The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Mural Assignment
Assignment Value: 100 points
Extra Credit: 25 extra credit points will go to the mural, which I evaluate as fulfilling the
assignment with the most style and creativity. (The mural must meet all the requirements
listed below to be eligible for the extra credit.)
Directions: Your group will create a “mural” relating to one of the areas listed below.
You will have 50 minutes of the next class period to complete your mural. Plan
accordingly by making plans and assigning tasks today. You should come prepared with
any materials you need to complete your task. Your group may work as much as you
want outside of class, but the mural must be completed in class the next time we meet.
Your group will then present it to the class.
Be sure to consider the following in your plans:
A) Your mural should be designed to clearly portray your area’s subject to an audience
who we will assume know nothing of your subject or the novel. Be sure to include
prominently the name of the novel and the author. Your group’s topic should be
clearly emphasized and defined. The purpose of your mural should be immediately
recognizable to the viewer.
B) The clarity of you mural’s text is most important. You will use a minimum of five
direct quotations from the novel in addition to any explanatory commentary you
add. This text must be visually emphasized, not hidden among the illustrations.
C) Your illustrations may be hand drawn, or you may use cuttings from other sources
such as magazines. You may not use drawings or photographs that already depict
scenes from HUCK FINN. Remember that you illustrations are important in helping
the view grasp quickly the subject of your mural. Avoid confusing your view with
clutter. Also remember, your illustrations should primarily enhance your textual
references. A balanced use of text and illustration is the goal.
D) Your mural will be graded on the over-all effect it has in quickly and effectively
pulling your viewer into your subject. Textual references are very important here.
Strive to use those that will be of the greatest interest and informational value to your
viewer.
E) You must use the paper provided in class. Your project must conform to that format.
You may use a variety of materials if you want, but all that you do must fit in the area
of the paper you’re given. (Markers, glue, scissors, and some construction paper will
be provided.)
Topic areas:
1. Satire – Twain is known as one of America’s foremost satirists, never afraid to hold
up to scrutiny mankind’s many foibles. Certainly, satire plays a prominent role in
HUCK FINN. The mural related to this area must clearly depict through the use of
text and illustration five distinct areas of Twain’s satirical commentary relating to
human customs, institutions, and/or weaknesses. Define caricature, juxtaposition,
overstatement (hyperbole) or understatement, word choice, and parody and identify
examples of each.
2. Prejudice – Twain makes many comments on the human condition in HUCK FINN.
One of the social ills that Twain fights in the novel is prejudice. The mural related to
this area must clearly depict through the use of text and illustration five examples of
Twain’s commentary of prejudice.
3. Mankind’s Hypocrisy – Through Huck Finn’s narration we learn much about Twain’s
opinions of humanity. Hypocrisy seems to be one of Twain’s most important targets
for change. The mural related to this area must clearly depict though the use of text
and illustration five examples of human hypocrisy depicted in HUCK FINN.
4. Religion – Throughout the course of the novel we learn more about Huck’s feelings
about religion. The mural related to this area must clearly depict through the use of
text and illustration Twain’s feelings about religion in HUCK FINN. You must
include at least five examples to back up your group’s point.
5. Imagery – Mark Twain, like many realistic writers, paints vivid pictures of a
particular time and place, including photographic physical settings and accurate
snapshots of people inhabiting them. Your purpose is to select what you consider to
be five particularly strong examples of Twain’s use of imagery relating to places
and/or characters and depict all five along with appropriate quotations from the text.
6. Episodic Structure – Picaresque novels tend to be structured in distinct and separate
episodes held together by the presence of the first person narrator who travels through
a variety of social situations and social classes in a particular place and time. Your
mural must portray chronologically five separate episodes, each involving
distinctly different themes and characters. You must find appropriate text from each
that best sums up the plot and themes related to each episode. You should also
include a unifying image that ties the events together in the novel.
(Adapted from Jim Power)