Huck Finn

Part 1 Notes

“Do any of us truly know others as well as we insist? Do we even truly know ourselves? How many times have we done something, said something we were ashamed of later, and we wonder in secret, “how could I have done that? Said that? Whatever got into me?” When all the time it wasn’t what got into us, but what was already there, deep inside the soul, lodged like a root from a giant oak tree just waiting for the right season to sprout.” –Linda Chaikin

Think of a time when you did something out of character—describe the incident.

Do you agree with the statement that it is impossible to truly know yourself?

In what ways do we, as individuals, try to know ourselves?

What do teenagers do to try to “find themselves”?

Whoooooooo are you? Who—who? Huck’s search for his identity

At this point, Huck has removed himself from society. Jim thinks Huck is a ghost Huck has faked his own death so in a sense he

has officially killed his old self. Huck does not know who he is. The

adventure of Huck Finn is the discovery of self.

New Identities Huck begins to take on new identities,

but he can’t keep them straight. Interview with Mrs. Loftis

He can’t establish gender or name Sarah Williams Mary Williams Sarah Mary Williams George Peters

Grangerford/Shepherdson episodeNew name he can’t remember in the morning

George Jackson

Huck’s Resolutions Further separation from society

He decides not to turn Jim in. He decides he and Jim are a team.

“They’re after us!” Huck’s changing morality: Internal conflict— to turn Jim

in or not? After much debate and a night where he is so miserable he

almost wished he was dead, Huck ignores society’s view of right and wrong and chooses his own path

Jim is Humanized to Huck Jim weeps about the loss of his family and shares with

Huck and event from his past—slapping his daughter for not closing the door only to realize she was deaf. Huck realizes he is a human being with real emotions.

Jim as the Father Figure Jim shelters Huck

Jim won’t let Huck look at the face of the dead man—solidifies his standing as father figure.

Who could the dead man be? Who would have to die for Jim’s place to be

secured?What does he build on the raft?

Wigwam pg 64

Jim teaches Huck SUPERSTION MOTIF—what are some superstitions? Borrowing versus stealing pg. 65

Pap’s view It’s okay as long as you are paying them back sometime

Widow’s view It’s evil and no one who is worth anything would do it

Jim’s view They’re both right—so how do they fix it?

Pick some things on the list never to borrow again: crabapples (gross) & p’simmons (not in season)

Calls Huck “trash” Establishes himself as the superior. What is the risk of this?

What power does Huck have? HUCKS RESPONSE: he apologizes to Jim, showing an

acceptance of equal rank if not inferiority.

Jim takes risks for Huck. Adventure 1

Wrecked steamboat pg 66—who wants to explore? Who does he wish was with him? Why?

Jim Turner debacle Where is the raft? They steal the skiff & leave the men stranded—start to

feel guilty Invent a story to tell the ferryboat man—why?

Jim reveals his internal conflict Take care of Huck? Or Take care of me?

No more adventures!—Jim’s declaration: will it work?

Jim reveals his wisdomRealizes he is wealthy now: owns himself

and he is worth… $800

King Solomon: Reveals a respect for human life that he sees more readily as a slave. Pg 77-78

Sees all men as the same; a statement of EQUALITY OF HUMANS! Huck doesn’t get it.

The River is…

An escape Transportation A highway to

freedom! Peaceful times A connection

Society’s playground Chaotic Adventure Confusing Painful Mixed up Backward

The Land is…

Jim’s Tragedies Missing Cairo—

now they’re headed straight south!!!!! Heart of slavery

Steamboat hits them! Jim is separated from Huck who could pose as

his owner. Huck is now on his own…Twain puts down the

manuscript for 2 years

Huck encounters—DEATH! and lots of it! Emmeline Grangerford (100-104)—she writes about

death. Why? If you hear about death constantly can you become

numb to it? How is this a part of Twain’s satire? Message:

Death is serious Emmeline cares about the order of speakers at the funeral Emmeline takes pride in her poetry Huck feels a connection and believes she was very sad

and depressed

Grangerfords and Shepherdsons: Twain’s Satire Turns Dark Targets the cult of Southern aristocracy and the

traditions of dueling and feuding. Thoughts on death—pg 107

It’s okay to kill if you’re in a feud! What is Twain’s tone toward the Grangerfords and

Shepherdsons? Negative—disdainful: seen through Huck’s observation:

pg. 109 church sermons Huck calls Col. Grangerford a gentlemen—what is

ironic about this? He goes around shooting at others all day long

Huck and Buck

What do you notice about the names? Huck becomes very attached to Buck—sees

something of himself in Buck Compare Buck and Tom:

proper behavior “It’s done because its done” no other reason. Warning against the dangers of blind following

Huck sees no honor or tradition in Huck sees no honor or tradition in it; he just sees dead young men. it; he just sees dead young men. First death—Buck diesFirst death—Buck dies

Without Jim…

Huck feels lost Huck is confused Huck discovers the cruelties of life

The Duke & The Dauphin (King) Conmen and Satire

Professional conmen- What do they do to make money?Trick peopleDuke: selling fake products that don’t work

(toothpaste that take tartar and enamel off your teeth)

King: running a temperance revival and charging money each night while drinking on the sly

Huck does not believe their story. So why does he let them stay?

He wants to avoid conflict

The king himself

The king is basically and idiot. BUT he is smarter than the churchgoers! What is Twain saying about religious

fanatics? Overkill and gullible

What is he saying about the average man? Easily manipulated

“Royal Nonesuch” The sign “Ladies and Children Not Permitted suggests what?

Scandal Who comes to the shows?

All the townsmen Why does it attract a large crowd?

An element of danger and “badness” What is Twain saying about human beings through this

Satire? We are easily manipulated to want what we shouldn’t

The men who have been conned decide to let the other men in the town be conned before the run the King and the Duke out! What does this say about society’s morality? We don’t want to be alone in our stupidity It’s okay to get revenge It’s okay to con if you have been conned

Sherburn and Boggs: Southern Bravery? Second death: Boggs Colonel Sherburn: speech is a violent criticism of the

myth of Southern Bravery—compare to Grangerford episode (criticism of Southern Honor)

Sherburn compares these people to the KKK when he says “You didn’t bring a man with you?”—mob mentality

Twain is making the point that it is better to act on your own and not through mob mentality.

Huck’s Identity

Refers to Tom, his forever idol/leader, then referring to the success of tricking the hairlip and sisters into following his plan to turn in the king and duke.

Huck remains Tom’s follower (ends up being his biggest flaw! Keep track of this)

Mary Jane

Mary Jane is a SYMBOL of Good (Who was the symbol of evil and corruption?) PAP

What are some examples? Worries over the slaves who will never see their

families again Huck tells Mary Jane to leave because she can’t lie Huck is shocked because she prays for him Huck gives a speech about how perfect she is!

(crush?) Mary Jane represents all the morality and goodness

that Huck is trying to find within himself

Dr. Robinson::The fall of KING and DUKE Dr. Robinson tries telling everything they’re

stupid for believing the King/Duke. When that fails, Dr. Robinson changes his

approach: He doesn’t accuse them, but SUGGESTS

they may be frauds so the townspeople come to their own conclusion: allows them to keep their pride

Changed Language

Read passages—what do we notice is different? Passage 1: No vernacularPassage 2: Vernacular– why?

Twain’s Purpose

Twain shows that the average man is fairly incapable of accepting that someone else may be smarter or wiser than himself. Only someone on his level should be revered or heard.

All these events are leading up to the climax