Bogg And Sherburn During The 1840's

Mark Twain's minor characters point out societal problems during the 1840’s. When introduced to Boggs and Sherburn the reader experiences true southern justice. Sherburn shot Boggs in the middle of the street in broad daylight. This example of southern justice precedes a mob going to Sherburn’s house to lynch him. Sherburn tells the mob the truth that the people there to lynch him are cowards. He makes a point to say that juries in court will not give the death penalty for fear of their own lives. He makes a point to say that the mob is brave enough to tar and feather a helpless old woman, but not brave enough to attack a man in the middle of the day. Sherburn states that the mob wouldn’t attack him until night, where the mob would be hidden. Sherburn, in his monologue, says that a true man isn’t a masked coward, a true man would attack during the middle of the …show more content…
But the people in the mob are only there to raise hell with each other until night comes when they can attack and not be caught. After Sherburn’s monologue the mob leaves grumbling because they know that Sherburn is right. One of the problems during the 1840’s was not only that people were cowards, but that southern justice would have solved with more southern justice. The people in the mob thought that the only way to avenge Boggs was if Sherburn died the same day. Mark Twain also points out that the people being cowards is another problem, people in a courtroom are too scared to convict a murderer of murder because they are afraid they will be next, that the murderers friends will come and kill them. Mark Twain has Sherburn point out problems in the 1840’s during his monologue. When introduced to the minor characters of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons Mark Twain points out the fear and the death toll brought along with a family feud that turns into a blood war. Huck was afraid of losing his own life after Buck had shot at Harvey Shepherdson. Huck asked how many people had died because of the