As major characters are essential in a novel, minor characters can also carry a very important role in a novel. Minor characters help to advance the plot or develop character. In the satiric novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, the author uses pap, Huck’s father, to start Huck on his adventure and show the racism during this time period. Pap’s treatment of Huck would lead his son to escape down the Mississippi River. Huck’s father represents the majority of white men in the South during the 1840’s who want to keep white supremacy. Pap is also a bad role model for Huck due to his abusive, racist, and prideful nature. He drives Huck to abandon society to continue on his search for freedom. Pap did not represent a …show more content…
He wants all blacks to be enslaved and work on the fields. The core beliefs of the society within The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn serve to promote class segregation and racism. Slavery was established as a cornerstone of their culture during this time period. These quotes show how Mark Twain was influenced socially by the public and individual events in his life during the 1800s. Pap talks a great deal about how much he hates a country where a man can't have control over his son and a country where a black man has the right to vote and be …show more content…
Huckleberry Finn’s father had returned after he heard that his son had a lot of gold coins. He only wanted some of his son’s gold so he could buy alcohol for himself. Pap showed no hesitation with abusing others to get what he wants. Huck’s father is the representation of the drunk white men in the South during the 1840’s that would support slavery and slaves not being able to vote. The way pap treated his son also contributed to Huckleberry Finn’s development. Huck Finn grew up without having to rely on his father. Not having pap around as a father figure allowed for the connection between Huck and Jim to be stronger as the struggled through many hardships on their search for freedom. Pap is an important minor character because he advances the plot in the novel and adds to Huckleberry Finn’s character