Essay on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Critical Analysis

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Overall structure

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain follows the physical journey of Huck, a runaway boy, and Jim, a runaway slave, up the Mississippi River as they each attempt to emancipate themselves. Thus, the literal journey the book describes is symbolic of each character’s psychological journey towards freedom: Huck towards social freedom, and Jim towards personal freedom.

Beginning

The exposition of the novel introduces Huck as a rebellious free-thinker who wishes to break free of stifling societal constraints. This characterization, combined with the fact that Huck is a child (not yet fully socially indoctrinated), serves as a vessel through which Twain exposes the immorality and hypocrisy of society. In this way, the beginning of the novel is also the beginning of Huck’s increasing recognition of not only society’s hypocrisy, but his own as well.

Rising action

The rising action in this novel fuels Huck’s rising realization that the social indoctrination he received about the inferiority of African Americans is false and prejudiced. The increasing amount of hypocrisy and moral negligence he sees in white society is directly juxtaposed with Jim’s pure, sincere kindness towards him, forcing him to reckon with the social norms that deem white society the pinnacle of morality and African Americans the opposite.

Climax

The climax of the novel — Huck’s decision to not reveal Jim’s location to Miss Watson — is also the moral climax of Huck’s development. Through the climax, Twain conveys the importance of independent thought — only by basing his beliefs on his own experiences is Huck able to behave in an empathetic and considerate manner towards others.

Falling action

The falling action in the novel reinforces the veracity of Huck’s decision to abandon social norms and help Jim by introducing the mischievous Tom Sawyer — a young boy whose strict adherence to precepts about adventure directly contrasts Huck’s willingness to question authority. By portraying Tom’s stubborn loyalty to the behaviors he reads in books as illogical and absurd, Twain reinforces the moral message he delivers in the climax of the novel.

Conclusion

Through Huck’s decision to run away to the West at the conclusion of the novel, Twain conveys that the immorality Huck sees in society is persistent and deeply-embedded — even though Jim is able to attain freedom, the larger institution of slavery is still in place. Thus, for true morality to be implemented, all individuals in society must think independently, not just one.

Events

Huck goes to hide in the forest to think by himself.

This event characterizes Huck as independent, since he takes the time to think for himself rather than immediately succumbing to social norms. Through this, Twain conveys that individuals can only act in a way that embodies true morality when they think independently.

Jim covers a dead man’s face as Huck walks by, refusing to let him see it.

Jim’s actions in this event characterize him as loyal and caring: he seeks to protect Huck’s wellbeing by preventing him from experiencing the mental distress of seeing a dead body. Thus, this action establishes Jim as a father figure towards Huck, conveying that family should be determined on the basis of actions rather than biological relation.

When Grangerford’s daughter elopes with the Sheperdsons’ son, the two families engage in a gun battle because of an ancient family feud.

The two families’ blind adherence to tradition without regard for consequences characterizes them as mindless and absurd. Through this, Twain conveys the importance of questioning authority — unquestioning obedience will ultimately blind individuals to the immorality of their own actions.

After getting tricked by the Duke and the King, one audience member proposes that they should trick the other townspeople into watching the show, and everyone else agrees immediately.

The audience’s unquestioning agreement to do as one member says conveys characterizes them as foolish and unreasonable — their mob mentality causes them to make decisions on an emotional rather than rational basis. As a result, they become cruel and spiteful. Through this, Twain conveys that individuals should think rationally rather than emotionally when making decisions, since emotions exaggerate an individual’s perception of reality.

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