The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Background Published in 1880s (Realism Period) but set in 1830s/1840s (Romantic Period) Sets up criticism of slave-owning society and Romantic writers See Twain PPT Plot summary and map: – Widow Douglas/Miss Watson – Huck orphan – Pap, abusive drunk, regains custody (for money)

Background Plot summary and map: – Huck plans to run away, also hears about Jim being sold – Christian irony – Huck and Jim escape together on a raft down the Mississippi headed to the Northern states River = pure, free, lawless – but nature is in control of man Land = “sivilized,” rules, society – They miss the Ohio River and head deeper south, continuing their “Odyssey” – Huck torn between loyalty to Jim and societal pressure to turn him in

Satire Romanticism (Tom Sawyer) Religion, feuds, southern aristocracy, hypocrisy

Why is this book important???

Style “Freed American literature” – Juvenile narrator, 1 st person voice, southern dialect, captured authenticity (realism) unlike the Romantics before – First writer to voice a black slave – Originally banned from libraries because Huck was seen as bad influence on children, rebellious – Use of language includes racial slur – why if Twain was anti-slavery/anti-racist? – Controversy continues to this day

Style Hypocrites in novel hide behind language like “civilized” and “Christian” – Huck is too young and innocent for this Past vs. present – as with all literary periods, they build on each other – Ex: purity of frontier vs. urban and technological encroachment of civilization

Theme Rebirth, Innocence as a form of redemption – represented by Huck & Jim Last attainment of Eden – on river w/ Jim – This idea of reinvention and new start through nature ends after Huck Finn because US expansion ends – River is all-powerful force, god-like, mythical, allusion to The Odyssey Morality: slavery & other societal flaws vs. beauty of landscape &hospitality of Americans

Character American Hero – Outsider/outcast: individual vs. society – Honorable and good – Innocent but corrupted by others (moral blindness)