The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

Society And The River The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn&9In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops criticism of society by contrasting Huck and Jims life on the river to their dealings with people on land. Twain uses the adventures of Huck and Jim to expose the hypocrisy, racism, and injustices of society.&9Throughout the book hypocrisy of society is brought out by Hucks dealings with people. Miss Watson, the first character, is displayed as a hypocrite by Huck " fine soon I wanted to smoke, and asked the widow to let me. But she wouldnt. And she took snuff too of course that was all right, because she done it herself" (Twain 8). Huck did not understand wherefore she does not want him to smoke, "That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they dont know nothing about it" (Twain 8). &9When Huck encounters the Grangerfords and Shepardsons he describes Colonel Grangerford as, " a gentleman, you see. He was a gent leman all over and so was his family"(Twain 86). On Sunday when Huck goes to church he sees the hypocriticalism of the families, "The manpower took their guns along, The Shepardsons done the same. I t was pretty ornery preaching-all about brotherly love, and such-like" (Twain 90). &9Huck with his anti-society attitude, you would presume that he would lay down no puzzle in helping Jim. Yet he fights within himself about turning over Jim to the authorities, by this action within Huck shows that he must have feelings that slavery is correct so that the racial bigotry of the time may be seen. This decision for Huck is monumental even though he makes it on the spot. He has in a way decided to turn his back on everything that "home" stands for, this allows us to leave our thought of bigotry behind and go to see Jim for what he really is a man.&9Hucks attitude for Jim is racist which is seen when he decides to play a trick on Jim during their voyage. After Huc k plays his trick his attitude toward Jim begins to change, "It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger except I done it, and I warnt ever sorry for it afterward, neither" (Twain 72). The dialogue throughout the book between Huck and Jim illustrates that Jim is more than property and that he is a human being with feelings, and hopes for a better future.