Role Of Religion In Huckleberry Finn

In many classic novels like Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, religion plays a role in shaping the storyline and is often a motif itself. Religion, a widely accepted matter of faith, was exceedingly prominent in the times of famous authors like Twain. It was often praised and was ultimately a principle that outlined a way of life. Twain, unlike other authors of his times, however, looked at religion from a different angle. While most classic authors referred to religion as a central, positive theme, religion appears in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as an incredulous and rather inconvenient subject. Using Huckleberry Finn’s character as a channel for his own religious views, Twain’s unique implementation of religion demonstrates that

Early on in the novel, Twain makes a mockery of how impractical religion is. Expressed through the eyes of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn defiantly disagrees with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas about the concepts of religion. He actively scoffs at Widow Douglas’ devotion to God for “she got out her book and learned [Huck] about Moses … but by-and-by she let out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then [Huck] didn’t care no more about him; because [Huck] don’t take no stock in dead people” (2). Huck Finn’s pragmatism takes Widow Douglas’ pious teachings and throws them out the window. In fact, he completely disregards and does not even consider the potential benefits of what