When you first open the book of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you'll notice a notice and an explanatory written by the one and only Mark Twain himself. The explanatory explains how Mark Twain uses language and dialect to differentiate between certain characters. "I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding." The notice basically says that for anyone who attempts to find a meaning, moral, plot, and or motive, will be shot. So shoot Mr. Brovsky, his first hour class, and myself.
It's surprising to see that this book went by so quickly for me. The more I enjoy a book, the faster it goes by for me. Now back to finding a plot. What I liked especially about this book was it's linear time line. There wasn't that much jumping around in time.
The cover of the first edition of Adventures of Hu...
Illustration of Jim and Huckleberry Finn, by EW Ke...
mark twain Category:Mark Twain imagesEverything came after everything else. The book is divided into three basic sections: Life before the river, life on the river, and life after the river. The river has it's crooks and bends and the plot following them. The river as a symbol in the book is great. Life's ups and life's down are well represented in the river.
The point of view of this book was also one of the very best aspects of this book. Huck Finn was written in the first person point of view with Huckleberry Finn telling the story. Even in the beginning, Huckleberry reminds the reader of what happens at the end of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. "You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter." (page 3) Huckleberry exclaims himself. Mark Twain writes with such flavor and detail that you feel like you're right there with Huck. While Huckleberry is in the cabin at night and his dad is having a nightmare, Mark Twain paints a wonderful picture of how Huck if feeling. "He chased me round and round the place with a clasp-knife, calling me the Angel of Death, and saying he would kill me,â¦I begged, and told him I was only Huck; but he laughed such a screechy laugh, and roared and cussed, and kept on chasing me up." (page 29) Mark Twain has been labeled by critics as a funny man and not a great writer, yet I believe that he is a great writer because he can incorporate his humor into a 13 year old boy's way of life. Huck Finn as the hero of this book shows that Mark Twain knows what the reader has always wanted to be. Mark Twain stylizes the ultimate dream of just getting away from everything. To leave things behind in search of fun and adventure. I know sometimes I feel like I just want to run away, like how I am feeling right now with this paper. Huck is the kind of person I want to be. To rough it, to have adventure, and to leave behind all my worries. And in a way I can when I'm reading this book. I feel a part of the adventures without having to actually run away.
When I hear that this great book has been banned in some places, I wonder if it's been banned because of the frequent use of "the word" or because "they" don't want kids to realize that adventures can be good, even if it has to involve running away. What would people nowadays think of a kid who faked his death, runs away with a criminal, and commits crime himself? Some would think that this kid is quite disturbed and I feel that today they want kids to be pure and innocent. It's not going to happen. So why not let everyone read this book and enjoy a life in the 1800's?
Drawing of Huckleberry finn with a rabbit and a gu...
English: Illustration from Adventures of Huckleber...
Traditional raft, from 1884 edition of Adventures ...