In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain creates a critical tone towards the society’s views on family with his use of imagery, details, and characterization In this book Twain uses Imagery to show that all families have imperfections. An example of this is when Twain is describing Pap. Twain says, “His hair was long and tangled and greasy… There weren’t no color in his face, where his face showed” (17). Twain shows us in this quote how Huck’s father could barely take care of himself. If Pap can barely take care of himself how could he possibly provide a proper home for Huck. Society during this time believed that you had to live with the family you were born into. Twain challenges this by showing that sometimes that family isn’t
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One example of this is when Ben Roger introduces Huck, “’Here’s Huck Finn, he hain’t got no family; what you going to do ‘bout him?’ ‘Well hain’t he got a father?’ says Tom Sawyer. ‘Yes he got a father, but you can’t never find him these days. He used to lay drunk with the hogs in the tanyard, but he hain’t been seen in these parts for a year or more.’”(7). Twain uses this characterization not only to introduce Huck but to show how family is how people define you. Ben doesn’t introduce Huck as an uneducated boy who’s been living on his own for a year. Ben instead introduces Huck as the boy who was abandon by his drunken father. This is important because twain is trying to prove a point by say that your family defines you in society, but it doesn’t have to. Huck is defined by his father, people know him for something he can’t even change. Twain makes this seem ridiculous to criticize society. Twain asks the reader why it is so important to have the perfect family that you must be defined by it. Another example of Twain using characterization is when Jim talks about his family. He says, “He was often moaning and mourning that way nights, when he judged I was asleep, and saying, ‘Po’ little ‘Lizabeth! po’ little Johnny! it’s mighty hard; I spec’ I ain’t ever gwyne to see you no mo’, no mo’!’” (140). Twain uses this characterization to show how much Jim cares about his family. Jim
One example of this is when Ben Roger introduces Huck, “’Here’s Huck Finn, he hain’t got no family; what you going to do ‘bout him?’ ‘Well hain’t he got a father?’ says Tom Sawyer. ‘Yes he got a father, but you can’t never find him these days. He used to lay drunk with the hogs in the tanyard, but he hain’t been seen in these parts for a year or more.’”(7). Twain uses this characterization not only to introduce Huck but to show how family is how people define you. Ben doesn’t introduce Huck as an uneducated boy who’s been living on his own for a year. Ben instead introduces Huck as the boy who was abandon by his drunken father. This is important because twain is trying to prove a point by say that your family defines you in society, but it doesn’t have to. Huck is defined by his father, people know him for something he can’t even change. Twain makes this seem ridiculous to criticize society. Twain asks the reader why it is so important to have the perfect family that you must be defined by it. Another example of Twain using characterization is when Jim talks about his family. He says, “He was often moaning and mourning that way nights, when he judged I was asleep, and saying, ‘Po’ little ‘Lizabeth! po’ little Johnny! it’s mighty hard; I spec’ I ain’t ever gwyne to see you no mo’, no mo’!’” (140). Twain uses this characterization to show how much Jim cares about his family. Jim