Head or Heart
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain encapsulates the story of a teenage boy, Huck, on his adventure down the Mississippi River with Jim, a runaway slave (Twain). This novel recounts numerous incidents in which Huck is forced to choose between a “moral” action dictated by societal standards and his sound conscious. Although Huck nearly always chooses his heart over his head, this mind-rattling string of ethical dilemmas inspires even the most stubborn person to question the social standards of this time. Through his clever attacks on ignorance, racial prejudice, and organized religion by way of socratic irony, Twain became one of the few authors to successfully fuel social change. Huck’s internal battles continue to inspire readers to choose their hearts over their heads over 130 years after its publication. Whether one examines the first time Huck considers turning Jim in, his reluctant apology, or his decision to protect Jim once and for all, these intense deliberations of the societal norms and the intuitive heart represent a larger change for which Huck’s …show more content…
The impact that this novel had on American society is unmeasurable in the following years as national issues like the Civil Rights Movement began to unfold. Huck’s moldable mind illustrates how his audience may justify changing their thinking on the important issue of the time, setting an example for years to come. Twain’s brilliant use of satirical irony can be accredited with the effectiveness of this novel. Between the first time Huck considers turning Jim in, his reluctant apology, and his decision to protect Jim once and for all, it is clear to the reader that although one’s acquired morales may prove a strong force, one must always choose the decision that feels just in their
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain encapsulates the story of a teenage boy, Huck, on his adventure down the Mississippi River with Jim, a runaway slave (Twain). This novel recounts numerous incidents in which Huck is forced to choose between a “moral” action dictated by societal standards and his sound conscious. Although Huck nearly always chooses his heart over his head, this mind-rattling string of ethical dilemmas inspires even the most stubborn person to question the social standards of this time. Through his clever attacks on ignorance, racial prejudice, and organized religion by way of socratic irony, Twain became one of the few authors to successfully fuel social change. Huck’s internal battles continue to inspire readers to choose their hearts over their heads over 130 years after its publication. Whether one examines the first time Huck considers turning Jim in, his reluctant apology, or his decision to protect Jim once and for all, these intense deliberations of the societal norms and the intuitive heart represent a larger change for which Huck’s …show more content…
The impact that this novel had on American society is unmeasurable in the following years as national issues like the Civil Rights Movement began to unfold. Huck’s moldable mind illustrates how his audience may justify changing their thinking on the important issue of the time, setting an example for years to come. Twain’s brilliant use of satirical irony can be accredited with the effectiveness of this novel. Between the first time Huck considers turning Jim in, his reluctant apology, and his decision to protect Jim once and for all, it is clear to the reader that although one’s acquired morales may prove a strong force, one must always choose the decision that feels just in their