In novels, the historical setting of the story and symbolism serve key roles in the meaning of the book. This comes into play in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” written by Mark Twain. Symbolism and the understanding of the time period of the novel are what unveil the true hidden messages while reading this book. During the story, Huckleberry Finn, also known as Huck, and an escaped slave named Jim travel the down the Mississippi River in search of the freedom they both desire. Huck is striving for freedom from the “sivilized” (Twain 1) world while Jim is wanting freedom from slavery. Racism and slavery are greatly portrayed in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Jim was once a slave owned by Miss Watson but as he heard rumors of Huck’s
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The main symbol in the story is the Mississippi River that Huck and Jim travel on. The river depicts freedom for both Huckleberry Finn and his friend Jim and the growing of age and maturity for Huck alone. Jim takes to the river because in his mind he believes it is his gateway into freedom. Huck on the other hand sees freedom from society, from the civilized world, that everyone has been trying to get him to learn and understand. Over the time that is elapsed during the novel Twain also illustrates the growing of maturity of Huckleberry Finn. The main depiction of Huck’s growth is in Chapter 31, “It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, the, I’ll go to hell”- and tore it up.” (215) At this point, Huckleberry Finn has made up his mind that he is done with society. Through that quote you can see that Huck is starting to see Jim as more than a slave, he is starting to see him as a friend, as a person. Evans 3 Mark Twain provides examples of many different literary devices in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. The historical setting of pre-Civil War and the symbolism behind the Mississippi River are the main characteristics Twain uses to paint the picture of the novel in our
The main symbol in the story is the Mississippi River that Huck and Jim travel on. The river depicts freedom for both Huckleberry Finn and his friend Jim and the growing of age and maturity for Huck alone. Jim takes to the river because in his mind he believes it is his gateway into freedom. Huck on the other hand sees freedom from society, from the civilized world, that everyone has been trying to get him to learn and understand. Over the time that is elapsed during the novel Twain also illustrates the growing of maturity of Huckleberry Finn. The main depiction of Huck’s growth is in Chapter 31, “It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, the, I’ll go to hell”- and tore it up.” (215) At this point, Huckleberry Finn has made up his mind that he is done with society. Through that quote you can see that Huck is starting to see Jim as more than a slave, he is starting to see him as a friend, as a person. Evans 3 Mark Twain provides examples of many different literary devices in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. The historical setting of pre-Civil War and the symbolism behind the Mississippi River are the main characteristics Twain uses to paint the picture of the novel in our