Huck Finn

Huckleberry Finn Book Report

This paper will be broken into two sections; the summary of key ideas from the book and the evaluation of the book. The summary of key ideas will discuss: the type of work this book is, the main ideas of this book, how the author developed these ideas, how the author substantiated his points, and the impression of this time period the author portrays. The evaluation of the book will discuss: my opinion of the book, insights gathered concerning this time period from the book, if this book supports or contradicts the way the authors of our textbook portray the time period, any bias in the book, is the book enjoyable, and finally is the book worth reading. All these points will be covered in the following paragraphs in chronological order.

Summary of the key ideas

The book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a fictional story about a boy’s adventure floating down the Mississippi River. This book is organized into 43 chapters each containing at least two events each which are written above the chapter number. The book contains many ideas and events but there are three main ideas portrayed throughout the book.

The first idea that is portrayed is how African Americans are treated in this time period. This idea is portrayed throughout the book by Jim the run-away slave who floats down the river with Huck. The author portrays this idea through the way Jim acts, the way Huck and other whites treat Jim, and how Jim is forced into hiding whenever he is around whites other than Huck, king, and duke.

The second main idea is how free everyone was back then. People could up and leave any time they wanted and live prosperously off the land. There where jobs but not the kind where you had to report to a boss. Usually you sustained yourself by knowing a trade such as farming, blacksmith, boat captain, etc. Some people chose to steal, rob and swindle there way into money, which is portrayed well by the characters king and duke.

The third main idea is that of what teen life might have been like in the 1800’s. This idea is portrayed in the character Huckleberry Finn. Huck is a teen that had a deadbeat father who constantly abuses him and tries to take his money to go drinking. Huck is taken in by Widow Douglas and Mrs.