The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin (Reading #2)

   The subject that I'd like to discuss within this chapter, is the hypocrisy of society within the book, how the common goal of society seems to be distorted. 

   The way that Pap interacts with Huck speaks wonders about what Twain would like to reflect about parenting throughout this novel. Not only does Pap ridicule every little thing that the Widow and Ms. Watson preached, he physically punishes Huck for even considering the proper way of life. The physical and verbal bashings that Pap gives Huck ridicules the “proper” parenting that the widow and Ms. Watson instills and the complete lack of parenting that Pap represents.

   Secondly, the Grangerford vs. Shepherdson battle is much like that of William Shakespear’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet; both samples of literature are accusatory of the hypocrisy of society of the time period. To summarize, in each situation, although the families are prosperous and well to do within their communities, they continue to oppose their rival family for no apparent reason! This rivalry stretches to the extent that generations upon generations teach their children to despise the “enemy” although none of the family members can even recall in the slightest why the families began feuding in the first place. In the case in “Adventures of Huckleberry Fin,” The Grangerfords oppose the Shepherdson so incredibly much that they preach to a complete stranger, Huck, that the Shepherdson are just wretched people. The irony in the situation, though, is exposed when each the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons religiously attend church on Sunday, and the preacher’s homily addresses equal and brotherly love.

    Another set of characters that seem to embody the distorted American way, is the Duke and Dauphin. These characters seem to present deception to their core, for they lie about the most basic elements of human identity: their names, heritage, and history. Not only that though, but these con artists also threaten Huck and Jim by saying that they’d expose Jim’s runaway status for a profit. The Duke and Dauphin thrive on nothing more than pure lying and greed.

   The more we, the reader, connects with Huck, the more we personally can feel the effects of the evil characters and evilness of society. 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin (Reading #1)

     What intrigued me most about the first reading was how Huck's naive ways influenced how he perceived everything in his world, which, in turn directly influences what the reader sees of the story. Since Huckleberry is unable to understand certain things fully, it becomes apparent that he is not a completely trustworthy narrator. 

    For example, right away in the story, he and Tom Sawyer, and his other buddies go to start a gang where they vow to rob and then kill hundreds of people. Not only do they not understand what consequences would surface from such actions, but also they don’t even understand how the process works.  For example when the group was setting up the “plan of attack” for say they didn’t know what “ransomed” was, they just went by what Tom Sawyer read in his pirate novels.  “Maybe it just means to keep ‘em till they die!” To the reader, it’s obvious that they have a farfetched definition of the word and therefore a distorted view of the world.

     Another thing that labels Huckleberry as an untrustworthy narrator is his uncanny belief in superstition. Thinking that Jim’s hairball “from the fourth stomach of an ox” had “a spirit inside… that knew everything” is probably one of the childish things we hear from Huck throughout the entire first section. Some may say that this reliance on superstition is simply a representation of the time period, but, to me, it reveals how incredibly foolish Huck is. It makes the reader wonder if anything he says can be taken at face value.

    The second thing I’d like to discuss is the possible biblical reference when Jim and Huckleberry are resting at Jackson’s Island. Once the pair is reunited, everything, at least temporarily, seems perfect. Huck describes his experience as “powerful lazy and comfortable.”  Jim and Huck hardly have any troubles in the world on this lush island. They have access to any food they need, are free of the people that would otherwise keep them captive, and no longer are lonely! This reminds me of the story in Genesis of the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve are in their paradise. Like Huck and Jim, Adam and Eve have no worry of becoming hungry and have each others’ company. This extreme bliss for Huckleberry and Jim seems to foreshadow latter events of uncertainty and unease.