Story.
Question
Have your experience and opinion of the same book changed when you read it at different periods in your life?
1) What is Marxism?
Marxist Criticism is a theory of literary criticism that is based on the social and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel
Beliefs
-All texts have powerful moral, social, and political effects
-Reflective of author’s own class analysis
Goals
-Meant to propose social realism
-Shows how can characters overcome oppression
-Try to pursue classless society, by provoking reader to an action, rebel against societal norms.
2) Discussion questions.
Do you agree with the quote?
"The history of all previous societies have been the history of class struggles."
Have you ever been oppressed or witness someone being oppressed base on their culture, race, social status or class?
3) Thesis
The adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain shows the Marxist goals and beliefs throughout the novel, criticizing the societal norms at the time, and provoking an understanding of what was truly right.
4) Marxist overview in Huckleberry Finn
All characters who wield power are immoral, abuse their power, and use their social status for exploitation
Those who are products of the society within the novel display its core values within their belief systems
-Slaves
-Grangerfords & Sheperdsons
-The King & The Duke
-Huck and Tom
5) Slaves
The slaves are the lowest class
The slaves did all the work and received no credit
They were the base of society economically and socially
-Economically through their free labor
-Socially by providing a scapegoat for society
6) Slaves = working class and whites = middle class regardless of income
-Ex. Lowest of white society (Pap) was still "above" a slave (Jim) in regard to rights and freedoms 7) "There was a free nigger there from Ohio- a mulatter, most as white as a white man... And what do you think? They said he was a p'fessor in a college, and could talk all kinds of languages, and knowed everything. And ain't that the wust. They said he could VOTE when he was at home. Well, that let me out. Thinks I, what is the country a-coming to? It was 'lection day, and I was just bout to go and vote myself if I warn't too drunk to get there; but when the they told me there was a state in this country where they'd let that nigger vote, I drawed out." ~Pap (pg 27)
8) Grangerfords &Sheperdsons
Religious hypocrites
-Brought guns to church sermon about brotherly love
Concerned themselves with frivolity
-Family feuds
-Elegant artwork (MATERIAL GOODS)
They are the representation of the upper class
9) "Next Sunday we all went to church, about three mile, everybody a-horseback. The men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall. The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching--all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith and good works and free grace and preforeordestination, and I don't know what all, that it did seem to me to be one of the roughest Sundays I had run across yet." (Chapter 18)
Also shoes how Huck is very hypocritical of the religion, follows one of the Marxists beliefs since they believed that religion is an opium for the society.
10) The king and the Duke
They represent the desire to become an upper class, do anything to get money, regarding of morals.
Capitalism
-They are con-men exploiting others solely for monetary gain
Royalty
-Provide a satire (humor) on the royalty.
11) Make the best o' things the way you find 'em, says I—that's my motto. This ain't no bad thing that we've struck here—plenty grub and an easy life—come, give us your hand, duke, and le's all be friends. (19.47)
12) Huck Finn vs Tom Sawyer
Tom is a product of society while Huck is an anomaly (Marxists want rebels from the current state of the
