Theme Of Heroism In Huckleberry Finn

Introduction

The definition of heroism nowadays is tainted because our perception of what a real hero means was replaced by demigods, caped crusaders and powerful beings. In order to examine how the concept of heroism changed over the years, I will be looking at novels from different periods; two fictional masterpieces from American authors whose works have been considered classic and timely. They may have been born centuries apart and may have employed different techniques in writing but their presentation of heroism is unaltered. Mark Twain used allusion, symbolism and realism to bring to life his characters and to reflect history. He alluded to religion and literature. When Huck was being educated by Tom’s Aunt Polly, one of her teachings was based on Moses and the bulrushes as seen in Chapter 1 of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn novel. Another is the allusion to Shakespeare’s Hamlet when the con artists in the novel were practicing their lines for the king. Mark Twain also made use of various symbolisms. The Mississippi River represents freedom in the novel where Huck jumped in to escape his father. The character of Jim symbolizes the thousands of slaves who run from the South to the North. The relationship of Huck and Jim signifies the racial divide in their society during the Civil War. Lastly, Mark Twain’s use of realism reflects the real events that took place during his time which became his inspiration for the novel.

Apocalypses tend to influence us one way or another, as in the case of Cormac McCarthy, he was able to weave a tale of survival and heroism in times of catastrophe. He was able to spin a world where The Road leads to disasters or even utter destruction. His way of delivering the story may be limited to a ...

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...e good of all.

This is also the case in Cormac McCarthy’s the Road. Wherein father and son had to endure their suffering and continue on living despite every obstacle and hardship. Heroes do come in many and various size and shapes. Our heroes in both novels are children who see the world through their own eyes and make firm decisions that will decide their fates. That in the end, they do not regret such outcomes of their decisions because they were able to prove that through bravery and heroism, they can bring about justice, equality and change. There may be some differences on how each novel was presented but they were able to show that the inherent qualities of heroism have remained intact. All throughout history, from the Civil War to the nuclear holocaust, the manifestations of heroism may have been different but the definition of heroism has remained the same.