The South has Risen: Why Huck Finn Actually is all it’s Cracked Up to Be
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been in controversy for years over whether it should be read in the high schools of America. Some people say that the book and characters contradict themselves, and that the book has racist overtones. Neither of which are true; Huck Finn is a classic novel about the struggle to escape slavery, and the friendship that blossoms between a young southern boy and a runaway slave. Mark Twain, author of the novel, makes fun of the flaws of society, such as racism, with his sarcastic and humorous tone. While he does this, he also creates one of the greatest pieces American literature has ever seen. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a …show more content…
Everyone that reads the novel takes away something from it, whether it be the perils of society, or the destructiveness of feuds. Another unique feature is that everyone can take away a different meaning, and reading the novel again can make you see things in a different light, and take things completely different than before. Lauriat Lane Jr. touches on that in his article Why Huck Finn is a Great World Novel, saying, “Each time we read Huck Finn, we read a certain book, and each time we read it we read a different book.” This illustrates the power this novel holds, and the different meanings and interpretations it possesses. If people can find different meanings, and are able to debate about what the true meaning of a novel is, isn’t that what makes it great? Certainly, especially at a high school level. Huck Finn’s power and influence make it a novel everyone should read, and a novel that should be part of the high school …show more content…
In an article written by William O’Conner, he argues that Huck Finn is not the “Great American Novel.” He argues, “Huck’s relationship with his father is melodrama. So is the shooting of Boggs, or the tar and feathering of the Duke and King. A proof of their being melodrama is the ease with which one moves from a scene of violence to a humorous dialogue.” This is not Melodrama, It is Twain’s writing style, he sees the humour in people, and writes to that effect. As said before, he can create suspense and influence while still including humour. Another of O 'Connor 's points is, “The difficulty we have in conceiving what Huck might be as an adult, is an indication of the limited usefulness of Huck as a symbol.” This is not true, when I read the novel, I already see Huck as being able to handle himself like an adult, making split decisions under pressure, and able to use his intelligence to come up with believable stories that are the key to Jim’s escape. Huck is very mature and very crafty. O’Connors final point states, “If we refuse to over-value (Huck) as a symbol, we may be less inclined to over-value the novel, or to over-value the language in which it is written.” The novel is not a classic because it deals with Huck as a symbol, It is a classic because of the friendship between Huck and Jim, and because of their battle against society and adversity in order to achieve freedom, so this point
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been in controversy for years over whether it should be read in the high schools of America. Some people say that the book and characters contradict themselves, and that the book has racist overtones. Neither of which are true; Huck Finn is a classic novel about the struggle to escape slavery, and the friendship that blossoms between a young southern boy and a runaway slave. Mark Twain, author of the novel, makes fun of the flaws of society, such as racism, with his sarcastic and humorous tone. While he does this, he also creates one of the greatest pieces American literature has ever seen. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a …show more content…
Everyone that reads the novel takes away something from it, whether it be the perils of society, or the destructiveness of feuds. Another unique feature is that everyone can take away a different meaning, and reading the novel again can make you see things in a different light, and take things completely different than before. Lauriat Lane Jr. touches on that in his article Why Huck Finn is a Great World Novel, saying, “Each time we read Huck Finn, we read a certain book, and each time we read it we read a different book.” This illustrates the power this novel holds, and the different meanings and interpretations it possesses. If people can find different meanings, and are able to debate about what the true meaning of a novel is, isn’t that what makes it great? Certainly, especially at a high school level. Huck Finn’s power and influence make it a novel everyone should read, and a novel that should be part of the high school …show more content…
In an article written by William O’Conner, he argues that Huck Finn is not the “Great American Novel.” He argues, “Huck’s relationship with his father is melodrama. So is the shooting of Boggs, or the tar and feathering of the Duke and King. A proof of their being melodrama is the ease with which one moves from a scene of violence to a humorous dialogue.” This is not Melodrama, It is Twain’s writing style, he sees the humour in people, and writes to that effect. As said before, he can create suspense and influence while still including humour. Another of O 'Connor 's points is, “The difficulty we have in conceiving what Huck might be as an adult, is an indication of the limited usefulness of Huck as a symbol.” This is not true, when I read the novel, I already see Huck as being able to handle himself like an adult, making split decisions under pressure, and able to use his intelligence to come up with believable stories that are the key to Jim’s escape. Huck is very mature and very crafty. O’Connors final point states, “If we refuse to over-value (Huck) as a symbol, we may be less inclined to over-value the novel, or to over-value the language in which it is written.” The novel is not a classic because it deals with Huck as a symbol, It is a classic because of the friendship between Huck and Jim, and because of their battle against society and adversity in order to achieve freedom, so this point