Huck Finn Road To Freedom

Jim and Huck: The Road to Freedom Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn published in 1885 primarily for an adult audience. The novel was written two decades after the Emancipation Proclamation but slavery was still a big part of life during the 1880’s because of the Jim Crow laws which limited the rights of African Americans. Along the banks of the Mississippi River, a 14 year old boy named Huckleberry Finn (Huck) lived with his “pap”. Huckleberry Finn’s father was a hopeless alcoholic who was unfit to care for him ,so Huck spent most of his time with Miss Watson, who tries to civilize Huck with manners and education. Huckleberry Finn makes an escape from his abusive and greedy father to sail onto the Mississippi …show more content…
As Huckleberry Finn seeks to find adventure; Jim seeks to find freedom. This tale is a representation of the relationship between the white and black race, which is depicted through a young white boy and an older slave man. The book’s treatment of the touchy topic of racism sparked it to be a large controversy among the nation but more importantly educators.While the novel places fourteenth on the most banned books in America, some critics say that it was the most outstanding book ever to be written in history due to its ability to discuss such a topic so gracefully. The most debatable part of Mark Twain’s novel is his usage of the N word which was used about 216 times throughout. The teaching of Huckleberry Finn should not only be suggested but mandatory because it shows a realistic representation of the south and uses purposeful language, …show more content…
Instead the novel is great example of literary terms like dialect which refers to a specific language from a certain time period and region. The dialect of Twain’s writing style is relevant for the setting of this novel because it accurately shows the type of language used by southerners during this time period. This type of novel creates great discussion amongst the students because it examines both moral and ethical issues like the treatment of Jim. Huck’s conscience tells him to protect Jim, but his intuition tells him to follow societal norms. This debate can be brought into the classroom and be applied to recent issues like racial tensions at Mt. Hebron High School. Students would be more engaged in this type of debate because it discusses local news, allowing them to relate to these issues and express opinions without the fear of judgement. Jim says “ Here I is huck. Is dey out o’ sight yit?” (95). The use of improper grammar teaches students about the setting, allowing them to step foot into what a southern life is really like. Language is a key component in understanding someone and their background. When students understand the language they can also accurately understand the time period of this novel. The knowledge that Twain wants readers to use while reading this book