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Today was our first discussion of the book and we spent the majority of class exploring the identity of Huck Finn, a 13 year-old boy with no formal education. He has no mother and his father is a drunkard, so he lives with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, two sisters that take him in. Like many children, Huck has a rebellious spirit and would rather make his own rules than abide by the widow's restrictions. When he sneaks out of the house one night, he states, "I got into my own rags…and felt free and satisfied” (9). Huck goes against Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, willing to take the risk of punishment for a late-night adventure. Huck also experiments with smoking, a habit of which Miss Watson disapproves and considers rude and uncivilized. But Huck points out the hypocrisy in Miss Watson's objection given that she takes snuff.
Huck is an empiricist and refuses to believe Tom's far-fetched tales. Huck relies on his senses rather than fantasizing with his imagination. He also resists religious ideas, despite Miss Watson's best efforts to lead him in his religious studies. However, Huck is superstitious and believes in a different set of powers. For example, when he flicks a spider off his shoulder and "it lit in the candle," Huck "doesn't need anybody to tell [him] that that was an awful bad sign and would fetch [him] some bad luck" (11). He proceeds to "cross [his] breast" three times and "tie up a little lock of [his] hair with a thread to keep the witches away" (11). Even though Huck cannot prove that a spider will give him bad luck or that these rituals will keep him safe, he believes in them nevertheless.
Huck cares about what affects him and thinks about his own well-being rather than the larger picture. Although this could be regarded as a sign of selfishness, Huck is only a child so his self-preoccupation is most likely innocent and purely a result of practicality. Despite his young age, Huck is fascinated by death and claims that he "don't take no stock in dead people" (10). However, later in the chapter Huck feels "so lonesome [he] most wishes [he] was dead" (11). He claims he can hear "an owl, away off, who-whooing about somebody that was dead, and a whippowill and a dog crying about somebody that was going to die" (11). Here, Huck connects death to another one of his interests: nature.
Huck marvels at the beauty of nature and would much rather spend time outdoors than be cooped up in the house. When he is with Tom, Huck appreciates "the stars over [them] was sparkling ever so fine…the river, a whole mile broad, and awful still and grand" (15). Huck's admiration of nature reflects the transcendentalist movement of the 1800s. When Huck declares that "all [he] wants is change," his sentiments parallel the culture of America in the 1800s. The market revolution, transcendentalism, and the civil war created a society that was constantly evolving and progressing.
At the end of class, we listed the characters introduced in chapters 1-3. The chldren we met were Huck, Tom, and all of the other boys in Tom's gang. The adults included Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, Nigger Jim, Pap, and Judge Thatcher. All of the adults have titles that designate their social, racial, or professional status. Huck does not seem to want to be categorized or crammed into a single identity, so it will be interesting to see whether he conforms to the ordered hierarchy of society or rebels against it in the upcoming chapters.
In chapter six, Twain describes Huck’s living arrangement with his father as a slave like environment. Even before Pap kidnaps Huck, Huck is treated with the rights of a slave as he is casually passed to his father by the court system without even concern of whom the judge has given Huck’s life to.
When Pap takes Huck to live in the woods, Huck constantly feels like he has to dodge or outrun is father in order to feel safe and when he gets caught going to school he is “trashed.” Like many slaves who would take revenge on their master by not following through with orders, Huck finds it necessary to go to school even though he doesn’t like just “to spite Pap” (23).
When talking to the widow, Pap describes himself as “Huck Finn’s boss” which shows his role in Huck’s life is more masterly then fatherly (23). When Pap hears of Huck’s education, Pap says “I’ll take it out of you” referring to his education (19). Pap doesn’t want Huck to be any better then he is which is why he kidnaps him and puts him in a slave like environment.
Even with Huck is locked in the cabin, Pap still beat him like a master would a slave. Huck describes his stay in the cabin as good to be able to act however he wants “but by and by pap got too handy with his hick’ry, and couldn’t stand it. [He] was all over in welts” (24). This behavior also mirrors how a slaveholder would act with a slave.
The interesting part about Huck’s relationship with Pap is that Huck prefers staying with Pap to staying with the widow. When Pap talks about how he might lose the next trial case to the widow, Huck says, “this shook me considerable, because I didn’t want to go back to the widow’s anymore and be so cramped up and sivilized, as they called it” (25). As the reader, we want Huck to think of the widow’s house as a symbol of freedom from slavery but in fact he thinks of it as a symbol of imprisonment.
Class discussion on Wednesday was concentrated on further analyzing Huck Finn and the interactions he has with Miss Watson's slave, Jim, and his father, Pap. We began by concreting our initial notions of Huck Finn's identity, determining ways in which the text reinforced the character traits we observed in previous chapters. Reexamining Huck's attributes allowed us to draw some valuable comparisons between Huck and Jim, and to later explore the troubled relationship of Huck and Pap.
The central elements of Huck's identity-his rejection of restrictions and authority, his superstitious yet empirical approach to events in his life, and his prominent connection to nature-are reiterated in chapters four through six. While still living with the widow, Huck expresses that "living in a house, and sleeping in a bed, pulled on (him) pretty tight" (24). He feels restricted by…
The interaction between Huck and Jim demonstrates their shared conviction in the superstitious and a similar interconnectedness with the natural world. We also made the prediction that as a slave, Jim will at some point desire, or is already desiring an escape from his trapped conditions in a similar way to Huck's feeling of being trapped at Pap's cabin.
Twain established early in the novel Huck's disturbing relationship with his father, but only after Pap kidnaps Huck is this relationship exposed to its full extent.
During our class on Thursday, we focused on comparing the escapes of both Huck and Jim. We had previously noted the similarities between Huck’s stay in the cabin and the quintessential slave narrative of enslavement, which helped prompt this discussion. The comparisons both in escape and character between Huck, a white boy with a father that beats him, and Jim, an adult slave that faces auction, prove to be substantial.
Both escape in order to preserve themselves and their physical safety, after having put up with oppressive conditions. Huck was kidnapped by his drunken and often abrasive father, and whisked away to a remote cabin where he was often locked up and forced to do manual labor. Jim was employed by Miss Watson but threatened by auction in New Orleans, a slave depot further south and undoubtedly more oppressive. Seeking new fates, separate from their original paths, prompts both characters to break their respective bonds and escape.
Jim and Huck also have similar views of the world. In a world that is very religiously and industrially inclined, they constitute a minority of Missourians who are both superstitious and have an innate connection with nature. In the words of Dr. Witt, civilization is “dangerous” and wilderness is “safety”. This partially explains why both independently decided to escape to Jackson’s Island, a nature refuge with no other human inhabitants.
However, for their similarities, the two also faced some differences. Huck was luckier from the beginning – coming across a canoe and saw, as well as being able to steal food from the cabin. Jim, on the other hand, waited all day to steal a boat but “dey wuz somebody roun’ all de time” and he never had the opportunity (54). Huck also had more of an opportunity to develop a plan and was afforded the time to execute it. Jim had a smaller window to escape and had to make a rather in-the-moment decision.
The act of escape proved that both characters were trying to find their own identity. Huck was never completely happy in either circumstance he was in, Pap’s cabin or Miss Watson’s house, but once on the island finds that he “wouldn’t want to be nowhere else but here” (59). He views himself as “boss of [the island], it all belong[s] to [him],” a newfound independence that he can govern his own life (49). Jim kindles a similar spirit, albeit with a reconciliation to racist ideas of monetary value, that he is worth 800 dollars and is thus a rich man.
We also discussed that Huck and Jim build a mutual trust while on the island. Jim takes on a mentor-like role to Huck, teaching him about superstition and the spiritual signs that signal rain and other natural events.
A topic we began to explore in class was Twain’s depiction of Jim and whether or not he is painted in a sympathetic light.
The class discovered that Huck’s perspective of Jim determined the way Twain portrayed his character, as Huck is the narrator of the novel. In the first few chapters, Jim is more of a foreign character to Huck and for that reason, Huck stereotypes Jim as a “big nigger” (5). Huck and Tom play a trick on Jim, and, because of his superstitions, Jim believes it was played by witches. Jim is portrayed as a fool, however, as Huck develops a closer relationship with him, he proves himself to be clever and amiable.
Huck goes to Jim for spiritual guidance, as he had a “fourth stomach of an ox” that “he used to do magic” (17). Jim says that “sometimes is won’t talk without money,” forcing Huck to give his only coin, a counterfeit at that, to Jim as payment (17). Huck begins to admire Jim, as he knows how to make a counterfeit coin look real with a potato, a fact Huck was unaware of, saying “I knowed a potato would do that before, but I had forgot it,” covering for his ignorance (17). Jim tricks Huck into paying for his session and delivers a nonspecific but convincing fortune to Huck; “You gwyne to have considerable trouble in yo’ life, en considerable joy” (18).
However, Huck truly sympathizes with Jim after they each escape their oppressors and encounter each other in the woods. Huck helps Jim get food and Jim saves Huck from a flooding river, as he determines it will rain and moves their campsite to a cave (42)(45). Jim and Huck share a mutual trust that the other will not tell anyone about their escape and because of this relationship, Huck portrays Jim as a human-being instead of a slave (43).
Unlike in the earlier chapters, Huck rarely uses “nigger” to describe Jim. Huck begins to recognize that Jim is not his stereotype, thereby revealing Twain’s true sentiment. As Jim’s character and his relationship with Huck develop, Twain paints him in an increasingly sympathetic light.
In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck seems to posses the natural instincts to keep himself safe, while Twain emphasizes the knowledge Huck lacks by introducing other characters who posses those desirable traits. The combination of various areas of knowledge give Huck the instincts he needs to thrive in the wilderness, away from the structure, organization, and safety of society. Meanwhile, the knowledge he lacks remains ultimately harmless to him, despite several close encounters with death and his discovery.
Huck’s knowledge, while lacking in certain areas, is rich and full of valuable information, and it helps him in his escape from society. When Huck learns of Mrs. Loftus’s plan for her husband to search the island, Huck cleverly “start[s] a good fire there on a high and dry spot,” a spot that could logically be Jim’s campground (68*). This fire gives Huck and Jim a few hours to escape, a valuable commodity that is a result of Huck’s survival instincts. While he may not posses the intellectual capabilities of learned individuals, Huck’s knowledge allow him to lead a life of seclusion in the wilderness, which he prefers to the structured and controlled town life.
To emphasize and highlight the knowledge that Huck does not posses, Twain introduces characters who exemplify the specific types of knowledge Huck does not posses. When Huck returns to the mainland, he meets Mrs. Loftus, who quickly catches on to his disguise. She points out the obvious flaws in Huck’s assumed personality, as he “set out to thread a needle [he held] the thread still and fetch[ed] the needle up to it,” obviously unaware of the subtle differences between men and women (67*). Twain uses Mrs. Loftus like he does other characters, to point out Huck’s lack of knowledge. While Huck comes close to being discovered many times in this encounter, he avoids any threat, as he does skillfully in most situations.
Huck’s knowledge, however limited it may be, serves him as much as he requires, keeping him out of danger, and allowing him to live an enjoyable life. Twain’s use of mentoring characters to Huck call attention to the areas in which Huck’s knowledge lacks, and yet these areas never harm Huck drastically.
*I use a different version of the book. If someone happens to know where the quotes I used are in their book, it would be greatly appreciated if you comment with the page(s) of the quote(s).
Moments of Ignorance/ Knowledge in Chapter 10-12
Chapter 10:
-the snake skin, Jim gets bitten and never wants that to happen to him.
-feeds himself the snake and wears the rattles of the rattle snake, knows the behavior of the snake and its mate
-Huck is learning about Jim's traditional knowledge
-Jim tells Huck how to act like a girl
Chapter 11:
-saw fire on Island, suspected that Jim was hiding out on the island, she was right
-she tricks him: sewing, closing legs, throwing at the rats
-tests his wilderness knowledge
-Ms. Loftu has knowledge from experience: women's role and what she has learned as a women
Chapter 12:
-receives contracting info- chooses his favorite side
-also has the knowledge/curiosity to go on the boat
-criminal/outlaw knowledge
Broad forms of knowledge:
*gender
-all have characteristics of outsiders
During class on Monday, the discussion revolved around Huck and Jim’s work to figure out truth and morality. Huck struggles to decide what is right and wrong while Jim’s comprehension of reality and humanity undergoes questioning.
The reintroduction of the concepts of death and criminals forces Huck to evaluate his morality. Twain’s language throughout Chapter 13 reveals the tense situation of death: “murderers” “hung” “dead silent” “dead still” (83, 86). The language also reveals Huck’s worry about responsibility seeing as he sympathizes with the criminals; “There ain’t no telling but I might come to be a murderer myself, yet, and then how would I like it?” (83). Huck not only questions his recent actions and their consequences concerning the lives of the robbers, but he also predicts his future conflict with right and wrong. Huck’s murky, unclear understanding of morality also manifests in his understanding of the law. We noted before that Huck justified stealing from the criminals by labeling it under survival needs. However, Huck believes that it is right to “get them out of their scrape, so they can be hung when their time comes” (83). The duality of his view of the law — that it is okay for Huck to steal, yet the robbers must meet with justice – simply brings his moral understanding into further question.
On the surface, Chapter 14 appears to prove Jim’s foolishness, however, the chapter gives keen insights into Jim’s understanding of humanity. With the story of King Solomon, Jim doesn’t understand the shrewdness of the tale. Solomon discerned whom the true mother was by making the two women decide between having half of the baby or giving it up to preserve its life. However, Jim believes Solomon “warn’t no wise man” because he thinks that it is within sanity for someone to murder a child in such a way (89). Jim interprets Solomon’s proposal as a stupid waste of money because of the perspective he comes to the story with is marred by slavery. He sees the children with monetary value for that is the way slaves were treated and Solomon is simply acting as another mean, powerful guy who is willing to devalue children. Jim’s background also informs his misunderstanding of the concept of language “dey ain’ no sense in it”(91). He believes all men should speak the same language because he believes in equality. Everyone should speak the same language so that everyone is on the same level.
Huck and Jim’s struggle for truth is represented by the fog in Chapter 15. As Huck and Jim cannot identify right and wrong as well as truth, the hazy, moral fog rolls in. The fog can also be perceived as a metaphor for social maneuverability as the fog “was solid white” (94). In the sea of whiteness, Jim was unable to find his way, and while Huck was troubled, Huck came out virtually unscathed whereas Jim’s raft came out worse for the wear. The authority of whites dominates the society and both Huck and Jim fight with the hegemony yet Jim definitely gets the worse end as an African-American slave. Nevertheless, there is a moment of closure as Huck finally has a moment where he finally knows what is right and what is wrong in an instance amidst so many questions about death, humanity, how to act, etc. Huck apologizes to Jim for his tricks and holds that he “wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way” (98). Although Huck and Jim have many questions surrounding truth and morality, they seem to be near formulating distinctions and will soon have concrete theories.
Ch. 13-
A. Why does Twain use language of death and ghostliness? What does it tell us about Huck’s state of mind?
- Worries about being responsible for death of robbers
- “Murder” “death” “dead” “hanging”
- Huck fascinated by death - morbid fascination
B. What do you make of Twain’s references to legality and the law? What is Huck’s understanding of the law?
- Concerned with legal fate of the robbers
- Duality of Huck’s view of law —> it’s ok for Huck to steal, but these robbers must meet with justice —> survival vs. meaningless crimes
- Naiveté - doesn’t always connect consequences to actions
- Nice parallel to the band of boys
Ch. 14-
A. Why does Jim interpret the Solomon story the way he does?
- Jim thinks Solomon isn’t wise at all because he wants to cut a child in half
- Viewing child as money —> Jim’s perspective informing his understanding of biblical morality
- Parallel to slavery
B. What does Jim’s understanding of the French language suggest about his philosophical understanding of humanity?
- Jim doesn’t seem to understand the concept of language
- Quickly jumps to notion that it’s insulting
Ch. 15-
A. How is the fog a metaphor?
- A sea of whiteness - a place in which Jim can’t see his way
- Authority
- Fog come when they’re separated
- Moral fog
B. What does Huck’s trick and apology reveal about Huck’s understanding of right and wrong, as well as his understanding of Jim’s humanity?
- Huck’s naiveté/childishness
Today in class, while discussing Chapters 16 and 17, we tried to analyze why Huck is distraught, mostly in Chapter 16. One of his main struggles was deciding between right and wrong. He asks himself “what’s the use you learning to do right,” explicitly displaying his internal conflict (104). His main source of worry is the situation he’s in with Jim; Huck often wonders about the morality of helping a fugitive slave, and thinks about the other people involved when he asks “What had poor Miss Watson done to you…?” (100). Jim also talks about wanting to buy his wife and steal his children (100-101), which makes Huck uneasy. Our discussion brought up the idea that since Huck hasn’t ever had a strong father figure, besides Jim recently, and since Huck’s father also ‘stole’ him away, Huck cannot see the good in Jim’s desire. In Chapter 16, it was brought up that there is an increase in the n-word when Huck speaks to Jim; while it reveals Huck’s state of mind, we also see him acknowledging Him’s freedom and humanity with other parts of the chapter. Chapter 16 allows the reader to see Huck’s realization of how much more is at stake with the situation with Jim; Huck feels “so mean and so miserable,” and “knowed very well [he] had done wrong” whenever he tries to decide between right and wrong (100, 103).
The influence of society on Huck is evident in all the above stories, and as we saw in class today, that influence often battles with his internal conscience. There is a legal risk of helping Jim, but even if he turns Jim in, he will still feel ‘unsafe’ in other ways. He’s built a relationship with Jim, protecting him from his previous loneliness, and this emotional attachment prevents him from seeing the ‘legally good’ decisions. Huck (as well as Jim) uses his past experience to understand the situations he’s put in during more recent parts of the book, which led to our next question of how Huck reconciles all his worry and internal conflict.
When Huck is first battling with the question of ‘right’ and ‘wrong,’ Huck tentatively decides he’ll pick “whichever [decision] come handiest at the time” (104). He initially chooses to turn Jim in, but when the two men ask Huck if there are any black men with him, Huck says “he’s white,” and continues with an elaborate story so the men don’t double check (102). Whether coincidental or not, right before that, Jim praises Huck, saying he’s “de only fren’ ole Jim’s got now” (101). Our discussion led us to believe that the emotional connection Huck’s formed with Jim is too strong to allow Huck to break it. He splits the money with Jim, is always trying to find Cairo for him, and he “sung out for Jim about a dozen times” after the boat crash (107). The idea of Jim as a father figure to Jim, as well as a sense of safety for him seems the most probable reason for Huck sticking to his own moral compass, instead of the legal one set by society.