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Huck Finn
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2009
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March
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- Please Post your response for Chapter 40-43
- Please post your response for Ch.37-39
- Please post your response for Chapter 34-36
- Please post your response for Chapter 31-33
- Please Post your response for Chapter 28-30
- Please Post your response for Chapter 25-27
- Please post your response for Ch. 22-24
- Please Post your response for Ch.19-21
- Please Post your response for Ch. 17-18
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March
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I think chapter 31 shows Huck being able to make a decision of what was right and wrong apart from his own belief and the belief of the people around him. At first, he thought it was the right thing to just turn Jim in and Tell Miss Watson that Jim had been caught and would be returned for the cash reward. Just about when Huck was going to deliver his letter, his conscious kicks in and tells him that it wasn’t the right thing to do, after what h and Jim has been thought together. This moment is ironic because even though Huck believed he was doing wrong and would go to hell, in modern times, he was actually doing something good in helping a slave find his freedom. Huck now doesn’t have the bothersome conscience he had when it kept wondering if he should do right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteI think Huck just had an epic moment here...He actually did something moral...for someone he thought was socially beneath him...He had this huge internal war over doing what was socially and politically correct, and doing what was emotionally correct. And in the end, that emotionally-correct way overrides the years of education that says that runaway slaves like Jim have to be turned in. And there's possibly even a reward for something like this. And Huck just throws all of that to the wind, and helps his friend...
ReplyDeleteI liked the description at the beginning of chp 32. It was striking, and the feeling was relatable.
ReplyDeleteWhy did Tom have the nerve to kiss Aunt Sally on the lips? I kind of got the feeling that he was trying to be gallant and grand (Casanova?), like a character out of some book.
Frank,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on that point. Him tearing up the letter IS a pivot point, because it is then when he actually makes up his mind whether or not to go through with this. "Alright, I'll go to hell!"
I literally broke out laughing when I saw that the Aunt Sally mistook Huck for someone else named Tom, but I was thinking, "Surely it cannot be Tom Sawyer!" Yet, lo and behold! It was. It was a pleasure looking at Huck walking around in Tom's shoes, and Tom standing off to a side posing as someone else.
Finally, the King and Duke are getting what they deserved. It seems that the audience were already waiting for them and gave them a dose of their own medicine. I guess that completes the saying of "You reap what you sow"
I thought it was very mature and moral of Huck to decide to help Jim instead of writing the letter back to Ms. Watson to inform her of what happened. I also thought it was very ironic when the people who are held Jim captive are actually Tom Sawyer’s aunt and uncle. Did the author intend this coincidence or not?
ReplyDeleteI felt happy for Huck when he decided to help Jim out. It really shows Huck's personality changing. He now knows the difference between right and wrong from the "real" right and wrong set by other's standards. Just like how he decided to help Jim (good) when he could've just written a letter back to Ms.Watson telling her Jim got caught(bad).
ReplyDeleteI finally felt glad for Huck because of his decision to help out Jim. The part where he internally struggles deciding between 2 things I think is the climax of the whole book. I loved the part where he said "Alright, I'll go to hell!"
ReplyDeleteThroughout the "adventures" of Huck, Huck gains more and more trust in Jim, more love for him, and he treats Jim more like a human who has feelings. I think that the whole plot of the story is that Huck does not treat Jim as a complete person yet. However, the resolution is that Huck Finn finally looks at Jim like a companion/best friend.
Aww, Huck really does care for Jim. I found it very interesting how he wrestles between telling Miss Watson and freeing Jim. Also, it's interesting how he seems to think that helping a "nigger" will make him go to hell. Is this some sort of social commentary?
ReplyDeleteKK: I agree, that part was awesome! But I still think it's sad how Huck thinks he'll go to hell for helping his friend.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is very funny how Huck wet around in a circle from Tom Sawyer and after is adventure came back to Tom. Again I have to say that Huck is unbelievably lucky to end up in Tom’s Aunt’s house who also happen to own the runaway slave Jim and also on the day when they were expecting Tom. Also, after Huck finally ditches the duke and the king, the aunt’s son wanted to go watch their show again and also Huck saw them as they were running away. I think these chapters are pretty interesting in that everything seems to come back together.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 31, we see Huck’s internal struggle whether to turn Jim in to Miss Watson or not. A lot happens in these three chapters. The duke and dauphin are unsuccessful in all their scams, and at the last place, the dauphin seems to have sold Jim to a Silas Phelps for forty dollars to get the 200 dollar award (the duke had put in as a scam earlier). This is how low they’re sinking – the two conmen, selling their driver out for money.
ReplyDeleteIt’s also such a coincidence how Huck ends up at Tom’s aunt’s house, posing as Tom himself. And strange how Tom, who grew up having society-based morals pounded in his head, is willing to steal a black (one of the worst offences that could cause his own lynching) because it’s adventurous, it’s storybook-like. His ideas are getting a bit far-fetched, however...
On p. 223, Huck shows some of the prejudice and racism that was common of his time and place. By saying that it’s a “low down thing” for helping slaves and how he would feel “shame” if he ever returned to town with Jim. Nevertheless, the great turning point for Huck in terms the theme of morality was when he said on
ReplyDelete1. p. 224 that “deep down in me I knowed it was a lie”, this shows how Huck is willing to follow his inner morals instead of the following the hypocritical society during that time. Jim's capture significantly matures Huck, for it convinces him to break with the con men for good and leads him to question morality. Huck searches the social and religious belief systems that white society has taught him for a way out of his troubles about turning Jim in. In the end, Huck is unable to pray because he cannot truly believe in these systems, for he cares too much about Jim to deny Jim's existence and humanity.
2. P. 225 “It was a close place, I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things…It was awful thoughts and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and we though no more about reforming.” (turning point) Shows how you can’t really follow your morals and the teachings of society at the same time. It shows Huck’s break from his racist society in the US and thinks of what is actually morally correct. Huck's thoughts of his friendship with Jim lead him to listen to his own conscience, Huck resolves to act justly by helping Jim and “go to hell” if necessary. Once again, Huck turns received notions upside down, as he figures that even hell would be better than the society in which he lives. Huck then sets out on his first truly adult endeavor—setting off to free Jim at whatever moral or physical cost to himself. It is vital to note that Huck undertakes this action with the belief that it might send him to hell. Though he does not articulate this truth to himself, he trades his fate for Jim's and thereby accepts the life of a black man as equal to his own.
All this displays the theme of maturity because Huck is clearly starting to make his own decisions.
Racism also occurs on p. 232 When Ms. Phelps asks “Good gracious! Anybody hurt?” “No’m. Killed a nigger.” “Well, it’s lucky; because people do get hurt.” This shows how they didn’t even consider African Americans as humans. What was even more disturbing was that she was talking of a “lucky” incident where nobody was hurt although a Black man has just died. Perhaps this shows some of Mark Twain’s own prejudice and racism as a writer of his time. However, one may argue that Huck was trying to act like Tom Sawyer to the Southerners.
In these few chapters, we see that Huck has finally become more moral than before. He made the right decision—help Jim, his friend. Even though Jim is socially levels under him, he still wanted to help him. The society says “runaway slaves must be returned to the original slave owner,” but Huck didn’t do what the society wanted him to do, he went the other way—the right way—to help Jim. Even though before he thought that the right thing to do was to turn Jim back to Miss Watson and could get some money for reward, but now everything has clearly changed. What exactly made him change? We can tell that he values his friendship with Jim more than anything else now, because back then helping a slave (black person) would be a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteI think that when Huck tears the letter and says he would go to hell instead of turning Jim in is a huge event. Huck is beginning to think of others. He sees Jim as someone with equal rights to the ones that he enjoys, and he is giving Jim a chance to enjoy the rights as well. Also, he is a white man helping a black man in a white society that is prejudiced against blacks. Huck has made huge progress from the little scamp that he was at the beginning of the story
ReplyDeleteRacism still appears in this section. Ms. Phelps asks if anyone got hurt, and when the answer is that only a nigger got killed, she relaxes as if no one got hurt. She thinks of blacks as no one, and thinks its lucky that no whites died. She doesn't save the dead black man a second thought.
These chapters showed that Huck is moral. He decided to help Jim out, with no prejudice, but for friendship.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was writing a letter to Mrs. Watson, he really thought about it. He thought if he told the truth to Mrs. Watson, she would be furious at him of lying her. But still he still needed to be helped of saving Jim. So when Tom came thought Huck was dead, so it really frightened him.
But then here is my question. After Huck told Tom that he need to save Jim, Tom had just agree him and help him. Is it because they are really good friends? it is really suspicious.
These chapters really show that Huck is a moral character. Instead of following his society’s rules, he decides to help Jim. But he only has these feelings for Jim, as we said in class. If he were to sympathize for other slaves, it might not be the same.
ReplyDeleteMy question is: Does Tom really want to save Jim, or it’s just a adventure to him?
Other question: why doesn’t Huck just tell Aunt Sally he wasn’t really Tom? And did he ever think that the “Tom” Aunt Sally said, would be his friend?
Fernando: After Huck told Tom that he need to save Jim, Tom had just agree him and help him. Is it because they are really good friends?
ReplyDeleteI think Tom agreed because he thinks it’s an adventure, and also he hadn’t seen Huck for a long time. Maybe that’s also one of the reasons Tom agreed to this.
From chapter 31 to 33, I think we start to see more of the morality of Huck, but more of the racism in society. Huck realized that Jim has always been nice to him and helped him out so he decides to rescue him even though he is a slave. However, we see the racism in chapter 31, he was ashamed of having helped a black runaway slave and he wants God to forgive him for the sin of helping a black man. The society has become so racist that helping a black man is a sin but helping others is actually a good deed. I think this is somehow ironic.
ReplyDeleteWe finally see Huck realize the truth about everything. He realizes that the white society's prejudice against blacks is unfair and he is willing to put those aside and treat Jim with respect. The scene where he rips up the note he was going to send to Miss watson and makes up his mind that he'll save Jim even if it means risking his life was big. This shows Huck's morality really coming out of him.
ReplyDeleteI think that the chapters really showed that Huck actually cares about Jim. Although he might not see him as an human being, at least he sees him as a pet who he has been with for a very long time. This showed that Huck thought of Jim much better than other people will, as others simply see him as a tool. Even so, I think that Huck is still racist and still sees other black people as tools; Jim is th only exception.
ReplyDeleteIn these few chapters, we can see that Twain portrays Huck’s kindness even more than before. Even though Huck is troubled by the thought of him helping a black, but Huck still continues to stand by Jim. Huck probably still think of Jim as a companion and a good friend and he makes a decision to steal Jim out of slavery. After getting to the location where Jim is, he as Tom meets Aunt Sally and her husband Tom Sawyer. There he realizes that they were Tom’s relatives. Huck goes off finding the real Tom and tells him everything that has happened (including his plan for stealing Jim back). And then Tom promises to help him.
ReplyDeleteI really like how Huck is being moral and decides to help Jim, his friend out of the slavery, instead of telling Ms.Watson the real situation. I am pretty surprise also that Tom would help Jim. As discussed in class, I think that Tom doesn't really want to help a negroe, but he just wants to adventure, and try new things.
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ReplyDeleteThis time around, there seems to be a lot more story and moral. While I am a bit shocked that Jim was sold back into slavery, his appearance back at where the story began (in a manner of speaking), somewhat relieves me of my mental dilemma. When the place that Jim was sold into was revealed as Tom’s aunt’s place, I was given equal surprise to that of earlier. Later, when the duke and dauphin are chased out of town in tar and feathers, though Huck has grown a lot and gained more moral knowledge, and felt less “hateful” towards them, I myself feel no pity. Hey, they deserved it.
ReplyDeleteQuestion:
I don’t feel any sorry for the duke and dauphin, after all, I think that they deserved it the whole time; I mean, honestly, all that greed deserves some punishment; they sold Jim for crying out loud! What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel sorry for the guys being chased away? I know that Huck and Tom did, but what about you?
(Written Monday, March 9th, 2009.)
these few chapters really show the maturity of Huck. Huck starts out selfish in a way that he always lied and did things to cover for himself. at the beginning of chapter 31 he once again does selfish act by trying to "cleanse" himself by writing a letter to ms whats on about jim. but he realizes what hes doing is wrong and rips the paper saying lying and sinning is the way he was brought up. so this shows a huge turning point in huck. the fact that he goes to find jim also shows how much huck has matured and how much huck really cares about jim. it is also ironic that huck happened to go to tom's uncle and aunts place to search for jim.
ReplyDeleteHere we see the underlying roots of racism in southern society and also the fact that Huck is struggling with the value of human kindness, or even whether there is human kindness at all. When he pretends to be Tom, he is asked if anyone got hurt in the explosion he said he went through, he replied, "No, a nigger was killed." This shows that he doesn't view all black people as people yet, he may view Jim as a real person because he has genuinely interacted with him and proved his humanity over and over. However, because of the implications and the systems of southern society, Huck has not yet accepted the fact that all black people are still people.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of chapter 33, Huck sees the duke and dauphin being chased out by the audience that they tried to scam. Huck feels sorry for them and notes how human beings can be so cruel to one another. He also states that a conscience is useless because it makes you feel bad no matter what happens. I believe this is not true. A conscience is the self-restraining and tempering that is based on one's own values and morals, and as one's sense of morals grows, so his conscience becomes more whole and accurate. Consciences can be warped, however, if the values are not correct. Regardless of that, even though his conscience may be a little off, he still feels that the duke and dauphin being chased was uncomfortable to him in the sense that he didn't think that they deserved it. I think he believes the people should have been kind to him, though i dont see why.
In these chapters Huck finally sees Tom again, even though he has lost Jim before meeting Tom. When Huck goes to Aunt Sally’s house, the story of the explosion on a steamboat is really an interesting part in these chapters. When Sally asks if anyone was hurt in the explosion, Huck replies “No'm. Killed a nigger.” This shows that Huck has some racism himself, even though we don’t know why he was racist at this point. Usually he isn’t racist at all and is nice to Jim on the raft, but now while making uip the story he says that it killed a black person. Aunt Sally is also pretty racist too, and she replies, “Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt.” Aunt Sally, on the other hand, is just really racist and there isn’t much to argue about it because she says that it’s fortunate no one was hurt even though she just heard that a black man died.
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