Yossef Elnaggar, Rohit Kothare
Ms. Ciccone
Honors English II-1B
December 22, 2015
Violence and Greed Fuel Actions
Greed often prompts people to commit violent actions that contradict society 's beliefs on acceptable and moral behavior. These actions, frequently performed blindly and without much thought, lead to many dramatic encounters between characters. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the protagonist, Huck, encounters individuals whose greedy and violent personalities dictate the actions Huck takes as a result of their ruthless nature. Greed and violence that motivated action ultimately lead Huck to realize the importance of honesty, morality, and reason. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain depicts several …show more content…
The duke and the king, two of the most selfish characters encountered by Huck on his journey, conduct various actions stemming from their greed that ultimately lead to their humiliation at New Orleans. When the duke and the king find out about the death of Peter Wilks, they desire the monetary inheritance left to the sisters and attempt to swindle the Wilks. The royals begin to give speeches on behalf of the deceased man, and their actions were “enough to make a body ashamed of the human race” (Twain 235). The guilt Huck feels as a result of the greed and dishonest actions of the two royals ultimately lead to Huck “[hiding] the bag...in the coffin” and prompt him to “write back to Mary Jane” in order to prevent the duke and the king from swindling the family of the deceased (Twain 257-258). The deceitful work of the two frauds motivates Huck to correct the situation by living up to his morals, proving that greed motivated actions prompt …show more content…
As Jim stealthily listens to the conversation between Miss Watson and the slave trader, he hears that though “she didn’ want to” sell him to New Orleans, “it ‘uz sich a big stack o’ money she couldn’ resis’” (Twain 60). Twain displays the feelings of Miss Watson as she contemplates the potential selling of Jim, and that though she knew the just and moral thing to do, the desire for money entices her to proceed with the transaction. Later, she demonstrates kindness towards her slaves and frees Jim in her will; these juxtaposing decisions highlight the impact of cupidity on characters in the novel. Miss Watson’s act of greed results in Jim’s attempt at escape in an effort to avoid separation from his family. Jim concludes that running away allows for him to make his way to the North, and provides him with the opportunity to buy his family out of slavery. Furthermore, Twain, a religious skeptic, mocks the devout in this scene, as Miss Watson, though religious, still desires money with no regard to the well-being of others. Miss Watson’s contemplation of the sale of Jim arises solely from greed, and her actions result in Jim fleeing, thus contributing greatly to the overall plot of the
Ms. Ciccone
Honors English II-1B
December 22, 2015
Violence and Greed Fuel Actions
Greed often prompts people to commit violent actions that contradict society 's beliefs on acceptable and moral behavior. These actions, frequently performed blindly and without much thought, lead to many dramatic encounters between characters. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the protagonist, Huck, encounters individuals whose greedy and violent personalities dictate the actions Huck takes as a result of their ruthless nature. Greed and violence that motivated action ultimately lead Huck to realize the importance of honesty, morality, and reason. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain depicts several …show more content…
The duke and the king, two of the most selfish characters encountered by Huck on his journey, conduct various actions stemming from their greed that ultimately lead to their humiliation at New Orleans. When the duke and the king find out about the death of Peter Wilks, they desire the monetary inheritance left to the sisters and attempt to swindle the Wilks. The royals begin to give speeches on behalf of the deceased man, and their actions were “enough to make a body ashamed of the human race” (Twain 235). The guilt Huck feels as a result of the greed and dishonest actions of the two royals ultimately lead to Huck “[hiding] the bag...in the coffin” and prompt him to “write back to Mary Jane” in order to prevent the duke and the king from swindling the family of the deceased (Twain 257-258). The deceitful work of the two frauds motivates Huck to correct the situation by living up to his morals, proving that greed motivated actions prompt …show more content…
As Jim stealthily listens to the conversation between Miss Watson and the slave trader, he hears that though “she didn’ want to” sell him to New Orleans, “it ‘uz sich a big stack o’ money she couldn’ resis’” (Twain 60). Twain displays the feelings of Miss Watson as she contemplates the potential selling of Jim, and that though she knew the just and moral thing to do, the desire for money entices her to proceed with the transaction. Later, she demonstrates kindness towards her slaves and frees Jim in her will; these juxtaposing decisions highlight the impact of cupidity on characters in the novel. Miss Watson’s act of greed results in Jim’s attempt at escape in an effort to avoid separation from his family. Jim concludes that running away allows for him to make his way to the North, and provides him with the opportunity to buy his family out of slavery. Furthermore, Twain, a religious skeptic, mocks the devout in this scene, as Miss Watson, though religious, still desires money with no regard to the well-being of others. Miss Watson’s contemplation of the sale of Jim arises solely from greed, and her actions result in Jim fleeing, thus contributing greatly to the overall plot of the