The Adventures of The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

Mark TwainMark Twain

Mark TwainMark Twain Samuel Clemens raised in Mississippi River Samuel Clemens raised in Mississippi River

town of Hannibal, Missouritown of Hannibal, Missouri Left school at eleven and worked for a Left school at eleven and worked for a

printing shopprinting shop By sixteen, he published a piece in a Boston By sixteen, he published a piece in a Boston

magazinemagazine Worked as a riverboat pilotWorked as a riverboat pilot Reported for various newspapers before Reported for various newspapers before

writing his works of fictionwriting his works of fiction ““Mark Twain” is the river leadsman’s cry for Mark Twain” is the river leadsman’s cry for

two fathoms of watertwo fathoms of water

SettingSetting

written after Emancipation Proclamation written after Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery, but time period of story abolished slavery, but time period of story set during slavery set during slavery

presents hypocrisy of “civilized” society presents hypocrisy of “civilized” society which values morality, but condones slaverywhich values morality, but condones slavery

takes place in a fictional town called St. takes place in a fictional town called St. Petersburg, Missouri (based on Twains Petersburg, Missouri (based on Twains hometown of Hannibal)hometown of Hannibal)

majority of the novel follows Jim and Huck majority of the novel follows Jim and Huck up the Mississippi riverup the Mississippi river

Huck FinnHuck Finnas written by Everett Emerson in The Heath Anthology of American as written by Everett Emerson in The Heath Anthology of American

LiteratureLiterature

Idyllic, epic, and satiricIdyllic, epic, and satiric Especially admired for its comedy, though Huck Especially admired for its comedy, though Huck

the narrator lacks a sense of humorthe narrator lacks a sense of humor Huck’s great problem is to reconcile his Huck’s great problem is to reconcile his

adherence to social norms with what his heart adherence to social norms with what his heart tells himtells him

Conflict centers on his experiences with Jim, Conflict centers on his experiences with Jim, whose humanity he has to learn to respect, for it whose humanity he has to learn to respect, for it is denied by what Huck has been taughtis denied by what Huck has been taught

Controversy centers around whether Huck Finn Controversy centers around whether Huck Finn is an attack on racism/exaltation of property is an attack on racism/exaltation of property values over human values or whether it is a values over human values or whether it is a racist narrative that mirrors Twain’s own values racist narrative that mirrors Twain’s own values and understandingand understanding

Huck, the NarratorHuck, the Narrator

No pretensionNo pretension Voice helped define what truly Voice helped define what truly

American literature was to beAmerican literature was to be Prepared us for all types of vernacular Prepared us for all types of vernacular

speechspeech Ernest Hemingway proclaimed, “All Ernest Hemingway proclaimed, “All

modern American literature comes modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn””