Huckleberry Finn Setting Analysis

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Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain deals with two contrasting settings. One setting is the racist town of St. Petersburg, Missouri and the other is the Mississippi River. The two settings help Huck Finn, the protagonist of the book, clash between he perceives as good and bad. The two different settings help convey Huck’s wish to live away from society’s values and demands and decide what is morally right or wrong by himself.
Huck’s hometown of St. Petersburg, Missouri symbolized the struggles and confinement of society. He did not have the ability to make his own decisions. Huck had been taught that African-Americans were inferior and just a piece of property. Huck’s father would “never vote again”(Twain 29) because some states allow blacks to vote. This shows the influences Huck had and how he
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Petersburg, Missouri contributes to the theme of Huckleberry Finn by representing a place where Huck could not do what he desired. Huck could not think for himself as Miss Watson tried to form him to fit society’s image. Miss Watson constantly scolded Huck saying, “Don’t put your feet up there and don’t scrunch up like that”(Twain 3). The people of the town tried to shape Huck into a stereotypical racist in the Deep South. This also relates to Huck having to choose what is right or wrong by teaching him immoral lessons of life. Huck was taught that African-Americans were slaves and they were not equal to him. When apologizing to Jim, “It was fifteen minutes before [he] could work [himself] up to go and humble [himself]”(Twain 89). He believed he was superior to Jim. However, the Mississippi River let Huck freely make choices for himself. He decided he would “go to hell”(Twain 217) if it meant aiding Jim in escaping. The river was where Huck felt the most liberty to do what he desired. Huck got to decide his own opinion based on the adventures down the Mississippi River. The river allowed Huck to be himself and not have society confine him to their idealistic