Banned Book Review #21 (The Last)
Written by orochigenocide.
[WARNING: This review contains spoilers.]
Throught the eyes of an adolescent boy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn illustrates the deliciously biting satire of a slave-holding society. Indeed, Huck defines himself through his own actions instead of other people's impression of him. Due to her compassion for his impoverished background, Widow Douglas felt obligated to "take [him] in as a son" in order to "sivilize [him]" in the beginning (Twain 1).
Although judged as ignorant and morally backward by others, he proves that he is just the opposite; from using his wit for many of his improvised schemes to his sympathies for others, this twelve-year old shows his true self, a side that not many can see at first glance. A particular illustration of his ingenuity, which Jim comments as a crafty idea, includes dragging bags to create trails and dumping a dead pig into a nearby river to fake his own death.
Apart from the web of lies he spins to move past strangers, his feelings of guilt for certain people can transpire into genuine sympathy. After he and the raft was lost amongst the rapid currents, he floated ashore to a spot where he found Jim napping. He mischievously tricks Jim into thinking the ordeal was just a dream but only finds himself scolded by Jim for his carelessness. To conciliate with him, Huck promises he'll never pull any mean pranks again, "know[ing] it would make [his friend] feel that way" (89).
Because of his age, Huck inevitably acts in a certain way and encounters situations many teens similarly face today. Even though his interpretation of books can be described as simple, his comprehension of human nature is beyond his years. However, his narration only provides observations and lacks a number of experiences required for analytical thinking.
The present tenses in the end of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn implies that he's not reflecting upon this story after a number of years; evidently, he's still a youthful boy who wants to scurry from any offer of adoption. Of course, what would a story, or life for that matter, be without the essence of conflict? Many events seemed to be the luck of the draw but sometimes Huck's plans to escape with Jim backfires. Earlier in Chapter 16, his conscience, urging him to turn Jim in and clear his own name, rattles up an uneasy feeling and later he struggles with this decision in Pikesville.
This time as the emotional climax, he rips his letter to Miss Watson, determined that "[he]'ll GO to Hell"(217) instead to free Jim from the Phelps' farm after he reminisces the memories they share. Before the formation of the duo, Huck "felt so lonesome" in the widow's home that he "[al]most wished [he] was dead" (5) Anyone, in any generation, from his age group can relate to this typical state of solitude.
Truly, Huck's narration goes a long way to give insight on his thoughts, viewpoint, and broad range of emotions. This seemingly unbridled black sheep is what someone would call a classic teen rebel; in Chapter 6, he clearly enjoyed his lazy days with his father, smoking, cursing, and fishing as much as he pleases. Soon after hearing the custody battle between Widow Douglas and his pap, he set out to stake into a free world where he won't be 'sivilized' nor beaten senselessly.
Throughout the story, the raft becomes a place where he and Jim can feel "mighty free and... comfortable" (119) and symbolizes their journey or freedom in life. Every step Huck ventured into the world was a trial that made him a dynamic character. First, his 'low-brow' beliefs and habits, such as "borrowing" from others, smoking, and cursing can be stemmed from his pap. Nonetheless, Miss Watson's influence had him believe he was a sinful boy in need of Providence, and later it would signify an ironic theme. Another of his beliefs revolves his superstitions around events he encounters, yet his pragmatism tends to be his core standpoint.
Many of his observations of hypocrisy, avarice, and violence mirrors his view of society, but the company of the Duke and Dauphin allowed him to scrutinize the debauchery of humanity first-hand. While in town of the late Peter Wilks and duped into the con-men's scam, he had "never see[n] anything so disgusting" (167) and their lies were "enough to make [any]body ashamed of the human race" (165). It especially sickened him to see the frauds deceiving Mary Jane, one of Peter's daughters.
Eventually, he did what he thought was right and confessed the whole plan to her in confidence. In conclusion, Huckleberry Finn defines what it means to be a timeless protagonist and one of Mark Twain's greatest work of art. The author's central themes of irony communicates the power of the conscience and re-creates a way to perceive society through the eyes of a young free-spirited boy. Huck's practical perspective represents people's inevitable confrontation of reality, and when we reflect upon our past confusions, we realize that perhaps there's a little bit of Huck in all of us.
Rating: 5
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
