I find the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn very difficult to read. I often find myself re-reading the paragraph just to understand what it means after not getting it the first time. Some of the more difficult aspects for me to understand in the book are based on the way they speak and the dialect they use. I do understand that most of the people in the book were uneducated and just basically spoke different than we do now. For example “Yo’ Ole Father doan’ know yit what hes a-gwyne to do” is what Jim had said to Huck and I found that very hard to comprehend.
If it wasn’t for the great context clues, then | wouldn’t be able to understand one thing that’s going on when they speak. I do understand that Jim is uneducated and that’s how someone like him would speak. But I just think that it is taken a little too far and feel that Mark Twain could have done a better job at explaining what he saying to us by context clues. Another reason why this book is hard to read is because the theme is hard to follow. Everything seems to be happening all at once. For example, after I finally start to understand where they are and why, they are already in a new place.
Even after the 25 chapters I’ve read, half the time I am still confused. I think Huck as the narrator gives us a better understanding of where he is coming from and the views of the south through a young boy’s perspective. It would be very hard to follow the theme without Huck being the narrator. We can easily understand the way Huck feels towards people and how he changes throughout the novel. After all, this book is pretty much all about a young southern boy and his perspective on life in the south. I think it would be very hard and even more confusing for us to nderstand the thoughts and values Huck has if it were to be narrated in third person. It is Huck’s adventure and we want to feel how Huck feels so we can drive deeper into the book. Madilyn Kirchner P2 English Journal Entry #8 The controversy over the language used in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has caused a lot of problems. But to me, I don’t think I would take it as far as banning the book. Huck Finn is a classic american novel written to show the relationship between a young white boy and a slave and it did a very good job at that.
We need to understand that slavery was common then, the N-word was common then. Many things that aren’t socially acceptable today were done back then. But same as today, some things we do everyday weren’t common back when that book what written but we do them anyways just because times have changed. Now back to the topic of banning the book, in my opinion banning the novel is just like saying we should ban that whole era. Many people in the South used the n-word, even those who were against slavery, it’s was just appropriate for that time.
This novel very well shows what it people acted like and what people talked like and I feel like that was the main point of it. What other reason would we read it? We read it for that reason and that reason only, to understand and learn about basic American literature. I do understand that the book will make some people feel uncomfortable because of the language used. But in the book they are not trying to put anyone on the spot or insult any racial group or even to prove a point about that controversial word.
It makes sense, the N-word isn’t socially acceptable anymore but that isn’t the message the book was trying to put across. I feel that if someone had an issue with it then they of course shouldn’t be forced to read it but banning the book to me is a little ridiculous.. Huck Finn was written to show the relationship between a young white boy and a slave and it did a very good job at that. Madilyn Kirchner P2 English Journal Entry #4 In chapter 15, Huck tries to play a trick on Jim by telling him that the events of the night before were just a dream.
After Jim starts to realize what Huck was saying and believe that it actually was a dream Huck points out that it was just a joke. Huck didn’t exactly get the reaction of Jim that he thought he would get. Instead, Jim is genuinely hurt, he cried and wanted to make sure Huck was alright again. When he hears all this, Huck is himself ashamed. After hearing how Jim felt, Huck apologizes to Jim and feels no regret. He says he thought Huck had died in the fog and felt bad about it. “My heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn’k’yer no’ mo’ what become er me en de raf’.
En when I wake up en fine you back ag’in, all safe en soun’, de tears come, en I could’a’ got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot, I’s so thankful,” (91 p. ). Instead of the reaction he thought he would get, Jim begins to feel upset and Huck obviously starts to feel bad about what he did and for making a fool out of him. I feel like this scene basically humanizes Huck and gives us something to relate too. If shows us that Huck actually does care about Jim and his respect towards him has changed a lot. When they met, Huck thought of Jim as property and a slave that is far below him.
He never had a thought that a slave, like Jim, could be equal to him. He did have thoughts on turning him in and doing what he has been taught his whole life. But now at this point, Huck would give up anything and at all times, treat him as he’s equal. Scenes like this and evolving throughout the novel we can see that bond being tested and the respect for each other grow. Madilyn Kirchner P2 English Journal Entry #6 Twain gives us a good understanding of the selling and purchasing of slaves. He also gives us a good view of society and how it was back then.
Slave trade was a major deal during this novel’s time, and It is portrayed in the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Jim ran away from Miss Watson because he overheard her talking about selling him. Jim had no wish to be sold to a different plantation, and he knew he would be separated from his family. It was very common back then for families to be separated through the slave trade and the description of Jim in the book is very accurate to how a slave’s life was. But Twain does show us in the book that he isn’t really in favor of it.
Without Twain actually telling us, we can assume that he is against slavery by how he voices the story. This novel tells us the desires and wishes of people who want equal freedom and a spot in this world. I really do not think Mark Twain would have written this book if he were to be racist. He shows the relationship that Huck and Jim have through a series of adventures and in the adventures a black man and a white boy build a friendship. “i knowed he was white on the inside, and i rekoned he’d say what he did say(pg 301),” Basically what Huck is saying is that Jim is equal to him.
Another example of Twain’s anti-racial thoughts is when Huck rejects his previous idea not to help Jim. Quickly Finn realises he should help him because he is his friend and he is worthy of help and respect. Finn changes his mind and decides to help Jim. “Alright, then, I’ll go to hell(Pg 210)! ” This is a very good quote to put in the book. Huck has decided to help free Jim not caring what is socially right or wrong. I think it was smart for this quote to be put in the book because of the way he portrays the issue and shows us the separation of families and slavery is morally wrong and that what society thinks is wrong, can be right.