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Huckleberry Finn Racism Quotes

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In Mark Twain’s, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain criticizes the social injustice of racism and dogmatic codes of the religious. Twain discusses the racial issues through examples of the treatment and belief of white superiority over blacks. In the evolution of the relationship between Jim and Huck, Twain also discusses the topic of racism. Lastly, Twain reinforces the moral ambiguity of a people that are full of contradictions; those who often appear to be good but are deeply prejudiced slave owners. Throughout this novel, Twain shines the light on the issues of racism and illogical religious hypocrisy, highlighted by selfishness and cowardice. Born into a slave-holding society, Mark Twain not only denounces slavery but also expresses …show more content…

Early in their travels, Huck plays a trick on Jim when they become separated in a fog on the river; after realizing he upset Jim, Huck states “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger,” (Twain 89). This quote reflects the white societal social beliefs held by Huck, for Huck struggles to “lower” himself to apologize to Jim because of the social norms of the time. Likewise, when arguing with Jim about King Solomon, Huck states, "I see it warn't no use wasting words--you can't learn a nigger to argue. So I quit,"(Twain 83). In this quote, Huck reflects his upbringing believing blacks incapable of learning or using logic to make arguments, thereby denying them human traits and acting superior towards Jim because of his race. However, towards the end of the novel, Huck reveals, “I know'd he was white inside”, (Twain 297). The friendship and trust shown by Jim influence Huck’s conscience, leading Huck to disavow what white society and religion taught him – even choosing to “go to hell” to save Jim. Jim’s humanity, nobility and honesty catalyze a change in Huck, deepening his understanding of love and forgiveness, of sacrificing self for

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1023 Words | 5 Pages

Had Huck been a white extremist, he may have utilized the chance to kill Jim. However, the good-natured protagonist does not do so, and instead shows to the reader his playful personality when he jokes around with Jim as a friend. At first, Huck’s prank on Jim may seem like an act of implicit racism or discrimination, but his words appear to be genuinely cheerful and light-spirited. Twain uses this example to further Huck and Jim’s whimsical friendship that develops throughout the novel.

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933 Words | 4 Pages

Huck lives in a time and place where African-Americans are legally not human, so that influences Huck's brain, causing him to see Jim as a slave. For example, when Jim and Huck become separated in the fog, Huck plays a rude trick. He says to Jim that they were never lost and there was no fog. Jim gives a whole speech to Huck, explaining how Huck made him feel like trash. Huck believing that Jim wasn't smart enough to figure the lie out, as well as lying to him at all, shows that Huck feels as though he is above Jim intellectually.

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935 Words | 4 Pages

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an American classic, it was the starting point for all great American Literature. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been awarded all of these honorable titles because of its abnormal and controversial plot line. During the time period when the book was written, it was unacceptable to view African- American’s as anything other than slaves. They were viewed as inferior to whites and were treated like property, they had no rights. The main character of the book, Huck, disagrees and disobeys these norms and pushes the boundaries of society when he becomes friends with a slave from his childhood; Jim.

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2304 Words | 10 Pages

When one reads The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, themes involving morality and conscience become heavily prevalent. The protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, portrays a manifest dynamic character. His actions and statements ranging from the outset of the novel through its ending show Huck’s development of a more concise sense of morality and conscience prevailing over the societal influences of “right and wrong”. In the nineteenth century American South, the inescapable system of slavery and social hierarchy would have discouraged an interracial bond. Yet Huck, while escaping his abusive father, chooses to befriend Jim, the runaway slave whom he encounters, and shares a pivotal stage in his life with his newfound companion, whereby contradicting

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1636 Words | 7 Pages

At the beginning of the novel, Huck thought that Jim was inferior because of his color. When Huck and Jim traveled together on the river, they bonded, and Huck saw things in a new light. Huck finally saw Jim as a person, not a slave. “I was trying to make my mouth say I would do the right thing and the clean thing, and go down write to that nigger’s owner and tell where he was; but deep down in me I knowed it was a lie- and He knowed it” (227).

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979 Words | 4 Pages

Here, Huck clings to his own understanding of what is right, instead of accepting what others believe to be true. This is especially evident when he realizes, “But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him…” (Twain 215). Despite what he has been taught, Huck knows that Jim is a good person, and is just as human as a white person.

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917 Words | 4 Pages

We also see that Huck thinks that Jim can not learn anything, use reason and can’t make an argument. We see this when Huck tells himself, “it warn’t no use wasting words- - you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit” ( Pg. 60) . We see this start to change when Huck learns what time of person Jim is and why he wants to be

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299 Words | 2 Pages

Jim makes this point by saying “‘Dah you goes de ole true Huck; de only white genlman dat ever kep’ his promise to ole Jim’” (p. 92). When Jim says he is the only white gentleman that has ever kept a promise shows that Huck respects Jim as a person, unlike other people

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1266 Words | 6 Pages

Huck decides to act on his morals rather than be held captive by society; Huck believes that he has to act in the best interest of Jim and does not consider what society believes is acceptable behavior. By stating that he will “go to hell,” Huck reiterates what he promises Jim in the beginning- that he rather be a “low down abolitionist”; these statements combined supports his feelings to protect Jim from society. When Huck and Tom get back to the house, Huck states, “...it don’t make no difference whether you do right or wrong, a person’s conscience ain’t got no

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1724 Words | 7 Pages

These reasons show why Twain may have intended to discourage racism. In the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain it is a story of a troubled young boy and his good friend Jim. In the story Twain is not trying to portray racism toward the character Jim but rather is discouraging it. We see examples in the novel where Twain shows how Jim differs from other White men who cheat others, how he describes the white and black symbolism, and shows empathy for Jim.

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1403 Words | 6 Pages

By using improper, and in articulate diction, Twain exposes the stereotype that slaves are not able to be fully competent. When Jim cannot fathom the fact that there are people who speak all sorts of different types of languages he says it in a hard to understand manner. Jim says, "Well, it 's a blame ridicklous way, en I doan ' want to hear no mo ' 'bout it. Dey ain ' no sense in it" (The Adventures Twain 39). In Jims attempt to speak it is very hard to understand.

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705 Words | 3 Pages

Hypocricy and Blind Faith Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took place in the eighteen hundreds when religion and reputation were dominant in peoples everyday lives. It was very rare for someone to believe something different than everyone else. In Twain 's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer and Huck appear to be very different, but their actions, descriptions, and dialogue bring them together to symbolize society in order to show the blind conformity and hypocrisy that humans often display.

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548 Words | 3 Pages

He starts to see that even altough that Jim is a black slave, he is a person and he has emotions just like Huck does. Huck tricks Jim and regrets it dearly he promises not to do it again. Huck knew what was right whether he wanted to do it or not Huck turned away from society’s wants and apologizes. Twain uses this to show Huck as boy uncivilized but still somewhat racist, but h continues to put more distance between him and society. “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterwards, neither.

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1430 Words | 6 Pages

Huck’s racism is a product of what he has learned from society, and this prejudice becomes apparent in his social interactions with Jim, a slave he befriends. While on an adventure down a river, Huck plays a trick on Jim: when a storm approaches, Huck and Jim are separated, but Huck pretends that he was actually there with Jim the whole time. Underestimating Jim’s intelligence, Huck jumps on another raft, and later returns to the one that he and Jim were on. Upon encountering Jim, Huck is surprised when the former says, “All you wuz thinkin ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en make ‘em ashamed” (Twain 95).

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516 Words | 3 Pages

Twain’s perspective on slavery and ideas regarding racism had been a source of debate. This theme of racism and slavery and Twain’s perception of it is developed throughout the “plot” events of the book. Twain was passionately anti-slavery during his

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