Huck Finn

Through hucks virtually adventures, his sense of religion plays a large role in the decisions he makes as well as the kindreds he builds with others. hucks decisions and actions have the ability to change the lives of those around him his sense of worship influences his choices, thus leading him to galore(postnominal) difficult mail services with others. By the time that huckaback decides that he is divergence to follow his middle and save Jim instead of turning him in, his moral development is at an increase, as opposed to his morality in the beginning of the novel.Though his lookions for saving Jim ar non wholly genuine, he makes the upstanding decision to save Jim and exemplifies his change of heart. huck displays his non alineance to the society around him by considering Jim as a virtuoso and not as an insignifi washbasint slave. After huckaback has found Jim imprisoned at the Phelpss furtherm and has encountered tom turkey, huckaback changes in his morality, c ausing him to make reproach and indemnify decisions that affect lives around him.From when huck decides to follow his heart and save Jim, the innovation of hucks moral development grows, muchover under many circumstances huckaback succumbs to turkey cocks naivety and unethical choices, thus hindering the advancement of his moral growth. The basis of huckabacks morality is developing, and under toms influence huckaback slowly loses his grasp on morality and submits to many of Hucks wrongful ideas. Huck at times shows his morality by making the right decisions in many circumstances, proficient when pastime Tom in Toms plans, Huck caves into Toms devious, immoral, adventure seeking ideas that ca personas trouble for the Phelps as well as himself.Huck possesses a intrust to follow his heart to help Jim as he resigns for Silas Phelps farm, and the basis of that wish to be moral persists and influences a few of his actions in dealing with the Phelps Laws knows I valued t o go, shitty abounding, to see ab egress Tom, and every last(predicate) was int curioing to go, but aft(prenominal) that, I wouldnt a went, not for kingdoms (350). Hucks basis of morality so far exists even through Toms influence. Huck chooses the right decision to stay and keep Aunt Sally from becoming even more sorrowful.Though he knows that Tom is waiting for him, Huck stays not for the eudaemonia of himself, but for Aunt Sally, because he sympathizes for her. Hucks moral development progresses when not in the presence of Toms manipulative words, but when he is around Toms influence, Huck gives into falling under the impression of Toms ideals and ridiculous, immoral schemes. Huck considers Tom an authoritative, knowledgeable figure and follows Tom in many of Toms unreasonable, unethical acts regardless of the detrimental circumstances Huck knows will undergo Now youre talking I says Your head gets leveler and leveler all the time, Tom sawyer, I says. Picks is the thing, m oral or no moral and as for me, I dont cargon shucks for the morality of it nohow (307). Tom finds it very important that they make Jims incline from bondage an adventure, hence Tom and Huck must(prenominal) steal, life, and cheat to make their evenhandedly simple situation adventuresome. Huck steals the Phelpss familys picks, and disregards the fact that what he is doing is immoral because he is lost in the desire to free Jim out with Tom.Huck relishes in the fact that Tom is helping him and putts of his morality for adventure. Huck acknowledges the fact that stealing the picks is immoral and wrong, but is so caught up with working with Tom that he gives up on morality. Toms negative influence over Huck succeeds him to the end of the novel, in which Huck completely loses his sense of moral development. By the end of the novel, after Jim has been emancipated and Huck and Tom are both out of trouble, Hucks outlook on morality changes and his moral development completely regresse s and plans to regress in his subsequent journey.Having been exposed to the influences of Tom and after realizing that after the trouble they cause, that eachthing results in a trouble free situation with no negative circumstances, Huck feels as if his immorality is acceptable. Jim endures much un requisite trouble to be released from imprisonment salutary because of Toms whimsical expects and desires Jim is case-hardened by Huck and Tom as if his life is a trivial game that is intended for their enjoyment.Jim is not toughened as a real human organism, but is treated as if he were a lesser person, as yet Huck is content with how everything turns out totally if I reckoned it was about as well the way it was (360). Tom and Hucks actions and motives to release Jim from imprisonment are completely immoral, but the fact that everything turns out satisfactory, Huck overlooks the importance of morality. Huck loses all respect for Jim as a human being, and al about considers Jim a slave again and not as a friend.Tom degrades Jim by giving him forty dollars, the same price in which Jim was sold for, in exchange for Jims cooperation in Toms fun and games Huck gives Tom silent approval, and doesnt object to Toms act of immorality. Emerson said that a commodious man keeps his independence and own opinions, and doesnt conform to the ways of society. Throughout the novel, Huck has shown much self-reliance and self-assertiveness in his own opinions and values. By the end of the novel, Huck is not the great man that Emerson describes.Though Huck stick out stand strong on his ideas and desires independently, he conforms to the ideals of society, Tom, by the end of the novel. Before Huck encounters Tom on the Phelpss farm, he sticks true to his be pillowfs and his hearts desires, yet after spending a great deal of time with Tom, he loses his values and his morals under the influence of Tom. Thus Huck is unavailing to not conform to those around him, in that locati onfore unable to be a great man in the eyes of Emerson.Huck FinnThrough Hucks many adventures, his sense of morality plays a large role in the decisions he makes as well as the relationships he builds with others. Hucks decisions and actions have the ability to change the lives of those around him his sense of morality influences his choices, thus leading him to many difficult situations with others. By the time that Huck decides that he is going to follow his heart and save Jim instead of turning him in, his moral development is at an increase, as opposed to his morality in the beginning of the novel.Though his intentions for saving Jim are not completely genuine, he makes the upstanding decision to save Jim and exemplifies his change of heart. Huck displays his nonconformity to the society around him by considering Jim as a friend and not as an insignificant slave. After Huck has found Jim imprisoned at the Phelpss farm and has encountered Tom, Huck changes in his morality, causin g him to make wrong and right decisions that affect lives around him.From when Huck decides to follow his heart and save Jim, the basis of Hucks moral development grows, but under many circumstances Huck succumbs to Toms naivety and unethical choices, thus hindering the progression of his moral growth. The basis of Hucks morality is developing, but under Toms influence Huck slowly loses his grasp on morality and submits to many of Hucks wrongful ideas. Huck at times shows his morality by making the right decisions in many circumstances, but when following Tom in Toms plans, Huck caves into Toms devious, immoral, adventure seeking ideas that causes trouble for the Phelps as well as himself.Huck possesses a desire to follow his heart to help Jim as he leaves for Silas Phelps farm, and the basis of that wish to be moral persists and influences a few of his actions in dealing with the Phelps Laws knows I wanted to go, bad enough, to see about Tom, and all was intending to go, but after that, I wouldnt a went, not for kingdoms (350). Hucks basis of morality still exists even through Toms influence. Huck chooses the right decision to stay and keep Aunt Sally from becoming even more sorrowful.Though he knows that Tom is waiting for him, Huck stays not for the benefit of himself, but for Aunt Sally, because he sympathizes for her. Hucks moral development progresses when not in the presence of Toms manipulative words, but when he is around Toms influence, Huck gives into falling under the impression of Toms ideals and ridiculous, immoral schemes. Huck considers Tom an authoritative, knowledgeable figure and follows Tom in many of Toms unreasonable, unethical acts regardless of the negative circumstances Huck knows will undergo Now youre talking I says Your head gets leveler and leveler all the time, Tom Sawyer, I says. Picks is the thing, moral or no moral and as for me, I dont care shucks for the morality of it nohow (307). Tom finds it very important that they make J ims escape from bondage an adventure, hence Tom and Huck must steal, life, and cheat to make their somewhat simple situation adventuresome. Huck steals the Phelpss familys picks, and disregards the fact that what he is doing is immoral because he is lost in the desire to free Jim out with Tom.Huck relishes in the fact that Tom is helping him and putts of his morality for adventure. Huck acknowledges the fact that stealing the picks is immoral and wrong, but is so caught up with working with Tom that he gives up on morality. Toms negative influence over Huck succeeds him to the end of the novel, in which Huck completely loses his sense of moral development. By the end of the novel, after Jim has been emancipated and Huck and Tom are both out of trouble, Hucks outlook on morality changes and his moral development completely regresses and plans to regress in his subsequent journey.Having been exposed to the influences of Tom and after realizing that after the trouble they cause, that e verything results in a trouble free situation with no negative circumstances, Huck feels as if his immorality is acceptable. Jim endures much unnecessary trouble to be released from imprisonment yet because of Toms whimsical wants and desires Jim is treated by Huck and Tom as if his life is a trivial game that is intended for their enjoyment.Jim is not treated as a real human being, but is treated as if he were a lesser person, yet Huck is content with how everything turns out But I reckoned it was about as well the way it was (360). Tom and Hucks actions and motives to release Jim from imprisonment are completely immoral, but the fact that everything turns out satisfactory, Huck overlooks the importance of morality. Huck loses all respect for Jim as a human being, and almost considers Jim a slave again and not as a friend.Tom degrades Jim by giving him forty dollars, the same price in which Jim was sold for, in exchange for Jims cooperation in Toms fun and games Huck gives Tom sil ent approval, and doesnt object to Toms act of immorality. Emerson said that a great man keeps his independence and own opinions, and doesnt conform to the ways of society. Throughout the novel, Huck has shown much self-reliance and assertiveness in his own opinions and values. By the end of the novel, Huck is not the great man that Emerson describes.Though Huck can stand strong on his ideas and desires independently, he conforms to the ideals of society, Tom, by the end of the novel. Before Huck encounters Tom on the Phelpss farm, he sticks true to his beliefs and his hearts desires, yet after spending a great deal of time with Tom, he loses his values and his morals under the influence of Tom. Thus Huck is unable to not conform to those around him, therefore unable to be a great man in the eyes of Emerson.Huck FinnSuperstition and Religion in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark mates, credulity is used throughout t he chronicle. Mark two uses superstition to show the difference between an organized religion, such as Christianity, and believing in superstition. As Huckleberry Finn and Jim escape to freedom from civilized living and slavery, religion and superstition have a strong effect on them. As they go back and forth between the two faiths, the reader gets an idea of the brass of beliefs that people followed living along the Mississippi River.Belief in the supernatural and superstition are the marks of many characters in the storyline. It is Jim and Hucks shared belief in superstitions that originally draws them together. Jim and Huck explain things using superstition that they cannot otherwise explain. It is possible that the novel parodies religion by comparing it to superstition, since some characters take advantage of both belief systems to influence and mislead. Most often, superstitions are used as an attempt to explain why bad things happen.When a character has something good happ en, most likely religion takes credit for that positive outcome. When someone is punished, or something terrible happens, it is a lot more comfort to put the blame on superstition. Religion, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online, is defined as a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and makes and the service and worship of god or the supernatural commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance or a cause, principal or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.Superstition, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online, is defined as a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or false conception of causation and an irrational abject attitude of mind to shelter the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition. Both notions are used throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , in some cases they do not seem to be equivalent to their particular defini tions. The question that resides in the core of this novel is How is superstition and religion used in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and what defines their meaning?Later on in chapter one, Huck is alone in his room ceremony a spider crawl up his shoulder. Huck flips the spider mutilate and it falls into the candle, shriveling up and dying. Huck says, I didnt need anybody to tell me that that was an howling(a) bad sin and would fetch me some bad hazard, so I was scared and most shook the clothes off of me. I got up and cancelled around in my tracks three times and crossed my breast every time and when I tied up a little lock of my copper with a thread to keep witches outside. But I hadnt no confidence. Huck shows us his superstitions and his belief in them. These beliefs have been ingrained in him from his father, Pap. In chapter four, Huck turns over the salt-cellar at breakfast. When he goes to throw some of the salt over his left shoulder, Miss Watson stepped in and cro ssed him off. She tells him to take his hands away and to stop making a mess. The widow Douglas puts in a good word for Huck, but he feels that it will not be enough to ward off the bad luck. After the salt spilling, Huck was feeling worried and shaky and wondering what bad luck would befall him.Since he was unable to execute his ritual, (throwing the salt over his left shoulder) he felt he had to be on the lookout all day. It seems as though Hucks views on superstition revolve around bad luck more so than good. Huck blames bad happenings on superstition, while good happenings are natural or have been earned in some way. Huck doesnt trust religion to explain lifes negatives, so he uses his belief in the supernatural. Huck finds tracks in the snow in chapter 4, a boot print with a cross in the left boot-heel made with big nails, to ward off the devil.He finds the footprints all around then and he follows them, before it struck him who they belonged to. Pap had been checking on Huck and was watching him. This is when the reader finds out that Jim isnt the unaccompanied source of Hucks superstitions beliefs. Some of the superstitions that Huck follows have been passed on to him from his father. Huck uses superstition to justify and explain why some bad events happen. Take the situation with the rattlesnake, Huck thinks to himself, We didnt say a word for a good while. There warnt anything to say.We both knowed well enough it was some more work of the rattlesnake-skin so what was the use to talk about it? It would only look like we was finding fault, and that would be bound to fetch more bad luck and keep on fetching it, too, till we knowed enough to keep still. Both Jim and Huck continue to expect bad luck because of the rattlesnake skin that Huck touched. In chapter one, the Widow and Miss Watson try to teach Huck about religion. They try to teach him all about heaven and hell. They explain to him that the things you do on earth will decide where you go afte r death.Huck inevitably decides that since Tom wasnt going to the good place, he didnt care to go there either. Huck treats the philosophies of heaven and hell impartially and seems to be a bit immature about the whole idea. All Huck knows is that he does not want to be lonely and he wants to be with his friend, Tom Sawyer. In chapter two, Ben Rogers says that he could not get out much, only on Sundays so Tom Sawyers gang could begin then. Surprisingly, all the boys said that it would be wicked to do such a thing on Sunday, as it is a consecrate day.The inte laying part of this logic is that the boys dont care much about being in a gang, stealing, or murdering, yet they care enough not to do it on a holy day. In Hucks case, he seems to care more about the wasteder issue of not starting a gang on a holy day, yet does not care much of bigger issues such as heaven and hell, or Noah and the Bulrushers. In chapter 3, Huck is sitting alone in the woods trying to figure out the logistics of religion. He wonders about prayer and how it works.He thinks to himself, if a body can get anything they pray for, why dont Deacon Winn get back the money he lost on pork? Why cant the widow get back her snuffbox that was stole? Why cant Miss Watson fat up? After Miss Watson tells him that he must help people, do everything he could for others, and never think of himself, Huck decides that he does not see any advantage to living that way. He debates over every part of religion and does not accept it all just because its part of the whole. He chooses what he does and does not believe, and doesnt look at it as all or nothing.Hucks view on religion starts to evolve in chapter eighteen. He thinks to himself, If you notice, most folks dont go to church service only when theyve got to but a hog is different. Huck starts to realize that people just use religion when its good for them. He sees that people use religion to manipulate and get what they want. The Grangerfords and the She pherdsons sit in church together. Mark Twain shows us how extraordinarily important religion in the South is during this era. The only time that the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons dont fight is during their time at church.They view their religious gatherings as a common ground and their respect for religion is the only thing that quiets their feud. Huck is perplexed at how these two families can live in the Christian way by following the church and the bible yet continue to kill each other. Huck sees the king use religion as a tool of deception. While the king is pretending to be Harvey Wilks, He tells the town about his congregation in England and how they were sweet on him and he must hurry and settle the estate right away and then leave for home.Again, Huck sees religion being used to manipulate and control people. Although Huck is bombarded with superstitious beliefs and religion, he chooses to go on his own path. He weighs each penning of information he gets and decides to take it all for what it is. Huck believes in different parts of each belief system. Though Huck feels that organized religion is stifling, he still clings to it in his times of despair and uses it as a comfort mechanism. When all is said and done, Huck searches for what is right in his heart and he considers all possibilities, and in the end chooses his own moral code.Huck FinnDaved Najarian American literature II 900am Huck, The Duke and Pinocchio One of the primary themes Mark Twain uses throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that of deception. Twain uses many forms and styles of deception not only to ornament varying degrees of it, but also to draw a distinction between virtuously permissible and morally corrupt lies. Twain introduces different forms of deception brought about by a myriad of catalysts. Throughout the book, Twain uses Huck, the Duke and the female monarch to compare and contrast different forms of lying, and to illustrate how context plays a large role in the moral lading of a deception.By portraying each of these characters actions and reactions to their environment, Twain is able to explore the moral importance of familiar circumstances. Huck takes on a more innocent and playful approach to deception and only uses morally weighted lies as a authority to protect. While the Duke plays with good intentions, too often the end goals of his deceptions are for monetary gain. Finally the world-beater is presented as possessing little redeeming quality and is by far the most morally corrupt of the characters. Huck seems to primarily formulate deceptions in two circumstances throughout the novel.The first of these is for an innocent, or even jestful reason, with little or no mal-intent. The second of these is the use of a deception in a more serious manner, but generally used only to preserve the well-being of Jim or himself. Unlike the more serious and character damaging lies of the King and the Duke, Hucks deceptions are, for the most part, spur of the moment quite than premeditated. Towards the beginning of the adventure, Huck seems to deceive for relatively harmless reasons. When Huck goes ashore dressed as a girl to attain town gossip, he lies about who he is, but the moral implications of this lie are slight.He has no malicious motive in mind, and is taking advantage of the newcomers for information alone. In this scene, Huck is very nervous and un-savvy of his character, which leads to him being caught in his deception. Although Huck uses lavish deceptions he is still relatively novice at it, and for this reason his lies depend heavily on the intended victims perception and relationship to him. These sorts of lies seem to represent a sort of game to Huck and he is accordingly unaware of their effects on others. When Huck plays a trick on Jim these effects become apparent. Well, this is too many for me, Jim.I haint seen no fog, nor no islands, nor no troubles, nor nothing. When Huck tricks Jim into thinking he dreamt up a whole night of troubles, he holds no ill intent. Like his girl deception this lie takes advantage of Jim for his own lighthearted enjoyment, and not for material benefit. Through this depiction, Twain illustrates that it is not just the content of a lie but the intended recipient that determines its moral severity. Once Huck realizes the effects of this style of fib and the repercussions of tricking those close to him, he discontinues it for the rest of the novel.The second form of deception in Hucks arsenal is a sort of deception for preservation. The first time Huck lies in this manner is to avoid a dangerous situation with Pap. When Pap awakes to find Huck sleeping with a gun, Huck is quick to fabricate a story about a potential intruder he was laying for. The purpose of this form of a lie is clearly self-preservation, and unlike Hucks other form of deception, it is brought about by necessity and is spur the moment. Huck uses this level of deception throughout the adventure and therefore gains a mastery of it.Twain seems to suggest that Hucks circumstances justify some of his lies and deception, playing with the notion of necessary lies Huck is in many ways forced into situations where a lie becomes necessary to preserve a life. As Huck and Jim grow as friends Huck not only is unable to turn Jim in, but finds himself fabricating elaborate deceptions to keep him safe. In one scene in particular, Huck uses reverse psychology to trick men into believing he wants help on the raft when in fact he wants the opposite. I will, sir, I will, honest but dont leave us, please.Its the the Gentlemen, if youll only pull ahead, and let me heave you the headline, you wont have to come a-near the raft please do. In this encounter, Huck is able to create the illusion that he is desperate for help with a sub lie that those aboard the raft are ill with small pox. What is important to recognize here, is that this level of lie is to protect Jim (and himself) from the greed of slave hunters, not to gain additional benefit from them. Most of the deception created by Huck is simply to maintain the stance quo.Huck and Jim do not wish to gain anything material from others but simply want to be left alone. Unlike the King and Duke who look ashore to interact and take with deceit, Huck and Jim lie to distance themselves from those on shore. Twain compares and contrasts the King and the Duke from the moment of their arrival. These liars warnt no kings nor dukes, at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds. Although Huck sees through the King and Dukes lies right away, there is importance and foreshadowing in their first deception.The very fact that the King places himself higher(prenominal) than the Duke with an outlandish introduction, Bilgewater, I am the late Dauphin foreshadows that the King is the worse of the two con men. Throughout the trip the Duke utilizes two forms of deception, the first of which focuses on the betterment of the host as a whole. This is illustrated by his attempts to make it easier for them to run during the day rather than the shadow of night. This lie involved the faking of Jims capture and deception of reward seeking in order to avoid the attention of others.Like Huck, this lie helps to protect the group but unlike Huck it involves premeditation and a change in the status quo. While Huck lies to protect Jim rather than for selfish intent, the Duke does not. The second form or level of deception the Duke emphasizes is the fabrication of legitimacy to his illegitimate forms of entertainment. In the end, these attempts are commendable but pathetic, To be, or not to be that is the bare bodkin that makes calamity of so long life.Although many of the Dukes offerings (such as Shakespeare) tender some level of legitimacy, his back-story and quality of performance are shrouded with deception. What differentiates these lies from others is the emphasis on greed as the end goal of the Dukes decepti ons often-involved monetary gain and taking from others. Twain paints the King as not only less intelligent than the Duke, but also more cruel. As the tale progresses the Kings lies and deception come forward from a moral grey area to out right. From the start, the Kings lies target the innocent, ignorant, and emotionally compromised.In contrast to the Duke, the Kings first performance takes advantage of the kind and empathic attendees at a religious gathering. From this point on the Kings greed is insatiable, and his lust for money and material goods causes him to be irrational. The King gets so lie crazy at one point that he even lies about lying about who took the gold, saying that he took it, Nough I OWN UP These deceptions in the long run peak during the Wilks impersonation when the King is unsatisfied with the $6,000 and wants to sell the girls properties.While many of the Dukes stunts were simply to get by, the King lets his greed completely catch his character. The inte llectually superior Duke even looks to get out of the long con while they still can, but he is talked back in to it by the King and his greed. Twain uses this character to not only illustrate how, One can become the company they keep, (as all were dragged into the con), but that greed can turn most men to sin. The lies and deceptions portrayed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn introduce ethical and moral issues that are relevant to the reader.Twain does an excellent job of utilizing context to explore the morality of deception. By exploring intent and the inner workings of Huck, the Duke and the King, Twain is able to illustrate how lies can be permissible or damning. The concept of necessary lies carries a great deal of weight when analyzing the morality of a deception, and Twain uses the ethical framework of Utilitarianism to justify this. For Twain is seems as though the morality of a lie is tied to the consequence of that lie, rather than the lie itself.Rather than making de ception universally wrong, Twain leaves the door open for moral interpretation. Twain suggests, that by looking at the result of a lie and who is affected, one can determine the rightness or wrongness of that particular lie. The ethical framework of utilitarianism of course brings with it a slue of objections, however in the context the novel it is intuitive. The most morally corrupt lie in the text negatively effects the largest number of people, whereas many of Hucks lies positively effect Jim or himself and carry little negative effect to others.The Kings Wilks impersonation, along with others, affected not just those that survived the deceased but the broad(a) town. These large scale deceptions clearly would be considered morally corrupt by Utilitarians whereas many of Hucks lies were small scale and produced the smallest ripples. Twain masterfully incorporates morality into a realistic story, resulting in this multi-layered tale. 1 . pg. 122 2 . pg. 166 3 . pg. 165 4 . 1 82 5 . 276