Note the Contradiction Regarding the Band of Robbers

Huck Finn Notes

Chapter 1

 Note the contradiction regarding the “band of robbers”

 Conformity theme is introduced

o Coming to supper

o Prayer

o Dressing

o Education

 Begin to see Huck’s personality when he talks about “taking no stock in dead people”; not wanting to go where Miss Watson is going.---What advantages do you see with 1st person point of view?

 Twain’s comment on society? “That’s just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it.”

 Superstitions abound in this chapter

Chapter 2

 Use of satire in this chapter:

. Tom’s Romantic attitudes towards the gang

 Boys must follow the rules  Bloodthirsty talk vs. reality of the game

o Examples—Tommy Barnes crying for his mom

o ----“Wicked to murder people on Sunday

o Use of the word “Ransom”

Chapter 3 Again we see Twain commenting on Religion through the narrator. We see this issue through the innocence of a little boy, but some truth, or at least questions, come up. Questions of material goods vs. “spiritual goods”.

 Which type of goods does Huck prefer?

 Huck sees two different Providences: the Widow’s and Miss Watson’s. What is the difference?

 What images (information) do we get about Huck’s father, Pap?

 How does Huck reason that the person drowned in the river must be a woman, not a man? (humor)

Chapter 4 See here Huck getting used to the Widow’s way.

 What does Huck see in the snow track?

 Why does he want to get rid of his money?  Huck’s accounts of what happens in this chapter is merely factual info.--- leaving us, the reader, a little confused. Why would Twain do this?

Chapter 5

 Get first-hand look at Pap in this chapter. How does Pap’s language add to the characterization of him?

 How has Huck’s lifestyle changed from Pap’s?

 What is the irony regarding Pap and his wants/desires for Huck’s life?

 See a little of Pap reforming at end of the chapter.

Chapter 6

 Pap kidnaps Huck---reverse irony here?

 Huck begins getting used to his old ways.

 Huck finds something that will help him get out of Pap’s cabin. What is it?

 Lampoon---a sharp, severe form of satire directed against an individual or institution; a work of literature, art, or the like, ridiculing severely the character or behavior of a person, society, etc. o In Pap’s argument (drunken stupor) about the government, Pap ridicules the government for implementing policies that most people consider to be praiseworthy. In doing this, Pap has turned himself into the real target of the lampoon.

o Also, the government can’t be blamed for Pap’s situation, but rather it is his own follies and vices that have gotten him there.

o Twain uses Pap and his ugliness toward the free-Black to show what he really thinks about racism and slavery. He uses Pap’s ugliness to show how ridiculous, inhumane, and non-intelligent this way of thinking is.

Chapter 7

 Huck shows some real intelligence by faking his own death

o How? What techniques / steps did he take?

 Ends up at Jackson Island

Chapter 8

 How can shooting a cannon off make a carcass come to the top? What about “quicksilver” (mercury) in a loaf of bread?

 What do you think it says about society that more time / effort is spent looking for the dead body rather than searching for the kidnappers / murderers?

 Huck rationalizes that praying may work for some kinds of people, but not for others. Which ones is he referring to?  Why has Jim run away? Of what is he afraid of happening?

 What is significant about the deep South, like New Orleans, for slaves?

 Bees not stinging idiots---“…but I didn’t believe that because I’d never ‘bin stung.”---Note Huck’s innocence again. What is his statement implying?

Chapter 9

 Note Twain’s colorful diction in describing the dead man in the framed house that was floating down the river.

Chapter 10

 After the rattlesnake incident what is Jim’s attitude toward Huck? What does this reveal about Jim and his relationship with Huck?

o Notice how Huck is immature enough to play the trick with the rattlesnake, but mature enough to realize how foolish and regretful his prank is.

 Huck decides to go ashore to find out some news.

Chapter 11

 Who are the people blaming for the murder of Huck?

o How does Huck get the information from the lady? Why is the lady telling Huck all this? o How does the lady figure out that Huck isn’t who he says he is?

 Transformation happening at the end of this chapter. Huck states that “… they’re after us.” This is showing that Huck is beginning to develop a strong bond with Jim and a sense of concern and responsibility for him.

. How is this feeling different in Huck from previously in the novel?

Chapter 12

 What is a towhead?

 Huck’s moral standards reflect his background and upbringing (being on the outskirts of civilization and the law). Huck can morally justify stealing a chicken or some crops on the basis of “need”.

 How does Twain show that even Huck and Jim can be hypocritical about justifying some of their actions?

 End of chapter the two discover a wrecked steamboat. Huck wants to go investigate; again, Huck shows his youthful curiosity and not thinking about the potential danger for Jim.

Chapter 13

 In this chapter how do we see Huck’s sympathetic and nurturing side? o Showing concern for the inevitable death of the murderers. (capability to empathize)

 How does Huck again show the reader his quick wit and intelligence in this chapter?

o Makes up a story to try to save the gang members

Chapter 14

 On the raft, talk about King Solomon and French-speaking mean.

o Note the kind of comic relief after the last chapter. (similar to an Abbot & Costello routine)

Chapter 15

 Plan is to go to Cairo, at the bottom of Illinois and then come up the Ohio River towards the Free states.

 Battling the fog on the river

 What trick does Huck play on Jim?

o This trick hurts Jim’s feelings and Huck feels so bad he apologizes

o Scene is showing how strong Huck and Jim’s relationship is growing This chapter shows Jim’s dignity and strong sense of value he has for all human beings; also shows how much Jim loves Huck. We also see how Huck has come to respect and look up to Jim. Do you think Huck thinks Jim is inferior to him because of his race? Chapter 16

 Notice the struggle between Huck’s conscience and his heart intensifies.

o He decides he’s incapable of acting properly and feels guilty about this inability.

 Superstitious behavior is seen again. Why do they think bad luck is still following them?

o No Cairo

o Lost Canoe

 Steamboat incident At this point in the story, Twain put the story away for 2 years. Mainly, he has created two significant problems to work through:

1. Huck and Jim are running deeper into slave territory

2. They have lost their means for transportation; no canoe or raft.

Chapter 17

 Twain has fun with the description of the Grangerford house---makes fun of the crass taste in America during the 1830s and 1840s.

o Huck’s approval of the house and its furnishings is an indication of the quality.

o Twain’s target of satire is the cult of Southern aristocracy and its traditions of feuding and dueling.

o Emmeline’s poem is a hilarious parody (more satire) of popular sentimental poetry of the time.

 Note that Emmeline Grangerford’s pictures and poetry are morbid. Chapter 18

 Buck’s definition of a feud is similar to Tom’s definition about proper behavior---“It’s done because it’s done.”

 Why do you think Twain includes the passage about them all going to church?

o Target of satire?

 Huck becomes a go-between for Miss Sophia and Harney Shepherdson.

 Who reappears in this chapter?

o How is it he still has the raft?

 How does Huck feel about seeing the feud in full swing?

o Horrifying…makes him sick

o What character traits does this enforce?

Chapter 19

 Tranquility, beauty, and pleasure is how this chapter opens; talking about life on the raft. (note all the imagery)  Introduced to the King and the Duke; they “explain” their situation and qualifications

o Older, bald man is the King; Younger one is the Duke

 What do the King and Duke ask of Jim and Huck?

 End of chapter, Huck realizes that these two are frauds, but chooses not to say anything about it. Why?

 What does this say about Huck’s perception of the world, his experiences with Pap, and his approach to life?

Chapter 20

 Jim and Huck are to “stand watch” on the raft while the King and Duke turn in for the night

o Jim reinforces the relationship with Huck by keeping the watch for Huck

 At the next river town the group stops at:

. Where are all the people of the town?

. What big con does the King perform?

 How much $ does he collect?

. What con does the Duke perform?

 How much $ does he collect?  By the end of the chapter how is it now possible for the group to float during the day?

Chapter 21

 King and the Duke practice their Shakespearean skit.

o Ridiculous mixture of Hamlet and Macbeth

. Again, reinforces that these two are frauds.

 Twain depicts the next river town as full as “loafers”.

 Who is Boggs?

o What is his problem and why don’t the townspeople take him seriously?

 Who is Colonel Sherburn?

o What is his threat (promise) to Boggs?

 What happens?

 Chapter ends with the townspeople gawking and reenacting the incident (human nature?) and the demand for a lynching of Sherburn.

Chapter 22  Colonel Sherburn’s speech---violent criticism of the myth of Southern honor (like the earlier myth of Southern bravery in the Grangerfords).

o Sherburn says that almost no real man exists, and then when one real man does arise, he can face down an entire mob.

 King and the Duke’ show is not well received.

o How are they going to change the billing for the show?

o What does this say about human nature?

Chapter 23

 How many performances does the “Royal Nonesuch” perform?

o What is different about the last performance given?

 Huck tells Jim about “real” royalty, concluding that since real royalty generally act no better than the Duke and the King, it makes no sense to tell Jim that these two are frauds (Twain “punch” here?)

 Jim is more humanized in Huck’s eyes; sees Jim caring for his family as much as white folks do.

Chapter 24, 25, 26

 King goes into town to see what scam he can pull off; meets a man that tells him all about Peter Wilkes

 King and Duke go to town and poses as Peter’s brothers

o Twain poking fun at the blubbering and innocence / kindness of the town  Huck feels bad because he is helping the King and Duke steal Mary Jane’s money, who has been so nice.

 Huck decides to take the money.

Chapter 27, 28

 Huck hides the money in the coffin and ultimately the money is buried without being discovered.

 King sells the slaves (sons upstream and the mother downstream)

 Huck leaves Mary Jane a note telling where the money is hidden, and another note that implicates the Duke and King in the “Royal Nonesuch”.

 Two other men appear claiming to be the Wilks brothers. Chapter 30-32

 King sells out Jim; significance of the “40 dirty dollars”?  Huck finds out he is being held at Phelps farm; contemplates writing a letter to Miss Watson but decides “the hell with it”

MORAL CLIMAX of the book: Huck decides to “go to hell” to save Jim; collision happening here

o On= conscience side Other side . Forces of society memories of Jim’s kindness

. People will condemn Huck

Huck never decides (determines) that society is wrong and that he is right---He simply decides that he will follow his heart.  At Phelps farm; Tom Sawyer’s name comes back to use---begin to see novel coming to a close.

Chapter 33-35

 Huck heads-off Tom  Tom agrees to help “steal” Jim  See Duke and King being run out “on a rail”

 Once again Huck is sickened by the scene; (like the feud)—demonstrates his instinctive kindness and points at the cruelty of town’s people.

 Critics don’t like Huck’s acquiesce to Tom, especially after all his growth.

Chapter 36-39

 See the Tom and Huck of the beginning of the novel (Huck doesn’t seem worried about Jim at all---like earlier chapters)  Again we see “fantasy play” led by Tom (much like the band-of-robbers from early on)

Chapter 40-43

 Tom gets shot  Huck gets doctor  Doctor brings Jim home next day and tells other men how Jim should be treated nicely  Tom explains Jim’s situation with the now deceased Miss Watson  Aunt Polly shows up  Tom gives Jim $40 and wants to head out to the Indian Territory  Huck wonders if he has any $; Jim reveals his “secret” o What was it? How do you feel about how the novel was concluded in the last several chapters?