Social Ills Exposed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1883. The
novel deals with many problems of society. Huck Finn "can't stand"
hypocrisy, greed and "sivilz"ation, qualities that are still present today.
One trait shown in Huck Finn is hypocrisy. In Twain's other novels,
as well as Huck Finn, Twain is very critical of the hypocrisy of organized
religion. Early in Huck Finn, Huck is confronted with two different
versions of heaven. Miss Watson's view of heaven is not appealing to Huck.
In her heaven, all that one does is sing and play the harp. Huck does not
like Widow Douglas' much either, but it is better than Miss Watson's. Huck
would rather be free to do as he pleases. Slavery is also hypocritical
with Christianity. Slave owners would make slaves believe that God loves
all people, which is contrary to the belief that slaves are inferior. The
southern view of gentlemen is also hypocritical. These "gentlemen" are
supposed to be noble, yet they own slaves and kill each other. They take
part in feuds, even when they cannot remember the cause. They kill each
other in duels for no reason, but say that it was in the name of honor.
All of this hypocrisy makes Huck want to rebel against this society.
Hypocrisy is still present in society today. There are many
reported cases of clergy having affairs or molesting children. For
instance, Reverend Baker has had relationships with prostitutes. He always
apologizes, but then he does it again. One of the precepts of the Catholic
religion is to follow the instructions of the Pope. Many Catholics however,
do not follow the Pope's instructions on birth control or abortion.
Government officials are also hypocritical. They preach family values, yet
often they do not follow these values. Senator Packwood resigned from the
Senate for his actions. Dick Morris lost his job and his respect over an
affair with a prostitute. Most aspects of today's society involve
hypocrisy.
Another trait that Huck hates is greed. He is kidnaped by his
greedy, alcoholic father. Huck's father beats him for his money when
Huck's wealth is discovered. While on the Mississippi, Huck and Jim come
across a boat full of thieves. They are so greedy that they conspire to
kill an associate to get his money. Their boat sinks and they die before
they can kill their associate. Huck could have saved them, but does not.
Later, Huck meets the King and the Duke. They are "con artists." They
swindle innocent people out of money. They pretend to be other people or
sell people imaginary items to get their money. They even sell Jim when
they need money. Huck cannot forgive them for that. Everywhere Huck goes,
he sees greedy people. Huck's dislike of greedy people makes him want to
start his own society.
Greed is probably more evident today than it was in Twain's time.
Professional athletes make obscenely high amounts of money. They are also
always asking for more money and fewer restrictions in their contracts. In
August 1995, the Major League Baseball Players Association went on strike.
They were protesting the owners' policy on the salary cap and restricted
free agency. Players already made hundreds of thousands to millions of
dollars a year. They got greedy. They thought only of their already
inflated paychecks rather than the many people whose job was dependent on
baseball. The legal system is involved in greed. Lawyers make huge sums
of money. Many lawsuits and settlements, many of them frivolous, are for
too much money. A woman who spilled coffee on her lap won millions of
dollars. The Goldman family won 8.5 million dollars on a wrongful death
suit against O.J. Simpson. Usually the decision for a wrongful death suit
is between fifty and a hundred thousand dollars. The Goldmans won so much
simply because of the high profile of the case. Greed is a trait that will
continue to multiply if society does not change.
Huck "can't stand" "sivilz"ation either. Miss Watson and Widow
Douglas are constantly telling Huck what to do and when to do it. They
make him use a spelling book, and would not let him smoke. Huck is forced
to conform to their views and beliefs. He does not like to be reformed.
Huck is happier without their rules, religion, and restrictions.
Today the government tries to reform people. The government forces
children to go to school, where they are taught the way that they are
expected to behave. The government also restricts people's freedom to
drink, smoke, and have weapons. This is to society's benefit, since those
products are dangerous, but what about restrictions on other materials?
Certain books and magazines that are deemed anti government or obscene are
restricted. In general, attempts to civilize or reform people are for the
good of society, but they often restrict personal freedom.
Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn deals with many
problems of society. These problems are still relevant today and will
continue to be so.Partner sites: Study Spanish in Quito, English Bulldog, and Free Hamlet Essays