Thursday, June 6, 2019
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn EssayErnest Hemingway probably summed it up best when he said, All modern Ameri cigaret literature comes from one book by find straddle called Huckleberry Finn (source). Were dealing with quite a book here. Published in 1885, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twains follow-up to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, carved new territory into the American literary landscape in several ways.As one of the first freshs to use a specific regions vernacular in its narration, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn practise a precedent for many other distinctly American works to follow. Some readers didnt exactly get this new colloquial style, however. Accustomed to the neat prose of Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Emerson, some readers didnt know what to do with Hucks particular way of storytelling.Aside from the novels new style of writing, Twains decision to use thirteen-year-old Huck as the narrator allowed him to include certain content that a more civilized narrator probably would have go away out. At first, Twains novel was labeled crass by some readers. The book was even banned in schools for its use of the n-word which is ironic, given that the novel is up in arms over slavery. Even today, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn makes Banned Books lists.Look moresocial satire essayTwains novel jumped base on balls first into one of the biggest issues of its day racism. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed over two decades before Huckleberry Finns original publication date, African-Americans everywhere were still victims of conquering and racism. They were technically free, but often by name only in Reconstruction-era America. Many southerners were bitter about the outcome of the Civil War.By guiding his characters by dint of several states of the Confederacy, Twain was able to reveal the hypocrisy of many pre-war southern communities. As a southerner himself, Twain had first-hand experiences to draw on, and he was able to wa lk the lovely line between realistic depiction and ironic farce. Not to mention, Twain created the now-iconic character of Jim, a runaway slave who convinces Huck that African-Americans are deserving of freedom, and that equivalence is a goal for which we all should be fighting.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is now considered to be one of the Great American Novels, mostly due to how it so heartily champions the American ideals of freedom, independence, and problematic individualism. Hucks dedication to his own moral standards and his bold sense of adventure and self-sufficiency have earned him a place in the All-American abidance of Fame. In addition, Twain is a hilarious storyteller, and the plot of this novel is a roller-coaster ride of moral dilemmas so trust us when we say that if you havent taken the ride yet, you probably should.Why Should I Care?Mark Twain wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn twenty years after the American Civil War. Slavery had been abolished, and t he brotherhood and South were making up (albeit with some residual anger). So why publish a highly moralistic tale about a governance that was no longer in place? Werent campaign issues a moot point once slavery was out of the picture?Hardly. Freedom didnt mean equality by any means not legally, socially, or practically. (See Shmoop Historys Jim Crow in America for more.) Actually, come to think of it, this isnt an outdated capriciousness at all. Rules and laws often dont accurately reflect whats really going on. From a legal standpoint today, we have equality of race yet racism is still a problem. Men and women are equal, yet many still see a glass ceiling for women in the workplace, marrow they often have invisible boundaries to advancement.That doesnt mean laws are useless.Laws may not immediately effect change, but weve seen that they do precede change. While laws can affect how people act, it takes more to change the way we think. We cant rely on laws alone. Thats where T he Adventures of Huckleberry Finn comes back into the picture. We need people like Mark Twain to remind us not to be self-congratulatory for starting a process in motion, but instead to realize that greater change is forever and a day necessary.
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