that Huck was ignorant because if he would have read Don Quixote he would have known about enchantment. This scene to me signifies two things. First, the influence that Tom Sawyer carries over Huck and second, how gullible Tom Sawyer actually is. Twain portrays Tom as the grand leader of the band of robbers, as the person who can read, when in fact, Tom is just as gullible as Huck. Huck is gullible because he believes in everything that Tom Sawyer says, meanwhile Tom is gullible because he believes everything that he read in a book.
So far, I have been satisfied with the book. I hope it get better because I have to admit that in some parts, it just gets boring for me.
posted by Julissa P.
Huck Finn happened to be something more than I thought it would be. I have been really impressed with the book that Mark Twain has written. I love his sarcasm and his use of dialect in the story. I remember that in the eighth chapter, there was a whole page where Jim, Mrs.Watson's slave, was talking. It was very hard to clearly understand what he was trying to say but the incredible thing is that that is how most of us talk even though we don't write like that. What is even more impressive is the fact that someone actually took the time to study the way that we talk and decided to write a whole book like that. I think that that is a lot of dedication on behalf on Mark Twain.
My favorite scene so far was when Tom Sawyer made a reference to Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. As a person who has read Don Quixote, I thought that this was extremely funny. Tom stated that the reason that they (the band of robbers) could not see the Arabs and the elephants was because of the "spell of enchantment." He went on to say that Huck was ignorant because if he would have read Don Quixote he would have known about enchantment. This scene to me signifies two things. First, the influence that Tom Sawyer carries over Huck and second, how gullible Tom Sawyer actually is. Twain portrays Tom as the grand leader of the band of robbers, as the person who can read, when in fact, Tom is just as gullible as Huck. Huck is gullible because he believes in everything that Tom Sawyer says, meanwhile Tom is gullible because he believes everything that he read in a book.
So far, I have been satisfied with the book. I hope it get better because I have to admit that in some parts, it just gets boring for me.
posted by Julissa P.
Huck and Teenagers Today
One of the connections that I have made from the book Huckleberry Finn is the way rebellious teenagers think and act in society today and Huck’s rebellious actions. As a young boy, Huck faces many obstacles in his life. His drunken father, always complaining about everything, and thirsting for attention, puts a strain on Huck’s life. Having a father like Pap has influenced Huck to be a rebellious person. Huck spends a while being homeless and because of this he develops natural survival instincts. Having such a neglectful father has also made Huck extremely independent.
Huck's drive for freedom and independence has driven him to have no respect for authority. According to him society’s view on being civilized does not apply to him. I assume that Huck’s little knowledge of formal education makes him feel a sense of inferiority to society so he would rather rebel against formal ways than to attempt a change. Many teenagers today seem to approach the same methods. Rebelling seems a lot easier than attempting a change, often because of the fear of change. What I don’t understand is: why wouldn’t Huck want to receive the new opportunities he was given by the Widow and Mrs. Watson?
posted by Valerye Gomez
Huck's drive for freedom and independence has driven him to have no respect for authority. According to him society’s view on being civilized does not apply to him. I assume that Huck’s little knowledge of formal education makes him feel a sense of inferiority to society so he would rather rebel against formal ways than to attempt a change. Many teenagers today seem to approach the same methods. Rebelling seems a lot easier than attempting a change, often because of the fear of change. What I don’t understand is: why wouldn’t Huck want to receive the new opportunities he was given by the Widow and Mrs. Watson?
posted by Valerye Gomez
Running Away
It seems as though when things go wrong for Huck, he tends to decide to run away. As I first started reading this novel I was really interested in it because I had heard a lot about it, but I was scared that it might not lead to a more interesting book. As I kept reading, the more the drama grew the more I wanted to keep reading. Mark Twain has an interesting way of symbolizing ideas and events throughout Huck’s adventure. Also the imagery he uses has the strength of making you feel as if you were with Huck experiencing his adventure.
The dialect in the book is one of a kind. Its not as if I’ve never read books that don't use perfect sentence structure or organization, but this one has a totally different twist to it. I think that is because of the time that it was written as well as the situation the author had been in during that time. Over all, Huck and his friend Jim and their journey have not yet found a
settlement, because obviously I haven’t finished the book. Although I’m looking forward to finishing it soon, because it’s very inspiring and has a lot to look forward to.
posted by Kosovare X.
The dialect in the book is one of a kind. Its not as if I’ve never read books that don't use perfect sentence structure or organization, but this one has a totally different twist to it. I think that is because of the time that it was written as well as the situation the author had been in during that time. Over all, Huck and his friend Jim and their journey have not yet found a
settlement, because obviously I haven’t finished the book. Although I’m looking forward to finishing it soon, because it’s very inspiring and has a lot to look forward to.
posted by Kosovare X.
Connecting to a Character
So far I've enjoyed reading Huckleberry Finn. I really like the character of Huck. He's a really down to earth, trustworthy guy and is very straight forward. I relate to him in a great way and because of this I like his character. Not the living in a barrel and wanting to smoke part, but more of his concrete personality. Most of the time when you can make a connection with a character the book is much more enjoyable. You almost feel like you're a part of the book. "Then she told me all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there," is definitely something I could say. I also like how there is a bond between Huck and Jim. Most people wouldn't expect a slave to bond with a white male during this time. And while some people may think this is very unrealistic, I think it's very realistic. Huck and Jim lived under the same roof and are somewhat in the same situation. They almost feel like they know and understand each other. And Huck is known to be very trustworthy, so this is why Jim tells him that he has run away. It makes the book much more interesting and I think their strong bond is going to benefit both of them.
posted by Gentrit Dedushi
posted by Gentrit Dedushi
Superstition
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has many themes that pop up as you read the story. One of the themes I see is superstition, such as when Huck flings the spider into the candle and it shrivels up. He does some sort of dance or ritual in order to keep out the bad luck.
Throughout history, there have been many superstitions that people believed in. For example, if you'd take a look at The Crucible you can see that people were accused as witches for things they did that looked out of the ordinary. Many of them were killed. One of the ways that determined you were a witch was when they tied a heavy rock to the person underwater and if the person survived then they were a witch, and if they died then they were innocent. I find this practice very stupid, but it was one of the ways people determined whether someone was a witch or not.
In the first chapter of Huckleberry Finn, I think that the burning of the spider might've foreshadowed the problems Huck would face later in the book such as when Pa comes back for Huck and when Jim gets bitten by a rattlesnake after Huck touches it.
posted by Arthur Luo
Throughout history, there have been many superstitions that people believed in. For example, if you'd take a look at The Crucible you can see that people were accused as witches for things they did that looked out of the ordinary. Many of them were killed. One of the ways that determined you were a witch was when they tied a heavy rock to the person underwater and if the person survived then they were a witch, and if they died then they were innocent. I find this practice very stupid, but it was one of the ways people determined whether someone was a witch or not.
In the first chapter of Huckleberry Finn, I think that the burning of the spider might've foreshadowed the problems Huck would face later in the book such as when Pa comes back for Huck and when Jim gets bitten by a rattlesnake after Huck touches it.
posted by Arthur Luo
Huckleberry Finn-- Racist or Anti-Racist?
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.
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.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Questions
I enjoy reading Huckleberry Finn but there are many things that I question within the story. First off, why is the book called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? I think Mark Twain was making a sarcastic remark. Where did the name Huckleberry Finn even come from? On the cover of our book there is a black adult male and a white young boy on a raft. Is this representative of Jim and Huck going across the lake? I think Mark Twain was trying to express the fact that black and white people could be on a somewhat common ground.
Why is Huck so intrigued by Tom Sawyer if Huck is seemingly smarter? I think we are all intrigued by our friends and peer presure and curiosity make us do things sometimes even if we don't always agree with them.
What did the widow's husband die from? Why is Huck's father so evil? I think something in his past has made him an alcoholic and made him very spiteful and he seems to be a racist. What happened to Huck's mom? If Huck ran away in the beginning and only returned to join Tom's group of robbers, why didn't he leave again after resigning from the group? Why if Huck hates his father's drinking so much does he still give him money? Especially if he still gets beaten by his father? Why does Jim decide to leave all of sudden? Why would he leave his wife and kids? Why didn't Huck take an opportunity to leave his father earlier? Why does Huck purposely anger his father if he knows his father will beat him? Was Huck's father always abusive? How did Huck get so street smart? I think Huck has tried to escape and has to be on his own alone because his father was never there for him so he had to learn for himself. Both Huck and Jim are searching for freedom and that is what bonds them. What would a modern day Huckleberry Finn be like? I'm not sure what a modern day Huck would be. I mean I'm sure there are kids who go through things like this. Yet we wouldn't know about it because these kids are usually runaways and you never really know what happens to them out on the street and they're forved to grow up fast.
posted by Nateil O.
Why is Huck so intrigued by Tom Sawyer if Huck is seemingly smarter? I think we are all intrigued by our friends and peer presure and curiosity make us do things sometimes even if we don't always agree with them.
What did the widow's husband die from? Why is Huck's father so evil? I think something in his past has made him an alcoholic and made him very spiteful and he seems to be a racist. What happened to Huck's mom? If Huck ran away in the beginning and only returned to join Tom's group of robbers, why didn't he leave again after resigning from the group? Why if Huck hates his father's drinking so much does he still give him money? Especially if he still gets beaten by his father? Why does Jim decide to leave all of sudden? Why would he leave his wife and kids? Why didn't Huck take an opportunity to leave his father earlier? Why does Huck purposely anger his father if he knows his father will beat him? Was Huck's father always abusive? How did Huck get so street smart? I think Huck has tried to escape and has to be on his own alone because his father was never there for him so he had to learn for himself. Both Huck and Jim are searching for freedom and that is what bonds them. What would a modern day Huckleberry Finn be like? I'm not sure what a modern day Huck would be. I mean I'm sure there are kids who go through things like this. Yet we wouldn't know about it because these kids are usually runaways and you never really know what happens to them out on the street and they're forved to grow up fast.
posted by Nateil O.
A New Perception of Jim
Since Jim was introduced in the book I thought he was just going to be a normal runaway slave seeking freedom. I've been wondering about Jim these past chapters and today in class while reading someone else's opinion about Jim, my perception of him slightly changed. Although Jim indeed runs away from Miss Watson's household I realized there was so much more to him.
Looking at the bigger picture, I think Mark Twain did a good job of taking a stereotypical runaway slave and adding traits such as superstition, emotion and "street smarts" to create a untypical slave persona for Jim. I think Jim is going to develop into a great character. He is Huck's loyal companion who seems to be a normal man longing for family love.
I think that the relationship between Jim and Huck will greatly evolve during the course of the story. Even though there is quite an age difference between Jim and Huck they are still loyal companions. Their friendship seems so balanced, therefore it doesn't really cross my mind that Jim is a grown man and Huck is still a young boy. I think by spending more time together Huck and Jim will become more attached and share a good willed bond that Huck probably has never experienced. I can tell Jim is going to be a role model for Huck even if it's unintentional.The only two characters I would consider to be "past role models" (although these characters weren't true role models towards Huck) were Pap and Tom Sawyer. Huck has a very unstable relationship with his father (not a true father and son bond) and Huck's relationship with dominant character Tom Sawyer doesn't really appeal to me as a balanced friendship either. However I think that Jim will surpass both failed role model attempts and find a new comfort in Huck. Overall I think Jim will grow more accustomed to having young Huck around and develop a protective relationship towards him. As for Huck, I think he will finally have someone to look up to that won't directly control him nor let him down.
posted by Francisca Dilone
Looking at the bigger picture, I think Mark Twain did a good job of taking a stereotypical runaway slave and adding traits such as superstition, emotion and "street smarts" to create a untypical slave persona for Jim. I think Jim is going to develop into a great character. He is Huck's loyal companion who seems to be a normal man longing for family love.
I think that the relationship between Jim and Huck will greatly evolve during the course of the story. Even though there is quite an age difference between Jim and Huck they are still loyal companions. Their friendship seems so balanced, therefore it doesn't really cross my mind that Jim is a grown man and Huck is still a young boy. I think by spending more time together Huck and Jim will become more attached and share a good willed bond that Huck probably has never experienced. I can tell Jim is going to be a role model for Huck even if it's unintentional.The only two characters I would consider to be "past role models" (although these characters weren't true role models towards Huck) were Pap and Tom Sawyer. Huck has a very unstable relationship with his father (not a true father and son bond) and Huck's relationship with dominant character Tom Sawyer doesn't really appeal to me as a balanced friendship either. However I think that Jim will surpass both failed role model attempts and find a new comfort in Huck. Overall I think Jim will grow more accustomed to having young Huck around and develop a protective relationship towards him. As for Huck, I think he will finally have someone to look up to that won't directly control him nor let him down.
posted by Francisca Dilone
Tom Sawyer's Role in the Novel
What has been on the back of my mind while reading this novel is the role of Tom Sawyer. I wonder why is his name is mentioned, when he has nothing to do with the situation, and isn't present in the situation. For instance, in the scene where Huck was explaining to Jim about his escape, Huck states: "Then I told him the whole thing, and he said it was smart. He said Tom Sawyer couldn't get up no better plan than what I had." I believe that although nonexistent in the situation, Sawyer's presence still lingers. I seriously don't understand why.
I also question how Huck's situation would have differed if Tom Sawyer didn't exist. I believe that without Tom Sawyer, Huck wouldn't have anybody to look up to. Considering Huck's situation with his father Pap, and not having a consistent father figure, Huck looks up to Tom Sawyer. I believe that without the character of Tom Sawyer, the novel would have taken a different route. Although Tom Sawyer is not present in the novel at times, I believe that Huck's character depends on Tom Sawyer. I believe that Tom Sawyer created the character of Huck Finn. I believe that that Tom Sawyer's character is overlooked as being an important character. If you take time and ponder about it, where would Huck be, if it wasn't for Tom Sawyer's influence? Where would he be, if he didn't go on the adventure with Tom Sawyer? I believe Huck isn't a character, if Tom Sawyer doesn't exist. Although Huck is young in age, he clearly admits that he'll go with Tom to hell to be together with him.
posted by Matthew S.
I also question how Huck's situation would have differed if Tom Sawyer didn't exist. I believe that without Tom Sawyer, Huck wouldn't have anybody to look up to. Considering Huck's situation with his father Pap, and not having a consistent father figure, Huck looks up to Tom Sawyer. I believe that without the character of Tom Sawyer, the novel would have taken a different route. Although Tom Sawyer is not present in the novel at times, I believe that Huck's character depends on Tom Sawyer. I believe that Tom Sawyer created the character of Huck Finn. I believe that that Tom Sawyer's character is overlooked as being an important character. If you take time and ponder about it, where would Huck be, if it wasn't for Tom Sawyer's influence? Where would he be, if he didn't go on the adventure with Tom Sawyer? I believe Huck isn't a character, if Tom Sawyer doesn't exist. Although Huck is young in age, he clearly admits that he'll go with Tom to hell to be together with him.
posted by Matthew S.
The Dialect and the “bad” Place
So far, I find the book to be quite interesting. The dialect in this book is very different and new to me. It took me a while to get used to the dialect; actually, I am still trying to get used to it. I believe this is what makes the book so interesting, besides the storyline. For example, in proper English, “don’t” is spelled like that; while in the book, they spell it like this “doan.” I find it fun when I have to decode this dialect; it feels as if it is a secret code of some sort. Besides the dialect, the storyline of this book is “ok” as well.
In the first couple of pages of the book, there is a quote stated by Huck. The first time I read this line, I started to laugh to myself, and I said, “This kid's got some guts.” The quote is: “Then she told me all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there.” I know that he is only supposedly between the ages of 10-14, but he must have some sense of what the bad place is. Then for him to still say that he wants to go to the bad place tells me that he is a little stubborn. Throughout the book, I notice how he only likes to listen to his own opinion and do what he wants to do. He doesn’t like being told what to do.
I look forward to finishing the book; I never know what’s going to happen. One minute he is in the log cabin with his father, and the next he is on an island by himself. This is my general opinion of the book so far.
posted by Victor O.
In the first couple of pages of the book, there is a quote stated by Huck. The first time I read this line, I started to laugh to myself, and I said, “This kid's got some guts.” The quote is: “Then she told me all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there.” I know that he is only supposedly between the ages of 10-14, but he must have some sense of what the bad place is. Then for him to still say that he wants to go to the bad place tells me that he is a little stubborn. Throughout the book, I notice how he only likes to listen to his own opinion and do what he wants to do. He doesn’t like being told what to do.
I look forward to finishing the book; I never know what’s going to happen. One minute he is in the log cabin with his father, and the next he is on an island by himself. This is my general opinion of the book so far.
posted by Victor O.
Chapter Reflections
Blog Post for Chapters 8-9
Friends
In these chapters I have noticed a friendly relationship between Huck and Jim. Although they were friendly to each other even before Jim escaped, it is safe to say that they are true friends. They have both escaped from a society which they feel is unfair. They see the island as somewhat of a paradise as they are able to relax. As a reader, I can see the relationship between Huck and Jim. Jim acts like a father figure toward Huck and truly cares for him. Jim is constantly giving Huck helpful and intelligent advice. I was really able to see that Jim cared for Huck when he refused to let Huck see the dead body in the house. On the island they have made somewhat of a small family, but they know that they have to leave soon.
Blog Post for Chapters 10-11
Maybe Not So Reliable After All
After Mrs. Loftus tested Huck a couple of times and proved Huck as a true male, she believed that Huck was indeed a runaway apprentice. Once she told Huck that she and her husband were trying to make money off Jim’s capture, I could tell that Huck wanted to leave right away, but without alarming her of any other suspicions. Right when you think that Huck has finally met another character that he can rely on, he finds out that he can’t at the last minute. To me, this foreshadows the many characters that Huck will meet and eventually leave as the book goes on and on. Also when she described the difference between an apprentice running away and a slave running away, I could feel Huck’s discomfort. After this meeting with Mrs. Loftus, readers can see that Huck truly cares for Jim and wants to protect him any way possible. It was good that he left on time to warn Jim.
posted by David S.
Friends
In these chapters I have noticed a friendly relationship between Huck and Jim. Although they were friendly to each other even before Jim escaped, it is safe to say that they are true friends. They have both escaped from a society which they feel is unfair. They see the island as somewhat of a paradise as they are able to relax. As a reader, I can see the relationship between Huck and Jim. Jim acts like a father figure toward Huck and truly cares for him. Jim is constantly giving Huck helpful and intelligent advice. I was really able to see that Jim cared for Huck when he refused to let Huck see the dead body in the house. On the island they have made somewhat of a small family, but they know that they have to leave soon.
Blog Post for Chapters 10-11
Maybe Not So Reliable After All
After Mrs. Loftus tested Huck a couple of times and proved Huck as a true male, she believed that Huck was indeed a runaway apprentice. Once she told Huck that she and her husband were trying to make money off Jim’s capture, I could tell that Huck wanted to leave right away, but without alarming her of any other suspicions. Right when you think that Huck has finally met another character that he can rely on, he finds out that he can’t at the last minute. To me, this foreshadows the many characters that Huck will meet and eventually leave as the book goes on and on. Also when she described the difference between an apprentice running away and a slave running away, I could feel Huck’s discomfort. After this meeting with Mrs. Loftus, readers can see that Huck truly cares for Jim and wants to protect him any way possible. It was good that he left on time to warn Jim.
posted by David S.
“...that’s what they do… so of course that’s what we’ve got to do.”
In chapter two, Huckleberry Finn meets with Tom Sawyer and the other boys who are interested in joining a band of robbers known as Tom Sawyer’s Gang. While discussing the business of this gang, Tom mentions that as robbers, they would rob, murder and “keep people until they are ransomed”. It is then that a boy asks what “ransom” means. Tom admits he doesn’t know what the word means but assures the boys by saying: “I’ve seen it in [pirate and robbery] books; and so of course that’s what we’ve got to do.” (pg 16). Reading this part of the book not only made me laugh but also made me realize that Tom wanting to copy what he has read in pirate books is like children wanting to mimic what they watch on television. It seems that when it comes to children having fun, imitating what you read in books and watch on television has not changed in the last 150 years.
Television and the media are an important part of today’s society. We as Americans look to television not only as a source of information but as a form of entertainment as well. With so much dependence on television, it is no surprise that children take what they see in cartoons and movies to heart. Because there were no televisions during the mid nineteenth century, people turned to literature as a source of information. Tom based the oath and rules of his gang of robbers on the different pirate books and robbery books he had read. I believe that Tom’s reading of these fictional books is identical to children watching cartoons on television. Kids cannot help but impersonate what they read or watch.
Two summers ago, I worked as a camp counselor with five and six year-olds at the Riverdale Neighborhood House. Watching the children play outside during free time was like watching many different television programs at once. Three girls ran around the courtyard pretending to fight crime in the city of Townsville as the Powerpuff Girls while five boys played basketball, mimicking moves of different famous basketball stars. One other boy walked around scrutinizing and identifying the different bugs on some plants that grew near by while two other girls pulled on my staff uniform insisting that I listen to them sing the song “One, Two Step” by recording artist, Ciara. As a counselor I had to watch Cartoon Network, ESPN, Animal Planet and MTV Hits all at once. Who needs Cable when you’ve got kids? I find it funny that although the times have changed since the 1800’s, children and what they find amusing have not.
posted by Kandace C.
Television and the media are an important part of today’s society. We as Americans look to television not only as a source of information but as a form of entertainment as well. With so much dependence on television, it is no surprise that children take what they see in cartoons and movies to heart. Because there were no televisions during the mid nineteenth century, people turned to literature as a source of information. Tom based the oath and rules of his gang of robbers on the different pirate books and robbery books he had read. I believe that Tom’s reading of these fictional books is identical to children watching cartoons on television. Kids cannot help but impersonate what they read or watch.
Two summers ago, I worked as a camp counselor with five and six year-olds at the Riverdale Neighborhood House. Watching the children play outside during free time was like watching many different television programs at once. Three girls ran around the courtyard pretending to fight crime in the city of Townsville as the Powerpuff Girls while five boys played basketball, mimicking moves of different famous basketball stars. One other boy walked around scrutinizing and identifying the different bugs on some plants that grew near by while two other girls pulled on my staff uniform insisting that I listen to them sing the song “One, Two Step” by recording artist, Ciara. As a counselor I had to watch Cartoon Network, ESPN, Animal Planet and MTV Hits all at once. Who needs Cable when you’ve got kids? I find it funny that although the times have changed since the 1800’s, children and what they find amusing have not.
posted by Kandace C.
An Amazing Character
I think that Huck is an amazing character. He stayed with Miss Watson and the widow as long as he could, even though he was surrounded by rules he despised such as not being able to smoke and being forced to pray and learn everyday. He was also surrounded by people who in his eyes were stupid, especially Miss Watson. Miss Watson told Huck that if he prayed for something he would get it. When Huck didn’t get what he wanted after praying and questioned Miss Watson about it, she simply waved him away, labeling him as being hopeless. I wonder how Miss Watson expected Huck to accept religion if she didn’t even explain to Huck why his praying didn’t work the way he thought it would. Huck also had $6,000 dollars and was known to be a rich boy, but he immediately gave Judge Thatcher all of his money when he found out that his father (Pap) was in town. Huck knew that his father would be after his money sooner or later, and he didn’t even think of taking just a little money to hide somewhere, and he didn’t ask Judge Thatcher to save his money either. He just gave his money away, without worrying about how he would survive without the money or what would happen to him from that point on.
When Huck was taken by his father to a small cabin deep in the woods, Huck became very resourceful and in just three days of scrounging around the cabin looking for a way to escape his father and runaway, he found a rusty saw and used it to create a hole in the cabin. I think that Huck is not only resourceful but also extremely bright and patient. Most people in Huck’s scenario would make a huge mess while trying to escape and would probably fail and be severely punished for what they attempted to do. However, Huck was able to cover his tracks. When Huck realized he would not be able to cut a hole through the cabin on his first day trying, he accepted it and cleaned up the mess he made and covered the hole he created. He also waited until he was 100% sure that it was safe to continue to saw a hole through the cabin. Even more amazing, when Huck did finally escape and made it to Jackson’s Island, he was aware of the fact that he could not make a fire even though he was hungry because people who would be looking for his carcass would see the smoke from the fire and catch him. So Huck waited until a loaf of bread that was thrown into the river by a person searching for him was close enough to grab a hold of and eat. Huck is a very resourceful person who has managed to overcome many obstacles that many people would simply give up on when faced with them.
posted by Noah A.
When Huck was taken by his father to a small cabin deep in the woods, Huck became very resourceful and in just three days of scrounging around the cabin looking for a way to escape his father and runaway, he found a rusty saw and used it to create a hole in the cabin. I think that Huck is not only resourceful but also extremely bright and patient. Most people in Huck’s scenario would make a huge mess while trying to escape and would probably fail and be severely punished for what they attempted to do. However, Huck was able to cover his tracks. When Huck realized he would not be able to cut a hole through the cabin on his first day trying, he accepted it and cleaned up the mess he made and covered the hole he created. He also waited until he was 100% sure that it was safe to continue to saw a hole through the cabin. Even more amazing, when Huck did finally escape and made it to Jackson’s Island, he was aware of the fact that he could not make a fire even though he was hungry because people who would be looking for his carcass would see the smoke from the fire and catch him. So Huck waited until a loaf of bread that was thrown into the river by a person searching for him was close enough to grab a hold of and eat. Huck is a very resourceful person who has managed to overcome many obstacles that many people would simply give up on when faced with them.
posted by Noah A.
Observations about Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn is possibly one of my favorite characters from a book that I have read. He is a very unique character as he wants to be his own independent person, and has his own views on how the world works, rather than being influenced by someone else. Huck is very wise for someone so young, and he does things that someone his age should not even be able to comprehend, non the less pull off. For example, most people at the time the book took place looked down on African Americans. African Americans were enslaved, thought of as inferior, and whipped for any little thing. However Huck is able to see past the racism, and is even able to form a bond with Ms. Watson’s slave Jim. In a way, I don’t believe Huck’s theory of not being “sivilized” is accurate, as he understands how to treat other human beings with respect.
I don’t think that Huck is uncivilized, rather I think he just wants to go against the expectations of the norm. Huck doesn’t want to live a life of privilege and wealth. At the same time, he doesn’t want to live his life as a drunkard loser. I think he just wants to be himself, and not live by anyone’s rules and expectations. However while he’s around Tom Sawyer, this changes, as Tom bosses Huck around, and sometimes pulls Huck into his unbelievable schemes, even though Huck knows better. This may be another reason why Huck and Jim get along so well, because both are tired of being ordered around by other people, and want to get away from it all.
Another thing that I found amazing about Huck is the way that Mark Twain makes him seem more personable, and not just a narrator. For example, on page 7, in the beginning of the book when Huck is introducing himself, he says “You don’t know me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” This shows that Mark Twain was trying to make Huck more than just a character in a story, rather a person that is relatable to anyone that reads his book. Another quote that I found more funny than interesting was on page 48, after Huck ran away from his Pap, he was afraid of how dark it was on Jackson Island, and he says “Everything was dead quiet, and it looked late, and it smelt late. You know what I mean-I don’t know the words to put it in.” I found this quote interesting because it makes Huck a little more realistic, and I found it funny because to me, Huck is trying to seem like he’s not afraid of how dark it is on Jackson Island, yet he’s not doing a very good job of convincing the reader of this.
posted by Eddie D.
I don’t think that Huck is uncivilized, rather I think he just wants to go against the expectations of the norm. Huck doesn’t want to live a life of privilege and wealth. At the same time, he doesn’t want to live his life as a drunkard loser. I think he just wants to be himself, and not live by anyone’s rules and expectations. However while he’s around Tom Sawyer, this changes, as Tom bosses Huck around, and sometimes pulls Huck into his unbelievable schemes, even though Huck knows better. This may be another reason why Huck and Jim get along so well, because both are tired of being ordered around by other people, and want to get away from it all.
Another thing that I found amazing about Huck is the way that Mark Twain makes him seem more personable, and not just a narrator. For example, on page 7, in the beginning of the book when Huck is introducing himself, he says “You don’t know me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” This shows that Mark Twain was trying to make Huck more than just a character in a story, rather a person that is relatable to anyone that reads his book. Another quote that I found more funny than interesting was on page 48, after Huck ran away from his Pap, he was afraid of how dark it was on Jackson Island, and he says “Everything was dead quiet, and it looked late, and it smelt late. You know what I mean-I don’t know the words to put it in.” I found this quote interesting because it makes Huck a little more realistic, and I found it funny because to me, Huck is trying to seem like he’s not afraid of how dark it is on Jackson Island, yet he’s not doing a very good job of convincing the reader of this.
posted by Eddie D.
Questions for you to consider
While reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I inquired two questions. First, why did Mark Twain add such superstition to the characters of Huck and Jim? Was superstition a common thing to believe in the 1800’s? You could see in the beginning of the book once Huck spilt the salt he was in a hurry to react. Though the widow prevented him, he was uneasy for several hours. While Huck and Jim were out on the island you really saw how much superstition and believing in bad luck affected the characters. For example Jim did not want to talk about the dead person because he believed that would bring up bad luck and its ghost would hunt them. Also, why do you think Mark Twain used superstition to characterize Huck? Do you think this is just a way for Mark Twain to elaborate and keep the reader's mind occupied or do you think there was a real purpose? Think about the beginning of chapter ten. Mark Twain could have chosen among numerous ideas, but instead he chooses to write about how the snake skin brought bad luck. Why didn’t he write about previous encounters with his father, or Jim’s conditions?
An interesting question to consider:
I believe that as education levels become higher in an individual, the less one believes in superstition and other comical beliefs. Do you agree with me or disagree with me?
Another thinking question is: what would have happened if Huck was never kidnapped by his father? If he never was influenced by his father, would he still run away? Or would he have accepted the widow's logic and grown up to be a working man? Would he ever inherit the fortune left for him?
posted by Bardia G.
An interesting question to consider:
I believe that as education levels become higher in an individual, the less one believes in superstition and other comical beliefs. Do you agree with me or disagree with me?
Another thinking question is: what would have happened if Huck was never kidnapped by his father? If he never was influenced by his father, would he still run away? Or would he have accepted the widow's logic and grown up to be a working man? Would he ever inherit the fortune left for him?
posted by Bardia G.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Two different people = Two Best friends
Huck is a very interesting character to read about. At some points throughout the book I compare myself to what he does. For example, when he looks up to Jim, who is an adult. Not many teenagers look up to an adult, since in our minds, teenagers are rebellious and don't listen to adults. I have the same connection with my mother as with Jim and Huck.
Now that Jim and Huck know that they have a lot in common they will help each other. They both want to feel free from the people that want them "sivilized." It is now chapter 8 and they are together finding a way to escape on their canoe to be able to go to a free state.
Their relationship is growing and they are finding more things that they have in common. I just hope as the reader that they won't endure more obstacles than the ones they are facing. Even though I don't want it to happen, it will happen, because that is what an adventure is all about.
posted by Patricia B.
Now that Jim and Huck know that they have a lot in common they will help each other. They both want to feel free from the people that want them "sivilized." It is now chapter 8 and they are together finding a way to escape on their canoe to be able to go to a free state.
Their relationship is growing and they are finding more things that they have in common. I just hope as the reader that they won't endure more obstacles than the ones they are facing. Even though I don't want it to happen, it will happen, because that is what an adventure is all about.
posted by Patricia B.
Huck's Innocence
So far from I've read I'm liking this book. I think Mark Twain has done a good job of making Huck a funny character. My favorite thing Huck has said so far is, "Then she told me all about the bad place, and I said I wished I was there. She got mad then, but I didn't mean no harm. All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was a change, I warn't particular...she was going to live so as to go to the good place. Well I couldn't see no advantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind I wouldn't try for it." When I read this part it made me laugh because he's saying he'd rather go to hell than heaven because the widow is going there. This shows Huck's innocence and how he still doesn't know where he belongs in the world. This gives the readers a clue to Huck's journey throughout the book to find a place where he feels comfortable. I can't wait to find out where Huck ends up.
Grace O.
Grace O.
Jim and Huck: Realistic?
Why in the world would Jim tell a little white boy that he escaped from slavery? That makes absolutely no sense. Can Jim honestly be that ignorant of the situation he put himself in the moment he told Huck that he escaped? I understand that he lived with Huck in Miss Watson's house, and that Huck isn't a stranger to him. Even so, telling a white male that you, being a black slave, have escaped from your owner is simply absurd. Does he have any idea how much power white males had in those days? I think Jim telling Huck his situation made the book that much more unrealistic; I was really starting to get into it when I read about Huck's bizarre but wise escape from his drunken father. I don't think that was a very smart thing for Jim to do. He could easily end up right back in MissWatson's house and then he'd never be able to escape again. Or, he could be imprisoned, tortured, and/orkilled.
I also don't understand this sudden bond between Jim and Huck. The two are from completely different worlds and have absolutely nothing in common. Well, maybe a few things, but nothing substantially important. The chances of them meeting are insanely unlikely, and then once they do meet on the island, they develop such a strong bond. I think this is very strange. I guess Huck's father's strong racist feelings towards blacks made Huck not want to be that kind of person. Still, Huck and Jim's friendship strikes me as odd. Hopefully something will greatly benefit the both of them in sharing this bond and blow my theory out the water. I would like to see something interesting come out of this loyal relationship between Jim and Huck.
posted by Amanda R.
I also don't understand this sudden bond between Jim and Huck. The two are from completely different worlds and have absolutely nothing in common. Well, maybe a few things, but nothing substantially important. The chances of them meeting are insanely unlikely, and then once they do meet on the island, they develop such a strong bond. I think this is very strange. I guess Huck's father's strong racist feelings towards blacks made Huck not want to be that kind of person. Still, Huck and Jim's friendship strikes me as odd. Hopefully something will greatly benefit the both of them in sharing this bond and blow my theory out the water. I would like to see something interesting come out of this loyal relationship between Jim and Huck.
posted by Amanda R.
What Draws Me In
At first glance, a novel written in the late 19th century usually doesn’t grasp the attention of modern high school students; however, this book gives a comedic and slightly childish insight to life in Mississippi before the Civil War, which is simply to say, I love this book.
The antebellum South was a place of slavery and strong ties to religion, especially in Huck’s tiny town. Huck was thrown from his life living in a barrel and freedom into one of schooling, chores, rules, curfew and religion. Perhaps it’s because of his lack of education before being adopted, but Huck’s thick southern drawl is difficult to understand. His language is tricky to comprehend if you read too much into how the words are written rather than how they sound. I have encountered several people who despised this book because of the unusual style of writing. Yet, the oxymoron that Huck’s speech is simple and complex is what draws me in. Huck’s speech pattern draws the reader into the novel, as if he/she is standing in the middle of the town listening to the inhabitants interact.
Another reason I enjoy the novel is the protagonist is a child of an unknown age. Huck attaches himself to the inner child of even the most mature adult. Huck is portrayed as a simpleton, a follower of Tom Sawyer, with a fondness for the great outdoors and adventure. Although he is a child and enjoys acting like one (like joining Tom Sawyer’s band of robbers), he is still pragmatic in many situations; for example, he never bothers to tell the widow that he doesn’t “take stock in dead people,” like Moses. By doing this, Huck can stay out of trouble with the widow. In addition, Huck is incredibly intelligent because of his knowledge of the outdoors. When Pap hid Huck in a cabin, Huck devised a plan to escape the locked room and travel down river, which succeeded. Overall, Huck’s personality combined with witty comments make the pages fly by.
posted by Kayla H.
The antebellum South was a place of slavery and strong ties to religion, especially in Huck’s tiny town. Huck was thrown from his life living in a barrel and freedom into one of schooling, chores, rules, curfew and religion. Perhaps it’s because of his lack of education before being adopted, but Huck’s thick southern drawl is difficult to understand. His language is tricky to comprehend if you read too much into how the words are written rather than how they sound. I have encountered several people who despised this book because of the unusual style of writing. Yet, the oxymoron that Huck’s speech is simple and complex is what draws me in. Huck’s speech pattern draws the reader into the novel, as if he/she is standing in the middle of the town listening to the inhabitants interact.
Another reason I enjoy the novel is the protagonist is a child of an unknown age. Huck attaches himself to the inner child of even the most mature adult. Huck is portrayed as a simpleton, a follower of Tom Sawyer, with a fondness for the great outdoors and adventure. Although he is a child and enjoys acting like one (like joining Tom Sawyer’s band of robbers), he is still pragmatic in many situations; for example, he never bothers to tell the widow that he doesn’t “take stock in dead people,” like Moses. By doing this, Huck can stay out of trouble with the widow. In addition, Huck is incredibly intelligent because of his knowledge of the outdoors. When Pap hid Huck in a cabin, Huck devised a plan to escape the locked room and travel down river, which succeeded. Overall, Huck’s personality combined with witty comments make the pages fly by.
posted by Kayla H.
Pap
Huck’s relationship with his father really bothers me. How is a father, let alone any parent, going to leave their child for over a year and suddenly reappear in their life? And if they are to reappear, shouldn’t they be different? It irks me that Huck seems okay with living in the cabin with his father just because he doesn’t want to be “sivilized” by living with Miss Watson. A father plays an enormous role in his child’s life, especially that of a male. Parents don’t realize how leaving their child will eventually affect them. Miss Watson stepped up to the plate and Huck can’t even appreciate it just because they have differences. Miss Watson would have an amazing influence on Huck. Pap is not allowing Huck to have an education, but education brings you places. Pap is depriving Huck of his childhood especially by locking him in that cabin. And the weird thing is, Huck kind of minds, but doesn’t really because he is away from Miss Watson and the mistress. I wouldn’t be able to forgive Pap for threatening me, taking me out of school, taking my money, leaving me, and being drunk all the time. I don’t know how Huck does it. It seems like such a destructive lifestyle.
posted by Dylan P.
posted by Dylan P.
Will Huck Ever Be Happy?
One question that I seem to be asking myself throughout the book is: when will Huck ever be happy? Ever since he has been living with the widow, Huck has not seemed content with his surroundings. The widow and Miss Watson took Huck in, planning to help him out and try to give him a better life. However, despite all the new commodities such as a warm bed, food, and new clothes, Huck said that this is not what he wanted, and that he was much more content with the life he had before. Huck seems to me like a very simplistic and basic person; he does not need to live or behave “properly” to be happy. Huck felt like he was caged in at the Widow’s, with Miss Watson constantly poking at him, saying, “ Don’t put your feet up there, Huckleberry, don’t scrunch up like that Huckleberry-set up straight.” Her nagging grew tiresome, and it seemed like he would get away from it when his raucous and belligerent father came along.
Huck’s father is like him in a way-- he didn’t need any fancy clothing or bedding to be satisfied. All he ever needs in life is his whisky jug. But Huck was not happy with him either, he instead gave the impression that he was afraid of him. Pap was constantly tearing down what he had learned with the Widow and Miss Watson, saying that Huck thought he was better than his own father. One of the first things that Pap said to Huck when he saw him was “ You’ve put on considerable many frills since I been away. I’ll take you down a peg before I get done with you. You’re educated, too…You think you’re better’n your father, now, …I’ll take it out of you. Who told you you might meddle with such hifalut’n foolishness?” Instead of being proud of his son, for at least making some effort to do something productive, he’s angry with him. Pap has obviously been a failure in his life, and he wants to drag Huck right along with him. As we could imagine, Huck grew tired of having to put up with Pap. With Pap, he didn’t have to dress up, behave, or go to school. However, Huck still didn’t have the freedom that he desired because Pap had him locked up in the log cabin. Maybe after leaving Pap and going out on his own, Huck may be satisfied with his life. The “adventure” that he’s going out on with Jim may help him find himself and what he really wants.
One thing that I keep noticing in Huck is his rebelliousness. He clearly doesn’t want to conform with society’s expectations. He thinks that this is what he should be doing, but it’s not what he wants, so he’s not just going to follow along. When Huck was living with the Miss Watson, he had to listen to her talk to him about her religious beliefs. When she explained to him the difference between heaven and hell, Huck responded by saying that he’d rather go to hell simply because he wanted a change in his life. He also continued to smoke after the widow told him not to. This may come in part from not having a real father figure in his life. All he’s ever seen from his father are drunken rants. Basically, Huck had had to be his own boss, and live by his own rules. This could be the source for his disobedience.
-posted by Wendy C.
Huck’s father is like him in a way-- he didn’t need any fancy clothing or bedding to be satisfied. All he ever needs in life is his whisky jug. But Huck was not happy with him either, he instead gave the impression that he was afraid of him. Pap was constantly tearing down what he had learned with the Widow and Miss Watson, saying that Huck thought he was better than his own father. One of the first things that Pap said to Huck when he saw him was “ You’ve put on considerable many frills since I been away. I’ll take you down a peg before I get done with you. You’re educated, too…You think you’re better’n your father, now, …I’ll take it out of you. Who told you you might meddle with such hifalut’n foolishness?” Instead of being proud of his son, for at least making some effort to do something productive, he’s angry with him. Pap has obviously been a failure in his life, and he wants to drag Huck right along with him. As we could imagine, Huck grew tired of having to put up with Pap. With Pap, he didn’t have to dress up, behave, or go to school. However, Huck still didn’t have the freedom that he desired because Pap had him locked up in the log cabin. Maybe after leaving Pap and going out on his own, Huck may be satisfied with his life. The “adventure” that he’s going out on with Jim may help him find himself and what he really wants.
One thing that I keep noticing in Huck is his rebelliousness. He clearly doesn’t want to conform with society’s expectations. He thinks that this is what he should be doing, but it’s not what he wants, so he’s not just going to follow along. When Huck was living with the Miss Watson, he had to listen to her talk to him about her religious beliefs. When she explained to him the difference between heaven and hell, Huck responded by saying that he’d rather go to hell simply because he wanted a change in his life. He also continued to smoke after the widow told him not to. This may come in part from not having a real father figure in his life. All he’s ever seen from his father are drunken rants. Basically, Huck had had to be his own boss, and live by his own rules. This could be the source for his disobedience.
-posted by Wendy C.
Huck’s reaction towards his father’s alcoholism is very surprising and ironic
What surprises me the most in Huckleberry Finn is Hucks’s relationship with his father. Huck’s relationship to his father, Pap, is very similar to the relationship of children and their parents in our society today. Some children do tend to get along with their parents, while others don’t seem to get along with their parents at all. Can you imagine what life would be like for you if your father was an alcoholic, was always complaining about the Government and didn’t want you to get an education? Well, Huck’s father Pap is completely insane. This is the kind of life he wants for his child Huck, a life with no education.
Pap is always complaining or criticizing the Government and he is constantly going to court. The judge always offers money. Whenever Pap has money, he spends it on alcohol. Pap is an alcoholic and he is often too drunk to care or pay mind to his son Huck. He is constantly complaining about Huck’s education. An actual parent would want his child to go to school and get a good education. Pap however, doesn’t want this for his son Huck.
What I find most ironic is the way Huck behaves and acts toward his father. What Huck fears the most is to become his father. He sees the negativity in his father as a form of motivation. However, not a negative motivation, but a positive one. This makes Huck want to be a better individual. This is mainly because Huck has a positive self esteem. In reality if it were another child, the situation would be totally different. It may be that the child can turn out to have low self esteem and be suicidal because they don’t have the attention from their parent or the parent is mistreating them. Huck’s reaction towards his father is very weird. He minimizes the contact with his father and he is trying to escape his father's negativity. What shocked me the most was that he sees it as motivation rather than a tragedy. Why isn’t Huck’s personality this way? What I wonder the most is if Huck was truly inspired by his father's negativity to become a better person? Will he turn out to be like his father when he becomes an adult?
posted by Shireen B.
Pap is always complaining or criticizing the Government and he is constantly going to court. The judge always offers money. Whenever Pap has money, he spends it on alcohol. Pap is an alcoholic and he is often too drunk to care or pay mind to his son Huck. He is constantly complaining about Huck’s education. An actual parent would want his child to go to school and get a good education. Pap however, doesn’t want this for his son Huck.
What I find most ironic is the way Huck behaves and acts toward his father. What Huck fears the most is to become his father. He sees the negativity in his father as a form of motivation. However, not a negative motivation, but a positive one. This makes Huck want to be a better individual. This is mainly because Huck has a positive self esteem. In reality if it were another child, the situation would be totally different. It may be that the child can turn out to have low self esteem and be suicidal because they don’t have the attention from their parent or the parent is mistreating them. Huck’s reaction towards his father is very weird. He minimizes the contact with his father and he is trying to escape his father's negativity. What shocked me the most was that he sees it as motivation rather than a tragedy. Why isn’t Huck’s personality this way? What I wonder the most is if Huck was truly inspired by his father's negativity to become a better person? Will he turn out to be like his father when he becomes an adult?
posted by Shireen B.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
When does Huck Finn become engaging?
I do not find the language within Huckleberry Finn very engaging. Even when I do find out the meaning of a word or a phrase, I find it difficult to read another paragraph several times and analyze everything in that one paragraph continuously. I think it may be difficult because I'm used to reading a more sophisticated and straight forward dialect. Reading Huckleberry Finn's story with the different styles of language, is a little frustrating to follow. (Just a little)
It is engaging, however, when we acknowledge the source of Huck's motivation. His father's mistakes and troubled life have influenced him in such a significant way. Pap's actions have encouraged Huck to continue going to school. I initially thought that Huck would have liked the idea of not going to school and sitting around, considering that earlier in the story when he did not go to school regularly, he liked to play hookey, but he surprised me by changing his mind. I feel very bad for Huck, but I'm glad his father's situation has affected him in this fundamental way. In my perception, Pap's life is an example before Huck's eyes of an individual with no education who prefers to waste his life "havin' a good old time." This example has opened Huck's eyes to a future to which he does not aspire, therefore Huck understood that if he continued playing hookey and failing to consider his future, he was going to be just like his father. Now, he's in the process of getting away from this negativity and becoming successful in his own way.
The lifestyles of slaves in the house of the widow reminded me of the Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass when he compared the lifestyle in the urban communities as opposed to the plantation communities. For FD, living back on the plantations was harsh and inhumane. When he arrived in Baltimore, the Black man was still considered inferior. However, he was not treated as harshly as he was back on the plantation. In Huck's situation, the widow's home was like the life in the urban communities as opposed to his father's life style in the woods similar to life back on the plantation. This comparison gave me a broader insight about how these Black men had to live their lives, cautious, always on the run, almost like a nomad without a destination and technically no place where they can call home, something we take for granted sometimes.
posted by Gina O.
It is engaging, however, when we acknowledge the source of Huck's motivation. His father's mistakes and troubled life have influenced him in such a significant way. Pap's actions have encouraged Huck to continue going to school. I initially thought that Huck would have liked the idea of not going to school and sitting around, considering that earlier in the story when he did not go to school regularly, he liked to play hookey, but he surprised me by changing his mind. I feel very bad for Huck, but I'm glad his father's situation has affected him in this fundamental way. In my perception, Pap's life is an example before Huck's eyes of an individual with no education who prefers to waste his life "havin' a good old time." This example has opened Huck's eyes to a future to which he does not aspire, therefore Huck understood that if he continued playing hookey and failing to consider his future, he was going to be just like his father. Now, he's in the process of getting away from this negativity and becoming successful in his own way.
The lifestyles of slaves in the house of the widow reminded me of the Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass when he compared the lifestyle in the urban communities as opposed to the plantation communities. For FD, living back on the plantations was harsh and inhumane. When he arrived in Baltimore, the Black man was still considered inferior. However, he was not treated as harshly as he was back on the plantation. In Huck's situation, the widow's home was like the life in the urban communities as opposed to his father's life style in the woods similar to life back on the plantation. This comparison gave me a broader insight about how these Black men had to live their lives, cautious, always on the run, almost like a nomad without a destination and technically no place where they can call home, something we take for granted sometimes.
posted by Gina O.
Fathers and Hypocrites
One thing I really find interesting in the book so far is Huck’s relationship with other characters in the novel, especially with his Pap. Fathers are very influential figures in any child’s life. Their presence or their absence contributes significantly in a child’s upbringing and can play a role in shaping the kid’s personality traits. We see this immediately in the novel when Huck reveals that his father will come back for him one day, contrary to the rumor that his father was dead, and this thought wasn’t making him very “comfortable.” Pap is an alcoholic, the neighborhood ‘sleazebag,’ and a person Huck is afraid of. When they finally meet, Pap criticizes Huck’s new life and makes it clear to Huck that despite such reading, writing, and keeping clean, he still won’t amount to much. When Pap kidnaps Huck and takes him away to an isolated cabin away from the town, we also come to see in how many ways Pap’s character has influenced Huck. The abuse and neglect that Huck has suffered because of his father have led him to become an independent person who is able to fend for himself, whatever the situation. Such resourcefulness is emphasized when Huck makes up his scheme to finally escape from his father’s clutches by carving his way out of the locked cabin and going away on the small boat that had traveled upstream. Pap also contributes to Huck’s sense of personal freedom and adventure. Huck doesn’t want anyone tying him down and telling him what to do; he felt suffocated at both the widow’s and this new internment at Pap’s. What he does want is to live on his own, to seek an adventure with his best pal Tom, and to follow his instincts, wherever they might lead him.
A quote from the novel that I really liked was seen right at the onset on page 4 of the novel: “That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing they don’t know anything about.” I found this interesting because this was exactly how all the people around him acted. The widow’s incessant attempts to try to reform him into a ‘civilized’ person were driving him mad, and sometimes she spoke of schooling him on things she didn’t have a clue about. The hypocrisy in the lifestyles of the small town people was clearly seen. First Moses, who Huck said he didn’t care about because dead people didn’t really affect him, and how she tells him a big old story that he didn’t care about. Then smoking, which she said was bad, but then goes around with her “snuff,” or tobacco, and says that’s alright. Huck is getting pissed off because people around him are usually liars and hypocrites. I find his bluntness and his honesty very amusing.
posted by Prabjot K.
A quote from the novel that I really liked was seen right at the onset on page 4 of the novel: “That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing they don’t know anything about.” I found this interesting because this was exactly how all the people around him acted. The widow’s incessant attempts to try to reform him into a ‘civilized’ person were driving him mad, and sometimes she spoke of schooling him on things she didn’t have a clue about. The hypocrisy in the lifestyles of the small town people was clearly seen. First Moses, who Huck said he didn’t care about because dead people didn’t really affect him, and how she tells him a big old story that he didn’t care about. Then smoking, which she said was bad, but then goes around with her “snuff,” or tobacco, and says that’s alright. Huck is getting pissed off because people around him are usually liars and hypocrites. I find his bluntness and his honesty very amusing.
posted by Prabjot K.
The Adventure Begins
Blog Entry for Chapters 4-5
The funny thing is that ever since Tom and Huck put Jim’s hat on the tree branch, he has gained fame amongst the slaves and now has become stuck up from it. Jim told many people that that witches flew him around and many believe him. I guess the slaves were so interested in witchcraft because it was a fantasy and they were able to have their minds off slavery when they imagined it. Now, he has claimed to possess a magical hairball and that it will help Huck answer his questions. This is actually very funny since Jim now sees himself as a celebrity and a somewhat fortune-teller.
I have been seeing the reoccurrence of reforming. Widow Douglass has tried to reform Huck, but has failed. The new judge in town has tried to reform Pap, and has also failed. It seems very important that some people’s lives revolve around reform and proper behavior. However, by the way the book is going, I don’t think that anybody will be able to get “reformed.”
Blog Entry for Chapter 6-7
This is what I’ve been waiting for, some action to happen. However, I am getting tired of Pap’s drunken rambles. Huck’s own father has held him captive in a cabin, but Huck has managed to escape and has set it up like some robbers came in and killed him. This way, his father will think he is dead and now he can do nothing about it. This is where I see the book getting its name. Huck sails out to Jackson’s Island and it seems that somewhat of an “adventure” will begin.
posted by David S.
The funny thing is that ever since Tom and Huck put Jim’s hat on the tree branch, he has gained fame amongst the slaves and now has become stuck up from it. Jim told many people that that witches flew him around and many believe him. I guess the slaves were so interested in witchcraft because it was a fantasy and they were able to have their minds off slavery when they imagined it. Now, he has claimed to possess a magical hairball and that it will help Huck answer his questions. This is actually very funny since Jim now sees himself as a celebrity and a somewhat fortune-teller.
I have been seeing the reoccurrence of reforming. Widow Douglass has tried to reform Huck, but has failed. The new judge in town has tried to reform Pap, and has also failed. It seems very important that some people’s lives revolve around reform and proper behavior. However, by the way the book is going, I don’t think that anybody will be able to get “reformed.”
Blog Entry for Chapter 6-7
This is what I’ve been waiting for, some action to happen. However, I am getting tired of Pap’s drunken rambles. Huck’s own father has held him captive in a cabin, but Huck has managed to escape and has set it up like some robbers came in and killed him. This way, his father will think he is dead and now he can do nothing about it. This is where I see the book getting its name. Huck sails out to Jackson’s Island and it seems that somewhat of an “adventure” will begin.
posted by David S.
Monday, February 5, 2007
What does it mean to be "sivilized"?
From the start of the novel, it is evident that Huckleberry Finn has rejected a traditional life. He has come under pressure from the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson to conform to certain standards. At the same time, his father has demanded the opposite. It is clear from the first few chapters that Huckleberry has been deprived of a normal education. Now Ms. Watson's and the Widow's noble efforts are being terminated by Huck's father. Tom Sawyer and some of the other boys in the community are well educated and have middle class homes. By maintaining his independence, Huckleberry Finn has drifted away from mainstream logic. This has resulted in Finn's unique logic and exceptional ideas. I wonder if this new logic will make him question society. His eye might catch injustices that the conformed have blindly accepted. He is very sympathetic to Jim, Mrs. Watson's slave. Is Huckleberry's father any more uncivilized for being a drunk than Miss Watson is for being a slave owner? Huckleberry Finn has overcome his harsh surroundings, and is a likeable character. I think that through the instinctual eyes of Huckleberry, Mark Twain can examine and question society. I am looking forward to reading more of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
-posted by Jack N.
-posted by Jack N.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Huck Finn, an Amazing Character
Huckleberry Finn is an amazing character. From the opening pages of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck engages the readers in a very friendly and conversational manner. When Huck mentions, “Mr. Mark Twain” by name, he instantaneously achieves an independence from the author. In addition, Huck mentions Twain’s previous novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to introduce his best friend, Tom. Beyond establishing a voice, Huck also introduces the readers to his energetic, but hard life. Huck is not just a poor guy, but also an entertaining one who is eager to question the details of life, and the aspects of human traits, such as the propensity to lie.
Huck further explains his life by introducing the readers to the Widow and Miss Watson who have adopted Huck, and have decided to refine him. Throughout the first chapter, the Widow constantly bemoans her failure to modify Huck. Huck recoils over praying, or grumbling, before eating. He states, “When you got to the table you couldn’t go right to eating, but you had to wait for the widow to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals, though there weren’t really anything the matter with them.” The Widow also tries to inform Huck about the bad place, hell, and he utters that he would like to go there. Then the Widow got mad at him, and told him that she was going to live so as to go to the good place, heaven, to which Huck thought that he could not see an advantage in going to the same place she was going to. Moreover, the Widow taught him about Moses, and although at first Huck became very interested in him, when he realized that Moses had been dead a considerable long time, he quickly lost interest.
So far, Huck is a very interesting character. In the beginning, Huck’s troubled past portrays a disturbed child who is merely trying to cope with life by joining a gang and befriending Tom, who seems to make a lasting impression on Huck. But, as the story untangles itself, Huck seems like a rational character; he is not afraid to ask questions and explore his opinions. However, although Huck is a wonderful character and a natural philosopher, I still can’t help but wonder why Mark Twain uses a child as the main character and to represent the consciousness of the book?
posted by: Ranu N.
Huck further explains his life by introducing the readers to the Widow and Miss Watson who have adopted Huck, and have decided to refine him. Throughout the first chapter, the Widow constantly bemoans her failure to modify Huck. Huck recoils over praying, or grumbling, before eating. He states, “When you got to the table you couldn’t go right to eating, but you had to wait for the widow to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals, though there weren’t really anything the matter with them.” The Widow also tries to inform Huck about the bad place, hell, and he utters that he would like to go there. Then the Widow got mad at him, and told him that she was going to live so as to go to the good place, heaven, to which Huck thought that he could not see an advantage in going to the same place she was going to. Moreover, the Widow taught him about Moses, and although at first Huck became very interested in him, when he realized that Moses had been dead a considerable long time, he quickly lost interest.
So far, Huck is a very interesting character. In the beginning, Huck’s troubled past portrays a disturbed child who is merely trying to cope with life by joining a gang and befriending Tom, who seems to make a lasting impression on Huck. But, as the story untangles itself, Huck seems like a rational character; he is not afraid to ask questions and explore his opinions. However, although Huck is a wonderful character and a natural philosopher, I still can’t help but wonder why Mark Twain uses a child as the main character and to represent the consciousness of the book?
posted by: Ranu N.
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