Criticism on Huckleberry Finn

        There are many controversies over the ending of Huckleberry Finn. For instance, many critics feel that the ending is too tedious and doesn't tie into the beginning of the book. However, the ending does seem to relate back to the beginning. At the end, Huck is found by Aunt Sally, who wishes to adopt him and make him civilized. She tries to do this because she is thinking of what would be best for Huck. This is the point where Huck goes out west to escape his life and where he will be free. This ties back to the beginning where you last left off when Widow Douglas was trying to civilize Huck. Conversely, many people still feel that Twain's ending contradicted everything Huck had gone through up to that point. The ending of Huckleberry Finn is able to arrest Huck's character development because it shows how Huck has matured throughout the novel.

From the beginning of the novel, Huck is a childish boy. He goes on adventures with his friends and doesn't care about more important things in life. Towards the end of the book, Huck has matured into a young adult. However, some people feel otherwise. They think that Huck has really only been "temporarily" matured because as soon as Tom asks him to do something, Huck goes along. It shows you that Huck's time on the raft has only temporarily made him think differently, but has not really changed his old ways.

Huck has matured throughout the novel in the way he thinks about things. For instance when he says, "I knowed he was white inside" (p.94), says that Huck is appreciating Jim and doesn't see how a person like him could be black. Since Huck grew up surrounded by predominantly white people, he doesn't realize that...