Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn

J u x t a p o s i t i o n

Tom vs Huck

Romanticism vs Realism

Question

In Huckleberry Finn, he type of situation defines whether a character is a Romanticist or a Realism because even though Huck, compared to Tom, is more of a Realist he is also seen as a Romanticist through some of his actions.

Juxtapositions provide the reader with an explicit or implied means of comparison. Which juxtapositions do we notice and appreciate? What are the effects of the juxtapositions?

Mark Twain uses Romanticism and Realism to advance his ideas by making them define the characters.

Romanticism

Quality or spirit in thought, expression, or action

Realism

Reflects life as it actually is

"So I judged that all that stuff was only just

one of Tom Sawyer's lies. I reckoned he believed

he believed in the A-rabs and the elephants, but

as for me I think different"(Twain, 14).

"He took up a little blue and yaller picture of some cows and a boy, and says: "What's this?" "It's something they give me for learning my lessons good." He [Pa] tore it up, and says- "I'll give you something better-I'll give you a cowhide"(Twain, 20).

Pa vs Jim

"Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? En you ain' dead-you ain' drownded-you's back agin? It's too good for true, honey, its too good for true. Lemme look at you, chile, lemme feel o' you. No, you ain' dead! you's back agin, 'live en soun', jis de same ole Huck-de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness!"(Twain, 84).

"He said it was done by enchantment. He said there was hundreds of soldiers there, and elephants, and treasure, and so on, but we had enemies which he called magicians,.."(Twain,13).

Context

Significance

These passages shows the juxtaposition between Romanticism and Realism. Tom is more of a Romanticist because he is more of the adventures type while Huck is more of a Realist because he does not believe in Tom's schemes.

These passages were taken from when Tom told the Gang that there were A-rabs and Spaniards out in the woods and they were going to go fight with them. but the Huck realized that these were all lies.

Context

Significance

• The passage about Pa giving Huck a cowhide was taken from when Pa had just returned to ask Huck for money and he discouraged Huck from going to school.
• The passage about Jim was from after the raft when Huck played a trick on Jim and Jim believed that Huck had died but he didn't.

The significance of these passages are that they show the juxtaposition between Pa, who is Huck's biological father but does not act like a stereotypical father, and Jim, who is a slave that is not Huck's biological father but has that maternal love for Huck.

Realism

Romanticism

Huck

Context

This passage was taken from when Huck was making a master plan to fake his death in order for him to run away successfully.

"Well, last I pulled out some of my hair, and bloodied the axe good, .....Then I toop up the pig and held him to my breast jacket...then dumped him into the river"(Twain,33).

• Tom's adventurous character
• Huck's master plan to running away from Pa and Widow Douglass
• Huck's disguise was found out by a women in the town

Significance

This passage is significant because in this scene, Huck is shown to follow more of the Romantic notion by faking his death. This Romantic notion also seems like something that Tom would do. In this scene, we get to see the more adventures side of Huck.

• Huck ripping the letter he wrote to Miss Watson

Huck

Context

• Huck not believing in Tom's imagination
• Huck helping Jim run away
• Huck going along with the Duke and the King

"..I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest injun I will. People would call be a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum-but that don't make no difference. I ain't agoing to tell..."(Twain,43).

This passage was taken from when Huck met Jim while they were both running away and Jim told Huck that he is running away to freedom.

Significance

Huck

Context

This passage is significant because it shows Huck didn't really have an emotional response to Jim's reason for running away. Since all Huck wanted was to run away, he didn't care why Jim was running away and since they were both in the same situation Huck just lent Jim a hand.

"I took it [the letter] up, and held it to my hand...."All right, then, I'll go to hell"- and tore it up""(Twain,215).

This passage was taken from when Huck was writing to Miss Watson telling her the location of where her slave, Jim, was and that she can come and get him. But then he thought about all the memories that he had with Jim and tore it up.

Significance

This passage is significant because in this scene, Huck is following both the Romantic and Realist notion. Huck follows Romanticism by tiring up the letter and risk going to hell for helping Jim. But Huck also follows Realism because he did what he thought was moral.

Huck

Context

This passage was taken from when Huck wanted to know what was going on in the town so he disguised himself and went into the town but got his cover blown.

"So she dropped the lump into my lap, just at that moment , and I clapped my legs together on it and she went on talking. But only about a minute. Then she took of the hank and looked me straight in the face, but very pleasant, and says: "Come, now-what's your name? Is it Bill, or Tom, or Bob?-or what is it?"(Twain, 60).

Significance

This scene is significant because it shows how Huck went to the extent as to disguising himself in order to find out what was going on in the town. By disguising himself, Huck was being adventures and took a chance.

Huck

Context

This passage was taken from when Huck and Jim were traveling along the river but found a canoe along with two conman.

"It didn't take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn't no kings nor dukes,.......But I never said anything...;it's the best way; then you don't have no quarrels..."(Twain, 126).

Significance

This scene is significant because it shows how Huck accepts the fact that the Duke and King are conman and just remains quite because he does not want to cause any harm/trouble for Jim and himself. Huck was just trying to play along with them but does not lose sight of their true identity.

Juxtaposition

Twain's use of juxtaposition shapes the reader's experience by comparing characters and relating them to society.

Question

How does Twain straddle Romanticism and Realism? How does he use these two literary movements to advance his ideas?