Huck Finn Rhetorical Analysis

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Pages: 2

The second most influential use of satire Twain portrays is through sentimentality and gullibility. Readers first see gullibility and sentimentality illustrated when Huck’s father, Pap, comes to town and tries to convince Huck to give him six thousand dollars. Pap is known as a drunk, abusive man so the Widow and Judge Thatcher attempt to gain legal custody of Huck but are soon stopped by the New Judge. The New Judge then tries to reform Pap, believing that it is his natural right to keep his son and that he could help make him into a better man. Almost immediately after Pap is able to leave the New Judge’s home, Pap returns to his old ways leaving the New Judge disheartened at his failed endeavor. Moreover, society’s gullibility is expressed as the King enters a religious meeting and feeds off of the …show more content…
The most obvious use of satire concerning a code of honor was shown when Buck Grangerford described to Huck that his family and the Shepherdsons were involved in a feud that no one could remember was about. This highlights the absurdity that goes hand in hand with society’s code of honor. Even though both families don’t know the cause for killing each other, they continue to do so to protect their pride and honor. Furthermore, Tom Sawyer’s Gang briefly mentioned at the beginning of the novel is yet another instance where a code of honor that leads to needless bloodshed is satirized. The boys make a blood oath to never tell someone who is not a member their secrets and that the family member of whoever betrayed them would be killed. In many situations within The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the satire based on a code of honor that results to needless bloodshed is highlighted and allows the reader to infer that members of society cared profoundly about their honor and would kill to protect it from being