The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain

Samuel Clemens raised in Mississippi River town of Hannibal, Missouri Samuel Clemens raised in Mississippi River town of Hannibal, Missouri Left school at eleven and worked for a printing shop Left school at eleven and worked for a printing shop By sixteen, he published a piece in a Boston magazine By sixteen, he published a piece in a Boston magazine Worked as a riverboat pilot Worked as a riverboat pilot Reported for various newspapers before writing his works of fiction Reported for various newspapers before writing his works of fiction “Mark Twain” is the river leadsman’s cry for two fathoms of water “Mark Twain” is the river leadsman’s cry for two fathoms of water

Setting written after Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery, but time period of story set during slavery written after Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery, but time period of story set during slavery presents hypocrisy of “civilized” society which values morality, but condones slavery presents hypocrisy of “civilized” society which values morality, but condones slavery takes place in a fictional town called St. Petersburg, Missouri (based on Twains hometown of Hannibal) takes place in a fictional town called St. Petersburg, Missouri (based on Twains hometown of Hannibal) majority of the novel follows Jim and Huck up the Mississippi river majority of the novel follows Jim and Huck up the Mississippi river

Huck Finn as written by Everett Emerson in The Heath Anthology of American Literature Idyllic, epic, and satiric Idyllic, epic, and satiric Especially admired for its comedy, though Huck the narrator lacks a sense of humor Especially admired for its comedy, though Huck the narrator lacks a sense of humor Huck’s great problem is to reconcile his adherence to social norms with what his heart tells him Huck’s great problem is to reconcile his adherence to social norms with what his heart tells him Conflict centers on his experiences with Jim, whose humanity he has to learn to respect, for it is denied by what Huck has been taught Conflict centers on his experiences with Jim, whose humanity he has to learn to respect, for it is denied by what Huck has been taught Controversy centers around whether Huck Finn is an attack on racism/exaltation of property values over human values or whether it is a racist narrative that mirrors Twain’s own values and understanding Controversy centers around whether Huck Finn is an attack on racism/exaltation of property values over human values or whether it is a racist narrative that mirrors Twain’s own values and understanding

Huck, the Narrator No pretension No pretension Voice helped define what truly American literature was to be Voice helped define what truly American literature was to be Prepared us for all types of vernacular speech Prepared us for all types of vernacular speech Ernest Hemingway proclaimed, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn” Ernest Hemingway proclaimed, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn”