Examples Of Deception In Huckleberry Finn

It goes without saying that Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the best written novels of all time. The novel is about a young boy named Huckleberry Finn who runs away from his father a few days after his father regained custody from the Widow. Throughout his peregrination down the Mississippi River, Huck encounters many people who hoax others. As described in the examples cited, it is clear to say the theme of deception is often exhibited throughout this novel. The first form of deception seen in the novel is from Pap, Huckleberry Finn’s alcoholic father. Pap deceived the new judge by saying he was going to start a new life, since he regained custody of Huck. The new judge said he was going to make a man of

Jim thought Huck was a ghost, since many people believe Huck passed away, but Huck reassured Jim. Huck asked Jim what he was doing on the island, and Jim said he ran away. Huck decided to bring Jim along with him on the escapade, and they came across a house. Huck put on a dress and made the preference to act like a girl, so he knocked on the door and an old woman answered. She invited Huck inside, and requested his name. He said his name was Sarah Williams, and inquired what others thought happened to Huck. The woman says, “Well, I reckon there’s a right smart chance of people here that’d like to know who killed him. Some think old Finn done it himself” (Twain 57). As the conversation goes on, the woman asks Huck what his name was, and he said it was Mary. That’s when the woman knew Huck was lying to her, so she notified him that she knew Huck’s a boy, and asked what his authentic name was. Huck lied once more, and told the woman to not make fun of an impecunious girl like him. The woman asked what happened to his family, and he told her that his “father and mother was dead, and the law bound him to a mean old farmer in the country” (Twain, 61). Huck’s motivation of doing this act was to see what others were thinking about what happened to Huck. The act is acceptable because it did no trauma, and opinions of Huck were not based on his

While Jim stays with the canoe so he doesn’t get taken, the others go into the town to see that it’s empty except for a slave sunbathing in the heat. They ask where everyone is, and the slave says they’re in the woods for a camp meeting. Huck and the King go into the woods to spy on the camp meeting, while the Duke searches in the shops. The preacher begged the King to speak to the people, and he did so. He told the people that he was a “pirate-had been one for thirty years out in the Indian Ocean-and his crew was thinned out considerable last spring in a fight, and he was home to take out some fresh men” (Twain 134). The people cried, and he got a lot of money, got to pass around a hat, kisses from multiple females, and an invitation to stay a week. This form of lying is unacceptable and not forgiving because he stole money from the townspeople by lying that he was a pirate because of his fear of missing out. This action would set an opinion of him to the readers of this