Huck Finn Research Paper

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Research Paper Fiction often finds inspiration from real-life experiences. As time goes on, the details and accuracy of memories begin to fade. However, strong emotions and important events never truly leave the mind. As a result, in old age, memories remain vivid and clear in one’s thoughts. In Mark Twain’s 19th century novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain draws from events of his past and the influence of people he encounters to craft his story. The audience understands the vast experience wielded within one life, and the accompanying tales. Many critics of Huck Finn choose to focus on discrepancies and flaws in the world’s knowledge of how Twain developed Huck Finn. Earlier commentators look

As many others retain experiences and remember specific people, the same seems to occur for Twain. In a statement referring to iconic parts of Huck Finn, author T.S. Eliot in “Introduction to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” writes, “In the writing of Huck Finn Mark Twain had two elements which, when treated with his sensibility and experience, formed a great book: these two are the Boy and the River” as Eliot describes how the, arguably, most vital parts of the novel stemmed from Twain’s life itself (350). The awareness of the river within Huck Finn, leads the reader to conclude the author experienced the setting himself. An idea which only gains more support from the book itself as parts of the environment have description such as, “trees with Spanish moss” 219 and how a town must “be always moving back, and back, and back, because the river’s always gnawing at it” the data of which comes from firsthand experience (219 and 156). Also his experiences as a child assist him in writing a book centered around a child’s antics. Huck maintains this tomfoolery air around him through the entirety of the story. The audience may come to the conclusion Twain draws from his own shenanigans as a child, or observe the children in his life. Twain’s ability to see Huck’s harsh world through a child’s eyes allow him to capture the essence of a joyful, childlike, spirit. While the reader may assume Twain’s personal

Twain’s reliance of the river throughout the book becomes a focal point of the story. Also, Twain brings direct experiences from his life, by the river, into the novel, crafting a captivating tale. LaMothe describes how Twain’s personal adventures transfer into the book and says, “Almost all his life, Twain wrote about things he knew and with which he was familiar” and contemplates how specific parts of the novel became brought into the book. One of the towns Huck enters during the novel include a scene directly transferred from Twain’s childhood. As Huck witnesses the crucial death of the character Boggs an explanation of the death states, “This episode is based on the actual murder of Hannibal in 1845 when Clemens was ten years old,” the description of Boggs’ death includes excerpts of Boggs’ body as being “heavy and solid” as his arms remain “spread out” as his body falls (159). The knowledge and memory remain with Twain, vividly enough he could capture the scene into his work. Undoubtedly he frequently includes his knowledge in the book, however not all of his memory may remain clear. Alexander Jones writes in “Mark Twain and Sexuality” of a faulty memory in withering age, “For Twain, reminiscing in his old age, created a somewhat misleading picture of his youthful self” and explains how while Twain had a large number of memories of his upbringing, the likelihood he could recall all details seems low. Most