Huckleberry Finn Chapters 8-11
Note: Cannon balls were often blasted into the river to make the dead body rise to the surface, and quicksilver
was often placed inside loaves of bread because the bread loaf would float and the quicksilver would lead it to
where the corpse lay.
Jim’s Dialect (41-47):
Doan: don’t
Ghos: ghost
Awluz: always
W’hah: where
Nuffn: nothing
Sich: such
Hain’t: haven’t
Sumfn: something
Heah: here
Arter: after
Eat a hoss: eat a horse
W’y: why
Pooty: pretty
Oneasy: uneasy
Do: door
Shet: shut
Missus: Miss Watson
Widder: widow
wuz: was
Resis: resist
Tuck: snuck
Shin: run
Spec’: planned
Skift: skiff
‘long: along
Sho: shore
Som’ers: somewhere
‘bove: above
Wuz: was
Mawnin: morning
Arter: after
’roun: around
P’int: point
Dey’d: they would
Res’: rest
B’fo: before
Chapter Eight Terms and Phrases:
Carcass: dead body
Baker’s bread: made from flower
Quicksilver: Mercury
Corn-pone: corn bread
Parson: preacher
Forked: split in two
Abreast: next to
Haggled: wrestled
Brash: brave
Fantods: State of nervousness or fear
Gapped: yawned
Truck: goods, things, stuff
Lolled: lounge; relax
Laid off and lazied: rest and nap
Blamed: Expression for emphasis
Keeping mum: keep a secret
Sell me down to Orleans: down South to a plantation
Lit out: ran away
Speculate: financial investment
Chapter Nine Terms and Phrases:
Tolerable: not too severe or unpleasant
Tramped: walked or hiked
Cavern: large underground cave
Traps: to catch fish
Hogshead: a barrel
Bluffs: steep cliffs
Aboard: on the boat
Gashly: cut up
Ignorantest: most ignorant
Curry-comb: a brush
Haul: stolen goods
Dah: there
Out’n: out of
Whah: where
Yuther: other
Kase: in case
‘ud: would
Kinder: kind of
Reck’n’d: reckoned
Fo’: four
Jis: just
Asho”: ashore
Thoo: through
Plug er dog-leg:
tobacco
Hans: hands
Wunst: once
Los: lost
en’er: end of
Chanst: chance
Ax: ask
Marster: master
K’leck: collect
Ketched: caught
Chapter Ten Terms and Phrases:
a-ha’nting: haunting
Rummaged: searched through
Raked in: took in
Truck: goods, stuff
Struck a light: lit a match
Yarmit: varmint, snake
Out of his head: crazy
Pitched around: jumped around
Druther: rather
Notion: idea
Trowser-legs: pant legs
Britches: pant
Took up quarters: lived
Chapter Eleven Terms and Phrases:
Take cheer: make yourself happy
Goings on: happenings
Right smart chance: good chance
Nigh: near
Lynched: burned
Sly: crafty’ clever, skillful
Power of money: a lot of money
Got easy: relaxed
First-rate: the best
Hive: hit
Lump of lead: lead brick
Hank of yarn: spool of yarn
Clean breast: fresh start
Pivot: wheel to turn on
Trot along: run along
Doubled: turned back
Most winded: out of breath
Answer with complete sentences on a separate piece of paper
Irony: something said or written that uses humor based on words suggesting the
opposite of their literal meaning; an incongruity between what actually happens and
what might be expected to happen, especially when this difference seems absurd or
laughable.
Satire: the use of wit, especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to criticize faults.
(Summary)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
What two things does the town do to find Huck’s body?
What does Huck find floating down the river?
Why is Jim afraid when he first sees Huck?
How does Huck feel when he finds Jim? How does he feel about Jim’s escape? Why? (43)
Why does Miss Watson want to sell Jim? (43)
Give two example of Jim’s superstitious nature.
How is Jim with money? Why does he believe he is rich now? (46-47)
Who is in the house that floats down the river? Any clues? What happened to him?
List four items Huck and Jim take from the floating house.
What trick does Huck play on Jim? What happens to Jim as a result?
Why does Huck go to town? How does he disguise himself?
What two things does Huck do that help Mrs. Loftus discover he is lying about his identity? (59-60)
Who is believed to have murdered Huck?
Why do Huck and Jim leave the island?
(Interpretation/Application)
What is ironic about Huck finding the Baker’s bread floating down the river? (37-38)
Make a prediction: Why does Jim tell Huck not to look at the dead body?
Why doesn’t Huck tell the truth about the snake episode? (53)
What is ironic about Huck’s joke on Jim? (52-53)
Do you think Jim’s character is the same or any different in chapters 8 and 9 than in chapter 2?
How so? (Give concrete examples supported by citations from the text.)
20. Much of the humor of Huckleberry Finn, as well as the satire, comes from Huck being unaware of
the implications (suggestions) of what he says. What Huck takes seriously, Twain meant to be
comic. Find two instances of this in these chapters (cite your example) and explain the difference
between what Huck says and what Twain means.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
An example of this humor would be