Stylistic Devices in Huck
Part One: Regional Dialect, Colloquial Language, and Idioms
Find three examples of regional dialect, colloquial language, and idioms. Then, translate each
example into proper English. Document your citation correctly!
Quote with page number
Ex
“You don’ know about me, without you have
read a book by the name of The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer, but that ain’t no matter” (Twain
1).
Quote document correctly
1
2
3
Proper English
You may not have heard of me unless you
have read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but
that is all right.
Proper English
Part Two: Symbolism
The river and the shore are the two most dominant and contrasting symbols in the novel. Find
examples of each and briefly explain the symbolic significance.
Document Correctly.
Conflicting Symbols
Example documented correctly
Symbolism Explanation
River
1
Shore 1
Find ANOTHER example of the RIVER and SHORE as conflicting symbols.
Example documented correctly
River
2
Shore 2
Symbolism
Part Three: Characterization
Authors may directly (stated by author) or indirectly (appearance, actions, speech, thoughts, reactions of others)
develop characters. Find text that accurately portrays the characters below and explain what is revealed through
this characterization. Document correctly.
Characterization
Example document correctly
Huck
Pap
Widow Douglass
Miss Watson
Any Grangerford
Any Sheperdson
Duke or King
What is revealed?
Tom
Jim
Part Four: Satire
A satire is a literary work that seeks to criticize and correct the behavior of human beings and
their institutions by means of humor, wit, and ridicule. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Twain uses humor and hyperbole to ridicule and point out the errors of the following: feuding,
greed, gullibility, sentimentality, people’s curiosity, religious hypocrisy, superstition, uncultured
tastes, etc. Find examples of each.
Satire
Target
Greed
Gullibility
Uncultured
Tastes
Example
Purpose/Effect
Religious
Hypocrisy
Feuding
Part Five: Other Stylistic Devices
Locate three other stylistic devices that have not been discussed. Cite the text where they appear
and discuss the device’s significance to create meaning or add to the author’s purpose.
Name of Device
1.
2.
3.
Example from text (documented correctly)
Commentary -meaning/purpose/effect/significant
Part Six: Theme
Choose one of the themes below and explain how Twain establishes and elaborates on this theme .
1. Society’s values and laws can be in conflict with higher moral values.
2. People must live outside of society to be truly free.
3. Gullible people are partially responsible for their own deception.
4. People tend to behave irrationally and even cruelly in large groups.
5. Greed can destroy lives.
6. Freedom means different things to different people.
Your response should:
Answer the prompt thoughtfully with textual evidence for support. Please document.
*Adapted from Jody Giles, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio, TX.