Huckleberry Finn

1749 Words4 Pages

Huckleberry Finn has the great advantage of being written in autobiographical form. Every scene in the book is given, not described, and the result is a vivid picture of Western life in the past. Before the novel begins, Huck Finn has led a life of absolute freedom. His alcoholic father was often missing and never paid much attention to him. Since Huck's mother is dead he is not used to following any rules. In the beginning, Huck is living with the Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. Both women are fairly old and have no patience to raise a rebellious boy like Huck Finn. They try to make an attempt to make Huck into what they believe will be a better boy. Huck never really enjoys the life of manners, religion, and education that the Widow and her sister impose upon him. Huck decides to try and find freedom with his friend Tom Sawyer. A boy of Huck's age, Tom, promises Huck and other boys of the town a life of adventure. Huck really wants to join Tom's Gang because he feels that if he does join he will escape the boring life he leads with the Widow Douglas. Tom Sawyer promises many things, but unfortunately, such thing did not occur. Tom's adventures turned out imaginary. Huck is disappointed that the adventures Tom promises are not real, so along with the other members, he resigned from the gang. Another person who tries to get Huckleberry Finn to change is Huck's father. His father is very antisocial and wishes to do all of the civilizing effects that Widow and Miss Watson have attempted to change in Huck. Pap is a mess: his hair is uncut and hangs like vines in front of his face, he is unshaven, and his skin is very pale. Pap's looks reflects Huck's feelings as he demands that Huck quits school, stops reading, and avoids church. Huck managed to stay away from his father for a while, but Pap kidnaps him three or four months after Huck starts to live with the Widow and takes him to a lonely cabin deep in the Missouri woods. Once again, Huck enjoys the freedom that he had in the beginning of the book. Huck soon realizes that he will have to escape from the cabin if he wishes to remain alive. As a result, Huck makes it appear as if he was killed in the cabin while Pap was away.

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