The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn focuses on the life of a young Huck Finn in the town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, during the antebellum period of American history. The book chronicles the many events that occur in Huck's life, such as his running away from his abusive father, his helping a slave escape, and his traveling down the Mississippi River on a raft. Although the book appears to focus on very minutiae of insignificant detail, it holds a overarching message that provides commentary on the social issues of that time. One prime example of this is Huck's treatment of Jim, a runaway slave. Huck sees Jim as a person rather than property, a rather progressive mindset for that time. Throughout the book, Huck struggles with the morality of his helping, even lying for, a runaway slave - something that society has condemned, but that he feels is right. Eventually Huck arrives at the conclusion that he would rather go the hell than to let Jim be caught, a bold statement that shows how Huck values Jim as an equal.
I personally found this book very hard to read. Much of the book is written in dialectic English, which caused me much difficulty in decoding what the characters were trying to say. That being said, however, I really enjoyed the book's meaning and progressive message, and I feel that it is a truly remarkable piece of writing for incorporating both social issues and humor into one.
I personally found this book very hard to read. Much of the book is written in dialectic English, which caused me much difficulty in decoding what the characters were trying to say. That being said, however, I really enjoyed the book's meaning and progressive message, and I feel that it is a truly remarkable piece of writing for incorporating both social issues and humor into one.
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