Title and Publication Date:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885
Author:
Mark Twain
Setting:
Plot:
A young man fakes his own death and flees the abuse of his father to hide out on an island in the middle of the Mississippi. There he encounters a runaway slave named Jim, and the two set out upon a thrilling river voyage to learn lessons about humanity, loyalty, and the evils of slavery.
Questions to Answer:
How does the author address social injustice?
Where in the story are the turning points in Huck Finn's attitude toward Jim and the institution of slavery?
What does the author suggest about education?
What symbolic role does the river play?
What symbolic role does Jim play?
What symbolic role does Huck play?
Main Characters:
Huck Finn: The main character and narrator, Huck is a young boy around age 13. His naturally rebellious nature allows readers to question his society's values and practices.
Jim: Jim is a runaway slave who shows maturity and wisdom in spite of the hardships he has faced. His goal is to go North to earn money that will buy freedom for his family.
Other Characters:
Tom Sawyer Tom Sawyer is Huck's much-admired friend--but experience shows the reader that Huck is the more mature and introspective.
Pap: Huck's cruel father and the town drunk, Pap shows us the dark side of family dysfunction in the rural, slave-holding South.
Widow Douglas: This character is loving and kind, and shows us the wholesome side of family life in the rural South.
Themes:
Good and Bad in Family: Pap and Widow Douglas demonstrate a contrast in good and bad in one's own family--and therefore in life. This theme shows us that good and bad are part of life, and that the individual must navigate around life's hardships and make the best of a given situation.
Rebellion and Conformity: Rebellion is a theme in many books, when the topic centers around traditions or behavior that is unfair to some segments of society. In Huck Finn, Huck constantly questions the accepted practices of his day.
