The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Introduction
Samuel Langhorne Clemens
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Typesetter
Steamboat pilot
Confederate irregular
Gold prospector
Journalist
Wrote the novel from 1878-1882
Following death of wife and both daughtersTwain died on April 21, 1910
The Mississippi River
Setting and Point of View
Pre-Civil War years-1830s
Colloquial language-dialect-vernacular
First Person POV – Huck’s
Note This
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Situational Irony
Symbolism is hard to find
First Great American Novel
Local Color
Colloquialisms
Superstitions
Main Characters
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Huckleberry Finn: Also called "Huck,"
"Finster," or "Rumples" in various parts of the
novel. Huck is the title character, hero, and
narrator. He is poorly educated, rude, and rustic,
but is also very thoughtful and an excellent
banjo player.
Jim: A runaway slave who has escaped from his
owner Miss Watson. He joins Huck, and they
travel on a raft down the Mississippi.
The Picaresque Novel
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Recounts the adventures of a rogue
Hero stops short of being a criminal
Hero lives by wits, not hard work
Episodic chapters
1st person POV
The novel has little plot
Satire is the prominent element
Huck as the Archetypal Hero
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He has no mother
He flees from the father
He has a companion (sidekick/mentor)
throughout the journey
He encounters danger along the journey
Is given necessary tools to complete his
journey
He has a birth/rebirth
Some Minor Characters
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Widow Douglas: Huck's adoptive mother, a
straight-laced, religious woman.
Pap Finn: Huck's father, an abusive drunk. He
schemes to steal Huck's money.
The King and Duke: Two scam artists who
claim to be royalty.
Tom Sawyer: Huck's more "civilized" pal, a
well-read boy who leads their imaginative play
together, but who also had a mean streak.
Issues Faced in the Novel
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Truth versus falsehood
Civilization versus natural instincts and
nature
Prejudice and respect for human dignity
Man as an individual as opposed to man in
a group
Social Issues in Huck Finn
The role of the father
The importance of friendship
The role of authority in society
The importance of religion
Censorship in America
Adolescents in an adult world
The environment and man