“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” – Mark Twain. One incredible book which is worth reading is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. The book is a bildungsroman, following the protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, as he evolves from an immature child to a levelheaded, although somewhat defiant, grown person. At the beginning of the novel, Huck follows the adults around him, adopting their value systems. Throughout the middle of the book, the protagonist develops his own set of morals that vary drastically from society’s. Huck defies the beliefs of the adults in his life by the end of the story. Huck Finn grows immensely throughout the novel, starting from a young immature brat
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The first of which is when he tells Mary Jane that the duke and the king are frauds. Huck, after lying his way through his childhood, finally realizes that, “the truth is better, and actuly safer, than a lie” (170). He understands the harm in lying. Twain famously said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Huck’s epiphany leads him to become a better, more genuine person. Later, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson, Jim’s owner. He tries to think of just cause to send Jim back to slavery, but Huck, “couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden [Huck] against him” (194). Huck appreciates Jim as a friend and a human being, choosing not to send the letter to Miss Watson. The protagonist develops a sophisticated value system, separate from his role models’ belief systems and separate from society’s standards. Comparing Tom and Huck, Huck seems much more mature than Tom. Even at the beginning of the novel this was true, but at the end, the difference in maturity is much more apparent. Tom is still pulling pranks and overcomplicating every scenario, while Huck practically deals with each situation, acting on his set of morals. The protagonist in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn develops his value system throughout the novel, maturing as a character and proving this book to be a perfect example of a bildungsroman. The story begins with Huck acting as an impish child, pulling pranks and lacking in morals. Continuing through the book, the main character develops a sense of right and wrong, making more mature decisions. Near the end of the novel, Huck makes several sensible choices, showing his highly developed value
The first of which is when he tells Mary Jane that the duke and the king are frauds. Huck, after lying his way through his childhood, finally realizes that, “the truth is better, and actuly safer, than a lie” (170). He understands the harm in lying. Twain famously said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Huck’s epiphany leads him to become a better, more genuine person. Later, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson, Jim’s owner. He tries to think of just cause to send Jim back to slavery, but Huck, “couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden [Huck] against him” (194). Huck appreciates Jim as a friend and a human being, choosing not to send the letter to Miss Watson. The protagonist develops a sophisticated value system, separate from his role models’ belief systems and separate from society’s standards. Comparing Tom and Huck, Huck seems much more mature than Tom. Even at the beginning of the novel this was true, but at the end, the difference in maturity is much more apparent. Tom is still pulling pranks and overcomplicating every scenario, while Huck practically deals with each situation, acting on his set of morals. The protagonist in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn develops his value system throughout the novel, maturing as a character and proving this book to be a perfect example of a bildungsroman. The story begins with Huck acting as an impish child, pulling pranks and lacking in morals. Continuing through the book, the main character develops a sense of right and wrong, making more mature decisions. Near the end of the novel, Huck makes several sensible choices, showing his highly developed value