Mark Twain was a social critic just as much as he was a novelist. He observed a society filled with arrogant, racial hypocrisy. In the beginning of his fictional novel, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Twain forbids his audience from finding a motive, moral, or plot. In using rhetorical strategies such as satire, irony, and humor he challenges the reader to look for deeper meanings throughout the novel. With the purpose to shed light on the false ideals that society represents as seen through the eyes of young boy. The ironic events that prohibit Huck from being a dynamic character suggest the inadequacy of blind faith in society. Twain uses satire to show the conflict between slavery and Christianity. Twain forces audiences to view …show more content…
When they believed that his family is sick they said, “we are right down sorry for you, but we—well, hang it, we don’t want the smallpox” (91). The response of the two gentlemen instead of helping Huck was to give him money and send him elsewhere because they weren’t willing to put themselves at risk in anyway. Twain is asserting that people in society are constantly pressuring Huck to act in a civilized manner but are unable to act that way themselves. As a result of this, Huck is able to take advantage of the slave hunters’ selfishness in order to protect Jim even after his attack of conscience. We recognize that in this moment Huck is capable of resisting the rules of society and can see Jim as a person, not as property. Whereas Huck considers himself uncivilized, he is able to be more humane and decent than most of the civilized people he …show more content…
Grangerford was a gentleman, you see. He was a gentleman all over; and so was his family.” Yet it is ironic that the two families only take a break from their murderous feud to attend church on Sundays and then continue to carry their guns. To further depict the foolishness of the educated people Huck comes across, the families are shown as participants in a contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet. Consequently, the families continue to harm themselves although no one can recall the original reason. Huck sees the families’ behavior as illogical, especially after his new friend, Buck, is killed. Through Huck’s experiences, Twain makes a statement on the importance of society rejecting romanticism instead of accepting this idea blindly. Otherwise, like the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, civilized society’s need for drama and fantasy will ultimately lead to its