Pete Yemc Period 7 10/6/98
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The first 144 pages of Huck Finn are full of superb description, often which utilizes creative descriptors such as "a fish belly white" from page 27. This descriptive capability, plus his humor (pg. 0 The Notice ), and plus his educated ability to mix different strains of Southern drawl and slave accent with Shakespeare make this a most enjoyable book to read.
But besides the entertainment value of the book (which is the only fun part), it also has some deep hidden meaning, and spots at which Twain pokes fun at the aspects of life in the Deep South (one such of these occasions was on page 111, when Buck Grangeford tries to explain a feud to Huck, ". . . And by and by everybody's killed off, and there ainŐt no more feud. . . . "). Twain uses Huck Finn to relate aspects of the Southern life which he lived in a humorous way, therefore getting the point to stick with the reader. Though the major point which he tries to drive home, is that of Southern slavery, but that is such a large topic that I will comment on that later (hint: the next Journal). Twain also hints to the other parts of Southern life. For one, everything revolved around the river. All of the towns were on the river and any commotion occurred because of someone or something coming down the river. Also, everything travelled on the river, where people were rated by the size of their raft (sound familiar). Huck comments on a particularly large raft "There was a power of style about her. It amounted to something being a raftsman on such a craft as that." (Page 91). Also, due to the vast expanses of uncharted territory and swampland, a child could do what they wanted, not to mention an adult as well. Huck, with Tom Sawyer, pretends to be robbers in an attempt to make a name for themselves and get a little adventure (and money), but it falls through. Similarly to the children, the king and duke(whom we never learn their actual names), portray themselves as actors, doctors, and long-lost brothers in an attempt to survive and get a little cash. In both cases the penalty (or potential penalty), is rather petty, a mere spanking or tar and feathering. Thus, in the South, the children can live as adults (Example: Huck travelling down the river on a raft) and the adults can act as children (Example: The king and the duke fake being the brothers of a deceased wealthy man). Twain is able to portray a world where living can be fun and where adventure runs rampant (hey, I'd like to live there).