Strangers and Conformity
After the United States Civil War, General William Sherman promised reparations. Such reparations never occurred. Throughout the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain demonstrates failed attempts to understand the experience of freed slaves. Twain uses strangeness to reveal that humanity is based on understanding reality, and inhuman treatment occurs when people conform by pretending to understand. People treat others humanely when they have something to empathize with. White adults treat Huck sympathetically because he is white. When Huck arrived at the Grangerfords, they refer to him as “a little stranger.” Though they fight and kill members of another family, they welcome Huck. Huck’s lack of family ties …show more content…
Huck categorizes people based on language, explaining that different people speak differently in the way that cats and cows speak differently. Jim recognizes that it is “right for a cat and a cow to talk different from us,” (80). However, he argues that cats and cows are not people. Twain uses cows to represent Jim’s stereotype, emphasizing that no how Jim acts, he will never be able to fake his identity to strangers in the way Huck can. When a stranger questions Huck about his identity, Huck demonstrates his knowledge that, “If fifteen cows is browsing a hillside [all of them]....eat with their heads pointed in the same direction” (61). As with the cows, Huck assumes he knows how a black person should behave. Twain first emphasizes the importance of cows with Huck’s book with “a little blue and yaller picture of some cows” (20). Huck believes he understands cows and farming and slavery through his limited experience in the way Tom feels he understands adventure. Tom’s constant use of needing to do whats “regular,” suggests that he conforms and in the process, acts …show more content…
Colonel Sherburn prevents a mob from lynching a man, but he can not change their angry views. He emphasizes that “a man’s safe” regardless of how many are in the mob of “half men” (148). Twain uses man to mean a real human person demonstrating humanity. Jim certainly demonstrates humanity, but strangers don’t perceive his humanity in the way they perceive Huck’s. This is why Huck struggles to call Jim a man. Huck recognizes that no matter Jim’s humanity, he would not be safe with a mob or the justice system. Knowing that he is superior to Jim, Huck conforms to a stranger’s perception of Jim; he can not call Jim a
After the United States Civil War, General William Sherman promised reparations. Such reparations never occurred. Throughout the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain demonstrates failed attempts to understand the experience of freed slaves. Twain uses strangeness to reveal that humanity is based on understanding reality, and inhuman treatment occurs when people conform by pretending to understand. People treat others humanely when they have something to empathize with. White adults treat Huck sympathetically because he is white. When Huck arrived at the Grangerfords, they refer to him as “a little stranger.” Though they fight and kill members of another family, they welcome Huck. Huck’s lack of family ties …show more content…
Huck categorizes people based on language, explaining that different people speak differently in the way that cats and cows speak differently. Jim recognizes that it is “right for a cat and a cow to talk different from us,” (80). However, he argues that cats and cows are not people. Twain uses cows to represent Jim’s stereotype, emphasizing that no how Jim acts, he will never be able to fake his identity to strangers in the way Huck can. When a stranger questions Huck about his identity, Huck demonstrates his knowledge that, “If fifteen cows is browsing a hillside [all of them]....eat with their heads pointed in the same direction” (61). As with the cows, Huck assumes he knows how a black person should behave. Twain first emphasizes the importance of cows with Huck’s book with “a little blue and yaller picture of some cows” (20). Huck believes he understands cows and farming and slavery through his limited experience in the way Tom feels he understands adventure. Tom’s constant use of needing to do whats “regular,” suggests that he conforms and in the process, acts …show more content…
Colonel Sherburn prevents a mob from lynching a man, but he can not change their angry views. He emphasizes that “a man’s safe” regardless of how many are in the mob of “half men” (148). Twain uses man to mean a real human person demonstrating humanity. Jim certainly demonstrates humanity, but strangers don’t perceive his humanity in the way they perceive Huck’s. This is why Huck struggles to call Jim a man. Huck recognizes that no matter Jim’s humanity, he would not be safe with a mob or the justice system. Knowing that he is superior to Jim, Huck conforms to a stranger’s perception of Jim; he can not call Jim a