Violence in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Violence in Literature

Mohandas Gandhi once stated these words, "I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary, the evil it does is permanent." The same can be said about many things in life. However, when thought about, few people may consider the violence brought up in literature. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are many scenes that illustrate the blind, violent nature that most humans tend to share. Mark Twain has used violence throughout his novel to enhance his beliefs on the injustices of slavery and any other form of senseless violence known to mankind. From the beginning with Pap's continuous abuse towards Huck, till the end with Emmiline Grangerfords poetry, is filled with violent sections that magnify the hypocrisy and stupidity of people.

Almost immediately we are introduced to the drunken, deranged man who is Huck?s father, Pap. Pap is an alcoholic who roams from place to place buying up booze and sleeping wherever he can. Huck has never viewed him as a real father figure because Pap has almost never been there for Huck, except when he is ?disciplining? him. Pap is uneducated and disapproves of Huck attending school. Pap tells Huck, "you're educated...You think your're better'n your father, now, don't you, because he can't?" (14) Huck puts up with Pap?s numerous beatings because he does not want to be the cause of any more controversies between himself and Pap. Huck explains, "If I never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way" (95). Pap?s addiction to alcohol is how Twain views the affect that alcohol can have on a person. He believes that alcohol is a money waster, can affect the sanity of people, and how it can turn even decent men into complete scoundrels.

Subsequently, Huck continues his journey down the river to another town where he suddenly finds himself staying with the Grangerfords. Huck soon befriends a boy named Buck who tells him all about the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons. Both have been fighting for over 30 years but neither of them know exactly why they are battling each other. Buck explains, ??but they don?t know now what the row was about in the first place?(180). The tribal ware fare of the families is suppressed with religion.

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