Rhetorical Language In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, set in the 1830’s-1840’s, where slavery is still legal. During this time there was an extreme contrast between rich and poor along with the growing disputes of the North and South states of America. The abolition movement was a leading reform in the country where the idea of slavery is an evil practice. Many African American slaves had begun to run away from the cruelty of slaveholders as does the character, Jim, a runaway slave. A “mighty river and a mightier friendship” between Huckleberry Finn and Jim as they seek freedom from their past is what this novel is all about. Chapter six of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is about the justification plus the preparation of Huckleberry Finn’s yearning to gain

Throughout the chapter the reader will come across the use of allusions or indirect references to a familiar idea, like the Bible or Shakespeare. In the first paragraph of the chapter, Huckleberry Finn goes right in saying “every time he got drunk he raised Cain around town; and every time he raise Cain he got jailed. He was just suited—this kind of thing was right in his line” which indirectly is referring to the story of Cain and Abel (Twain). In the story of Cain and Abel, simply Cain ends up committing the first act of murder furthermore, being banished to unsettled land. Cain can directly refer to Pap for his son gives reasons for just how bad he is. Cain committed the worst sin possible and by comparing him to Pap, he is saying he is an awful person, to whom he holds no respect for. A complaining, trapped tone was embedded into the chapter to focus on Huckleberry’s feelings and to push the reader deeper into his feelings with him. Twain works in some sarcasm in the dialogue of Pap, where he is characterized as a harsh man. Pap is ranting about the government then makes a sarcastic remark of “oh, yes, this is a wonderful government, wonderful” and “There was a free nigger there from Ohio—a mulatter, most as white as a white man” (Twain). Huckleberry Finn had gotten annoyed by the fact his father complained about the changing times and was frustrated at him for he has a good friendship with an African American. Huckleberry Finn was in a poisonous environment and what person would not want to get away from that. Along with sarcasm, Mark Twain makes use of symbolism through Pap himself and the cabin in which Huckleberry is at. He acts a symbol of alcoholism and ignorance towards government, by means of his constant haze by alcohol, which brings about his irrational ideas of the government. Pap says “call this government! Why, just look at it and see what it’s like.