Huck Finn Essay examples

Submitted By arielgraves
Words: 1257
Pages: 6

A Lesson on Humanity During the pre- Civil War Era, an age of reform sprouted up. The importance of higher learning increased, and free public schools were being introduced followed by many new universities. Education was necessary, because it would benefit the nation as a whole for many years to come. Also, women began to gain self determination with the help of great reformers including Susan B. Anthony and Amelia Bloomer, who began to defy the stereotypes placed upon women. Another noted movement was the abolition of slavery. Tensions between the North and South about the morality of slavery was very prevalent. Through this time of great controversy, Samuel Clemens also known as Mark Twain, dared to write the provocative adventure novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In his novel, he expresses his ideas about humanity through satire as a means to bring wisdom to generations to follow. Twain presented many new theories including the effectiveness of certain parenting styles, nature brings peace and harmony to man rather than society, education wards off superstition, the unfair acts of slavery, and that stereotypes made upon women are not always valid. First, Twain mocks women stereotypes to show that they are not always true. Huck dresses up as a young woman named “Sarah Williams”, and arrives at a house in “Hookerville” (Twain 55). He goes to this woman’s home to hear about the latest word of his fake murder. He believed that these women “could tell [Huck] all [he] wanted to know” (Twain 55). Although the ladies were known to gossip, they were not easily fooled. Huck did not act like a girl because he lacked the skills to “thread a needle” and simply did not know how to “throw at a rat” which were common skills women have acquired. Even though women fit certain stereotypes, One can not fool a women, “but you [could] fool a man, maybe” (Twain 61). Twain asserts that while women may gossip and be awkward, they are also intelligent and highly intuitive. Next, Mark Twain believes that a loving approach to parenting works better than nagging, or corporal punishment. For example, Miss Watson is always “pecking” at Huck (Twain 3). Miss Watson would always threaten him with a bad place. As a result, Huck would rather go to the “bad place” cause Miss Watson would not be there (Twain 2). Another form of parenting was shown by Pap. Pap “hadn’t been seen for more than a year” and whenever he was around he gave Huck a good “whale” (Twain 11). This method of parenting did not prove to be effective because Huck would “take to the woods most of the time when he was around” (Twain 11.) The last parenting method Twain presents is through the Widow Douglas. Even though Douglas was a “hypocrite” she never scolded him (Twain 2). When he disobeyed her she would call him “a poor lost lamb”, and a lot of other names too, “but never meant harm by it” (Twain 1). As a result, Huck explained that he “would go back to the widow and be respectful” (Twain 1). In all, harsh and brutal parenting styles prove to be less effective than being loving and nurturing; a style Twain himself chose. Next, Mark twain asserts that nature brings purity and happiness rather than civilization. Huck feels safe on the river and explains to Jim that he “wouldn’t want to be nowhere else but here” (Twain 49). Also, when the widow Douglas would force Huck to wear more civilized clothing he felt “all cramped up” and “do nothing but sweat” (Twain 1). Once Huck put on his “old rags”, he “was free and satisfied” (Twain 1). In addition, when Huck was at the widows house, and she “rung a bell for supper” Huck had to “come to time” (Twain 2). When Huck woke up on the grass he was “lazy and comfortable”, he did not have to “get up and cook breakfast” (Twain 36). Unlike when he lived under the rules of Douglas, he was able to be on his own clock. Twain suggests that man’s true home is in nature rather than in the civilized world. Next, Twain suggests that people