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Mark twain use of humor
Adventures of huckleberry finn literary analysis
Adventures of huckleberry finn literary analysis
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Huckleberry Finn’s use of racial slurs makes the book seem ignorant and racist, even though the degrading of black people was
Despite the connotations that Adventures of Huckleberry Finn may have lost focus in its message of anti-racism, the novel still displays a thoughtful and engaging take on the status of racism through setting and character development. Though authors like Jane Smiley believe the book is overpraised because the characters are shallow and ignored, Twain’s subtle commentary on racism through the use of his characters helps to create a realistic understanding of the social conditions at the time. One of Smiley’s main arguments against Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that the novel overshadows Uncle Tom’s Cabin which she considers has more in-depth characters than the former book. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which for its portrayal of an array of thoughtful, autonomous, and passionate black characters leaves Huck Finn far behind.”
Although there has been an overwhelming amount of debates regarding the teaching of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school settings, students should still have the opportunity to experience this novel, even if additions or compromises need to be made, because of the story’s historical significance, underlying portrayal of African American dignity, and overall benefits engendered by Twain’s writing. Many argue that African Americans are undermined throughout the story, but the abundance of dignity underlying Jim’s character and the compromises that can be made in the classroom are often overlooked. The most controversial part of the book for many parents seems to be the fact that “it uses the ‘n’ word more than 200 times -- which they say is damaging to their children” (Beckett, Huck Finn’s Fate to Be Decided).
Modern times challenge Twain’s satirical writing, as it becomes progressively offensive towards racial groups. Many critics and journalists alike debate whether The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned in classrooms as it perpetuates racial stereotypes and its unnecessary use of the N-word. “The Case Against Huck Finn”, written by John H. Wallace, is an article that states every point of why the book should be banned in school. One of the authors' thesis is that the usage of the N-word in the classroom severs the relationships between the teacher and black students. John H Wallace writes, “the black child is offended by the use of the word ‘n*****’ anywhere, no matter what rationale the teacher may use to justify it.”
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (“Huck Finn”), written by Mark Twain, readers follow the life of a southern child before the Civil War. Although this book is considered a popular and classic piece of American literature, there is much controversy over the language Twain used. Mark Twain used the normal, everyday vocabulary of people in the Southern Civil War Era. Some consider this novel vulgar and disrespectful due to the continuous use of the word “nigger” and other racial slurs. Due to this, there was books published with the word “nigger” replaced with “slave”.
Mark Twain uses satire to portray different issues that were going on during the time period. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, author Mark Twain uses Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer to represent romanticism and realism. Doing so formed the characters into two drastically different persons. Mark Twain uses satirical elements to contrast the two main characters in their personalities and views. Tom Sawyer is a child who is blinded with fictional literature and the worlds view on slaves.
Huckleberry Finn is considered controversial due to being commonly discussed for its highly extensive use of course language throughout the course of the novel. In reflection of its language of vernacular slang and racial contents, some readers view it as part of a deeper meaning in understanding the history of the period, whereas many other readers had interpreted it as demeaning and damaging to a past culture. Since its original publication in 1884, the modern criticisms from the book Huckleberry Finn have paled in comparison to what they used to be. When it was first released, the author was condemned for his speech and many civilians rioted in burnings of the book without having even taken the time to read it.
Novel Project Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is about a troubled, runaway boy, Huckleberry Finn, looking to find a real friend and comfort. He meets a runaway slave, Jim, and they have many adventures together including: dressing up as females, getting kidnapped, impersonating friends, being involved with con artists, and criminals. The book is the sequel to Tom Sawyer and is set in the late 1800’s. Throughout the book, different characters have different diction. The reader can tell when he or she reads Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses an assortment of different vernacular to emphasize unsophisticated language, southern dialect, and socioeconomics to establish the plot of the story.
In the small town of Hannibal, Missouri, a young author named Samuel Langhorne Clemens began to absorb his knowledge about the reality of life in the South during the early 1800’s. At the age of 41, Mark Twain, Clemens pen persona, had created one of the world 's most controversial but fantastic articles in American Literature. Throughout Mark Twain’s compelling novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a realistic setting of the old south is portrayed through the use of language including the disturbing ”N” word, satirical representations of Southern people, and typical southern scenery. Despite the book 's literary value and complete historical accuracy, select people and schools continue to either label the novel as racist or ban it in
Apart from being a significant part of American literature, Mark Twain’s classic book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, displays the deeply ingrained racist mindset of the South in the pre-civil war era. Huck struggles with helping Jim as it has been institutionalized in him to see Jim as Ms. Watson’s property, Huck learns to look at Jim as not merely someone worthless, but as a human worthy of respect and as a friend. The most evident example of oppression is the n word appears more than 200 times in the book, making it the 4th banned book in schools. Taken as a racial slur in present day, Twain’s use of the word is a reflection of the times.
Casual use of the N-word, unapologetic portrayals of racism and racists, and grotesque stereotyping, essentially , all the ugly reminders of a past we still find too uncomfortable to talk about in mixed company.(Ruta) When The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is approached with the attitude that Twain is a racist, there is, essentially, a moment of allowance for the contents. In the process of banning the novel, readers are blind to the realistic approach to racism that Twain allows exposure to. Twain serves as a fictionalized primary source, giving first hand, objective interpretations of the behavior of that time. Nonetheless, he is highly criticized by readers, teachers, and scholars alike for including this racism in his work: “ .”
As previously mentioned, this novel is highly opposed because of its extensive use of the “n-word”, as well as the belief that the novel is racist. An example of this notion was when Huck, who was believed to be Tom Sawyer at the time, mentioned to Aunt Sally that the boat he was on “...blowed out a cylinder-head” and “killed a nigger” (Twain, chapter 32). Aunt Polly then proceeds to say “...it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt” (Twain, chapter 32). Due to these accurate yet cruel depictions of society’s view on African Americans, those who criticized the novel believed that the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “...promotes racism and demeans African American children with its extensive use of the word "nigger"...” (Novels).
“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” How often do we hear about a literary work that is still causing controversy 131 years later after it had been published. This is the case with Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Today critics and school systems across America are campaigning to remove this classic for the use of one word. “Nigger,” a word so offensive that it is usually called the “N-word.” Even though Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn was written decades after slavery was abolished, the word Nigger was very much still present in America, the novel also portrays blacks as superstitious, and the use of dialect leads to the idea that people, especially blacks were synonymous of ignorance.
Mark Twain's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a literary work that has such an intense amount of dialect. Twain’s use of dialect , gives readers an overall sense of realism and vividness of the story, “Huckleberry finn”. Since the story contains dialect, a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group, it is quite difficult to understand the characters speech. Due to that we are basically forced to read out loud and even hear how the dialect of the character take over our speech. The dialects in the story, shows the readers the characters attitudes and beliefs, their social class and much more.
There has been an abundance of extravagant writers throughout time. One of the best writers to ever live would have to be Mark Twain. He incorporated humor in his writing to entertain his audience while he still told a story. Three ways Mark Twain was able to use humor in A Tramp Abroad to tell his story are through First Person POV, humor in the plot, and use of exaggeration.
