Huck Finn Project:
The Grangerfords
Alyssa Inorio, Brooke Baker, Victoria Morales, Sydney
Zima, and Bella Demichellis
Plot Summary - Chapter 17
The chapter starts when Huck finds himself in a nerve racking situation, in which
he is surrounded by dogs
A man calls the dogs off, saving Huck
Huck tells the man that is name is George Jackson
Huck (George) is invited into the man’s house, and at first the man and his family
suspect that he is a Shepherdson
Huck is introduced to a boy about his age, named Buck
Huck comes up with an elaborate lie about how he was orphaned
The Grangerfords, the family he is staying with, tells Huck that he is welcome to
Plot Summary - Chapter 18
Colonel Grangerford is introduced, and Huck admires him
One day, Buck attempts to shoot a young man (Harney Shepherdson), but he misses
Buck then informs Huck about the feud that exists between the Grangerfords and
Shepherdsons, and explains that nobody really knows how it started
Buck tells Huck that the Shepherdsons killed his fourteen-year-old cousin
The Grangerfords and Shepherdsons attend church together, but both hold their rifles the
whole time
Sophia Grangerford asks Huck to go get a copy of the Bible from the pews for her
Sophia is happy when she finds a note in the Bible, saying “half-past two”
Later that day, Huck finds Jim deep in the swamps, where Jim tells him he followed him
Hucks Development/Lesson…
a.) What is the lesson learned?
The lesson that Huck learns is that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
b.)How is the lesson learned?
Huck learns this lesson when he spends time with a family that seems like they have it
all, and don’t have any hardships, but he realizes that even the “perfect” family still has
problems. (One large problem being the feud)
c.) What is the evidence?
Huck says, “...there warn’t no home like a raft, after all” (Twain 88).
He also says, “Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You
feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft” (Twain 88).
Both of these quotes show that even though he thought staying with the Grangerfords
was the best that life could get, and that their life was so much better than his life spent
on a raft, there were really many upsides to the life he had.
Style/ Literary analysis
1.)Theme: An important theme in chapters 17 and 18 is the hypocrisy of the “civilized”
society. For example, “Next Sunday we all went to church...The men took their guns
along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the
wall. The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching - all about
brotherly love…” (Twain 83).
-The society is civilized to the point where the two feuding families can attend the same
church, but while listening to a sermon about brotherly love, they are holding guns, ready
to fight one another.
2.)Figurative Language: A simile is used in the beginning of chapter 17. It says, “The
dogs were as still as the humans, but they followed a little behind me,” (Twain 73).
-The use of this simile helped to convey the nerves Huck was likely feeling in this
situation.
(continued on next slide)
Style/Literary Analysis (continued)
3.)Tone: Throughout chapters 17 and 18, there is a frequent ironic tone. For example,
“‘I bet you can’t spell my name,’ says I.
‘I bet you what you dare I can,’ says he.
‘All right,’ says I, ‘go ahead.”
‘G-o-r-g-e J-a-x-o-n - there now,’ he says… I set it down, private, because somebody
might want me to spell it, next, and so I wanted to be handy to rattle it off like I was
used to it,” (Twain 75).
-This quote shows the ironic tone found throughout the chapters because Buck spells
Huck’s fake name incorrectly, and Huck, not realizing this, writes it down so he knows
how to spell it, just in case, but really it is an incorrect spelling.
Study Guide Questions
1. Why does Huck take a new name?
-Huck takes a new name for a few reasons. First of all, Huck is believed to be dead,
do he wants to keep his identity a secret, but also to have a fresh start.
2. What is the significance of the remark that Buck will get enough of the battle “in
all good time”?
-This remark may be foreshadowing that Buck will get involved in the feud that is
going on between the Shepherdsons and Grangerfords.
Study Guide Questions
3. Why does Twain describe with such detail the physical setting of the Grangerford
home?
-Twain describes the physical setting of the Grangerford home in such detail likely
to create a clear image for the reader, and to make it very clear of how wealthy the
Grangerfords are. His detailed description also makes it clear to the reader why it
would seem to Huck that the Grangerfords have the perfect life, before he learns
about the relentless feud they are involved in.
4. Chapter 18 Begins with the comment, “Col. Grangerford was a gentleman, you
see.” What does Twain wish the reader to see?
-I think Twain may want to reader to see that Col. Grangerford was a respectable
man, and was a stereotypical southern man, who was very nice to Huck, but he was
very hypocritical when it came to his kindness, as he hated his neighbors.
Study Guide Questions
5. What was the irony of this sermon?
-The sermon was ironic because it was all about brotherly love, yet the two families
were holding guns the whole time.
6. Who are the only members members of the feuding families specifically
mentioned as saved from the massacre?
- The only members of the feuding families that were specifically mentioned as
saved from the massacre were Miss Sofia and Harmony Shepardson.
Study Guide Questions
7. What does Huck say that there is “no home like a raft”?
-Huck says that there is “no home like a raft,” because he came to realize all the
good things about living on the raft, and realized that a big, fancy house like the
Grangerfords had wasn’t really necessary. Also, so much of his time has been spent
on the raft, surrounded by nature, and his definition of home is slightly different
than many of the people around him.
Works Cited
Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Dover Publications.
1994. Print.