Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain's famous novel
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Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is not only a classic American novel of American literature but it is also very important for English Literature Syllabus, BA English Notes, and UGC Net English Literature. If you are looking for information like Summary of Huckleberry Finn, Themes in Huckleberry Finn, or Character Sketch of Huckleberry Finn, then this article is a perfect guide for you.
This novel is also related to themes like Racism in American Literature, American Realism, and 19th Century American Society.
✅Background: Huckleberry Finn
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was first published in England in 1884 and in America in 1885. It is the most important and popular novel of Mark Twain. This is often called the backbone of American literature. In this novel, Mark Twain has given a glimpse of that time the southern American society, especially against the slavery and racism.
Mark Twain himself said that "Huckleberry Finn" is the most true and most real novel written by him as it has a spicy on the hypocrisy and false morality of the society.
✅ Setting: Huckleberry Finn
Place: Mississippi River and its surrounding areas
Time: America of 1830-1840s, especially Southern States
The most special thing about this novel is the Mississippi River, which is not only a geographical setting but also a symbol of freedom and adventure.
✅ Characters: Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn (Huck)
He is the hero of this novel.
His mind is full of free thoughts, courageous and do not like to be bound by the rules of society
Jim - Miss Watson's slave, who runs away with Huck in search of freedom
Symbol of humanity, friendship and morality
Tom Sawyer - Huck's friend, crazy of fantasies and adventures
Pap Finn – Drunken and violent father of Huckleberry Finn
Miss Watson and Widow Douglas - Huck's patron, who tries to make him civilized.
✅ Detailed Summary:Huckleberry Finn
The story begins with the house of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, where efforts are being made to make Huck civilized and religious. Huck does not like all these at all and wants freedom. Meanwhile, his fluffy father (Pap Finn) comes back and captures him in a hut with him in the greed of the property of Huck.
Huckleberry runs away from there and hides on an island, where he meets the Jim. Jim also searches for his freedom, as he was being planned to sell by his masters. Huck and Jim together go on a journey by creating a raft on the Mississippi River.
During the journey, they meet different types of people-such as Duke and King, two thugs, who keep doing false plays to cheat people. After many adventures and threats, Huckleberry understands that Jim is not just a slave but a true person and friend.
After all, Jim gets freedom and the Huckleberry decides that he will not return to a civilized society again, but will go west for his freedom.
🔀 Detailed Story of Huckleberry and Jim on the visit to Mississippi River
1. Huckleberry to run away from home and meet Jim
The drunkard father Pap Finn of Huck keeps him imprisoned so that he can capture his property. The Huckleberry runs away from the night and hides on an uninhabited island, Jackson’s island. At the same time, he meets the Jim, who is a slave of Miss Watson and has run away in search of freedom. The two decide to go on the journey together.
2. Storm at night and search of dead man
One night comes strong rain and storm. Huck and Jim find a flowing houseboat. Inside they see the corpse of a dead man, but the Jim refuses to not see his face. (Later it is revealed that he was Huck's father Pap Finn.)
3. Huckleberry’s trick of Going to the city in the disguise of a woman
People get out in search of Jim. The Huckleberry goes to a town wearing women's clothes so that no one is suspicious. There, a woman is almost identified by Judith Loftas Huck, but the Huckleberry somehow escapes.
4. Facked with "Duke" and "King"
Huck and Jim meet two thugs on the river. They call themselves "Duke" and "King".
"Duke" claims that he is the Duke of England.
"King" states that he is the son of King Louis of France.
Both of them start living on the fleet with Huckleberry and Jim and make plans to cheat people by pretending in nearby cities.
5. Trick to show attractive performance from Shakespeare's play
"Duke" and "King" pretend to show excerpts from Shakespeare's plays in a town. Few people come on the first day. The next day, to fool people, they promote obscene acts in the show to gather. This makes some money, but the crowd comes to attack them and they run away.
6. Wilks family and property scam
The longest and complex part of the story is the story of Wilks Brothers.
"King" and "Duke" present themselves as Wilks brothers. In reality, Wilks brothers have died. The two thugs claim their property.
The people of the town consider him a real brother.
Huck is pity and tells the truth to a local girl Mary Jane Wilks.
The real Wilks brothers return. Finally the crowd opens the hidden truth of "King" and "Duke". Both are humiliated and expelled from the town.
7. Jim kidnapped
"King" and "Duke" sell the Jim to a farmer, Silas Phelps.
Huck plans to get rid of the Jim.
8. Tom Sawyer's entry and plan to get rid of Jim
Huck meets his friend Tom Sawyer. Tom deliberately complicates the plan to get the Jim out of jail.
They dig tunnels, write letters, and put fake snakes - for only adventure.
Tom gets shot during the plan.
9. Freedom of Jim
After all, the Jim gets freedom. It is revealed that Miss Watson had freed her before she died.
Huck learns that his father is dead.
The Huckleberry decides that he will not return to the civilized society again and will leave the west, so that he can live with freedom.
Main themes of HUCK and JIM visit:
Racism and Slavery: The novel through the Jim criticized slavery and racism.
Freedom: The Mississippi River is a symbol of freedom for both Huckleberry and Jim.
Friendship and Humanity: Story of friendship and humanity between Huck and Jim.
Society vs. Individual: Conflict between the rules made by society and personal thinking.
This entire story is the origin of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This journey of Huck and Jim is the soul of the novel and is called the greatest novel of American literature.