Examples Of Assimilation In Huckleberry Finn

1468 Words3 Pages

possible to challenge your beliefs by creating different circumstances for change that can be achieved through interaction (Durrhiem 21). This is exactly what happened in Huckleberry Finn’s case. It was only through face to face interaction with his prejudices that Huck was able to dismantle his imposed beliefs as he made his first apparent transition into adulthood. Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is important to read and understand because it can be used as a model. Twain uses Huck Finn as a representation of all children and the beliefs that they are taught. The story as a whole is both realistic and logical because it portrays the story of a specific boy but also shows the true fate of many children throughout our past and …show more content…

The reason this hatred has remained so widespread and for so long is because it has been brought down generation by generation through a considerable amount of different influences. Within The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates the assimilation process of children and the developmental capacity that allows them to be easily and effectively influenced. Although each child is affected differently by their surroundings, the influential aspects of any child’s life is significant because it directly affects their morals, customs, and beliefs. Prejudice expressions are influenced by social norms and society (Durrheim 19). In Huck Finn’s case, he is surrounded by strong white supremacy beliefs and prejudice traditions and customs. Since these are the only beliefs he comes into contact with they are the only ones he himself knows, therefore he begins to believe them himself and follow in the footsteps of the society he lives in. In this society, these racist …show more content…

One of the biggest factors of a child’s development is how they are raised and the society they live in. Even though this factor is not one hundred percent accurate, and will not always lead to the person he or she will grow up to be, it will have a large impact. Whether it is following in the footsteps of the people who influence you, or deciding to rebel against what you are being taught, in almost every circumstance these actions become huge factors in the growth of the individual. The social standards and expectations of your own society also play a big role. The concept of society is a large group of unified people who share relatively the same set of standards or values. These social standards and morals are taught to each individual in almost every form of social interaction. Whether it is polite and respectful manners being taught at home, learning communicational skills or even the rules or beliefs of an organized religion such as the ten commandments, each sector of society is roughly homogeneous. These standards are important because they provide guidelines for the deemed “proper” way of living in order to remain unified and productive. One good thing about these standards is that they change with time. Looking back through history there are many eras and times that had completely different beliefs than we do today. Depending on when and where an individual lives, a portion of he or her beliefs, customs and

Open Document