This essay explores and explains three major themes that connect in both "To Kill a Mockinbird" by Harper Lee and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

Essay by lilsht09High School, 10th gradeA, December 2003

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Have you ever looked around, just to see how much compassion people have? Have you ever taken a minute to think about how much courage it takes, just to do the little things in life? Have you ever looked around and wondered why there is so much cruelty in the world today? These are three major aspects of our life today. The three major themes that Mark Twain and Harper Lee explore in Huckleberry Finn and To Kill A Mockingbird are Cruelty, Courage, and Compassion.

Cruelty is one of the major themes in Huckleberry Finn. Huck's dad abuses him. When Huck's dad was drunk he went around saying "Tramp-tramp-tramp-tramp; that's the dead; tramp-tramp-tramp; they're coming after me; but I wont go. Oh, they're here! Don't touch me-don't! Hands off- they're cold; let go. OH, let a poor devil alone!" (29). After reciting this Huck's dad began to chase him around with a clasp-knife calling him the Angel of Death, saying he would Kill Huck.

On Huck and Jim's journey up the river a steamboat came. The boat didn't see Huck and Jim so it forced them off the raft and Huck was "treading water" (95). As they go on the river they stop at a river and Huck met the Grangerford's. That night Huck discovers that Baldy Sheperdson came up behind Buck Grangerford and killed him when Buck didn't have a weapon. The Sheperdson's and the Grangerford's have been fighting and killing each other for the last 30 years. None of them know the reason they are killing each other. When they meet the King and the Duke they realize these two people were frauds. They couldn't do anything about it though or they would turn Jim in. The king and the Duke advertised a play and had it cost...