Huckleberry Finn Analytical Essay
Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a satire of the slaveholding American south. As Huck matures, Twain illustrates that one must decide personally what is morally right and wrong. In this bildungsroman, Twain satirized social norms at the time in a sarcastic and witty tone as Huck goes through many life changing moral revelations. Mark Twain uses Huck’s moral development to communicate his abolitionist ideas.
Twain uses Huck’s inability to recognize the inherent effects of slavery to underline the consequences of dehumanization. When Jim is asked by Huck if he would be able to ever become rich again, Jim responds that “I’s wurth eight hund’d dollars” (47). Jim understands that he owns himself, …show more content…
Slave owners often justify the practice of slavery by saying it was good for the enslaved. Twain mocks this by describing the extent of Jim’s “moaning and mourning” (157) for the safety of his family. By having Huck believe that slave owners care as much for their slaves as slaves do for their family (157), Twain implies the ridiculous idea of Ms. Watson bawling at night for Jim. Jim then mentions to Huck that he would embark on a noble goal of freeing his children after he reaches the north (157). Twain wants the audience to realize that this is a pure dream that they should root for. Yet, when Jim then tells Huck that he would steal back his children if their master wouldn’t sell them, Huck is alarmed. Huck believes that Jim’s idea harms the slave owner. Twain uses this ironic conclusion to point out major flaws in slavery. Jim’s justification is completely ignored by Huck. It is apparent that Jim believes that he is recovering his stolen children. However Huck thinks that Jim is stealing rightful property of the slave owner. Huck recognizes that stealing is bad, but only feels that Jim’s dreams are unjustified while ignoring the process in which Jim’s children came under the ownership of their master in the first place. Huck is unable to see Jim as completely human because he doesn’t question the morality of slavery. Twain wants the audience to recognize that Jim is a human that …show more content…
Huck’s exclamation “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (215) is the pivotal moment of the book. By having Huckleberry Finn reject society’s hypocritical values of slavery, Twain models a mindset that people should follow. Twain gives us a valuable interpretation on what is morally right when Huck prioritizes Jim’s life and freedom over his own wellbeing. Huck now sees life in a new light due to the belief that Jim is a human with human rights. With this new mindset, Huck is able to recognize and describe the acute similarities between white and black children (221). Yet despite Huck’s moral development, Twain realizes that Huck cannot fully escape the consequences of slavery. Huck’s acknowledgment that Jim is “white inside” (276) sounds like racial acceptance on the surface. However, Jim is judged with society’s view of white superiority. Huck can accept that Jim is a human, but still has the social norm of humans only being white engrained inside of him. Twain wants the audience to recognize the ridiculousness of society’s reasoning to further condemn southern views while realizing that overcoming race is a
Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a satire of the slaveholding American south. As Huck matures, Twain illustrates that one must decide personally what is morally right and wrong. In this bildungsroman, Twain satirized social norms at the time in a sarcastic and witty tone as Huck goes through many life changing moral revelations. Mark Twain uses Huck’s moral development to communicate his abolitionist ideas.
Twain uses Huck’s inability to recognize the inherent effects of slavery to underline the consequences of dehumanization. When Jim is asked by Huck if he would be able to ever become rich again, Jim responds that “I’s wurth eight hund’d dollars” (47). Jim understands that he owns himself, …show more content…
Slave owners often justify the practice of slavery by saying it was good for the enslaved. Twain mocks this by describing the extent of Jim’s “moaning and mourning” (157) for the safety of his family. By having Huck believe that slave owners care as much for their slaves as slaves do for their family (157), Twain implies the ridiculous idea of Ms. Watson bawling at night for Jim. Jim then mentions to Huck that he would embark on a noble goal of freeing his children after he reaches the north (157). Twain wants the audience to realize that this is a pure dream that they should root for. Yet, when Jim then tells Huck that he would steal back his children if their master wouldn’t sell them, Huck is alarmed. Huck believes that Jim’s idea harms the slave owner. Twain uses this ironic conclusion to point out major flaws in slavery. Jim’s justification is completely ignored by Huck. It is apparent that Jim believes that he is recovering his stolen children. However Huck thinks that Jim is stealing rightful property of the slave owner. Huck recognizes that stealing is bad, but only feels that Jim’s dreams are unjustified while ignoring the process in which Jim’s children came under the ownership of their master in the first place. Huck is unable to see Jim as completely human because he doesn’t question the morality of slavery. Twain wants the audience to recognize that Jim is a human that …show more content…
Huck’s exclamation “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (215) is the pivotal moment of the book. By having Huckleberry Finn reject society’s hypocritical values of slavery, Twain models a mindset that people should follow. Twain gives us a valuable interpretation on what is morally right when Huck prioritizes Jim’s life and freedom over his own wellbeing. Huck now sees life in a new light due to the belief that Jim is a human with human rights. With this new mindset, Huck is able to recognize and describe the acute similarities between white and black children (221). Yet despite Huck’s moral development, Twain realizes that Huck cannot fully escape the consequences of slavery. Huck’s acknowledgment that Jim is “white inside” (276) sounds like racial acceptance on the surface. However, Jim is judged with society’s view of white superiority. Huck can accept that Jim is a human, but still has the social norm of humans only being white engrained inside of him. Twain wants the audience to recognize the ridiculousness of society’s reasoning to further condemn southern views while realizing that overcoming race is a