Miss Watson's Imposition

Although “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was published two decades after the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War, America was continuously struggling with racism and postslavery effects, especially in the South. In the early 1860s, Reconstruction of the South occurred in which laws were passed to help integrate freed slaves into society, increasing the tension and conflict between races. One of the most prominent factors of society within the book, never mentioned directly, was the imposition of Jim Crow Laws and the Fugitive Slave Acts (“Jim”). These laws were passed to enforce racial segregation in the South, as well as to provide the return of slaves that escaped from one state or territory to another (“Fugitive”). Race relations

Miss Watson, a religious and superstitious woman, attempted to “civilize” Huck while under her care through nagging and explaining her reasoning for why or why not. “Miss Watson would say, ‘Don’t put your feet up there, Huckleberry;’ and ‘Don’t scrunch up like that Huckleberry- set up straight;’ and pretty soon she would say, ‘Don’t gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry- why don’t you try to behave?’ (3)”. Huck spent much of his time thinking of Miss Watson’s stories of religious-based places and people, as well as her superstitions. “Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day with a harp and sing forever and ever (3)”. Although Miss Watson had slaves, she treated them well, while even leading prayer sessions before bed every night with Huck and her “niggers” (3). Slavery was prominent throughout Huck’s life with Miss Watson, as well as with Pops. “‘It was ‘lection day, and I was just about to go and vote myself if I warn’t too drunk to get there; but when they told me there was a State in this country where they’d let a nigger vote, I drawed out. I says I’ll never vote again’ (29)”. Pops, although poor and inferior to most whites, still portrayed superiority over blacks. Remarks such as these became a part of Huck, who he was, and how he thought and made