The Slavery Perspective in
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
By Caitlin Feener
The
Perspective:
The capacity to view things in their true relations or
relative importance.
http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/perspective?show=1&t=
1284259507
•In literature, it’s easy to only focus on one
perspective—that of the narrator’s.
•By analyzing the perspectives of other characters
in a novel, not only can we understand the
narrator better, but also how we interpret the
entire piece of literature and how we can relate
the novel to ourselves and our own lives.
Background
• The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn was published in 1884
• The setting of the novel is St.
Petersburg, Missouri, and
various locations along the
Mississippi River
• While St. Petersburg is fictional,
it mirrors the city of Hannibal,
Missouri—Mark Twain’s
hometown
• Pretend that you are an author
and write a quick paragraph
describing the setting of your
novel.
• Mirror the city after your own
hometown.
• Use imagery to paint a visual
picture for the reader.
• When finished, switch
paragraphs with your partner.
Read and discuss each others
ideas.
Things to Think About
• What makes your
hometown unique?
Example: Do you have a lot
of freeways in your town?
• What are some physical
characteristics that come
to mind? Example: Does it
rain a lot?
• What is the general mood
of your hometown?
Example: Is it usually very
quiet?
• There are multiple
perspectives in a novel.
• Most all main characters in
a novel has a unique
perspective that deserves
attention.
You just developed your
own perspective, and
then read a different
perspective in the activity
we just did as a class.
What were some of the similarities and
differences between your and your
partner’s paragraphs?
What are some factors
that can affect
perspective, especially in
literature?
Gender
Ethnicity
Age
Personality
Social
Environment
Laws and
Government
•
•
•
In 1862, it was declared in the Emancipation Proclamation that all slaves in
any state of the Confederate States of America would be free.
However, The proclamation did not name the slave-holding border states of
Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, or Delaware, which had never declared a
secession, and so it did not free any of the slaves
There were 38 states in the U.S. in the year 1880. Four of those states were
considered border states, where slavery was still declared legal.
Discussion Question:
Considering that slaves were granted freedom in the majority
of the states during this time period, what effect could this
have had on people that were still legally bound to slavery?
Perspective Activity
• Using the chart in the class
handout, pretend you are both
Huck Finn and Jim.
• In each designated column,
write how you think each
character feels about slavery.
• How can you make certain
assumptions about
Huckleberry Finn and Jim? In a
class discussion, provide
examples from the novel as to
why the character might feel
this way.
• Analyzing multiple perspectives forces us to
consider and accept other people’s opinions.
• When considering additional perspectives, we
practice sympathy and understanding.
• Understanding perspectives allows us to respect
other people’s personal experiences.
• Multiple perspectives can denounce stereotypes
and assumptions about groups as a whole, and
instead let us view others as unique individuals.
• Perspectives teach us new things and broaden
our minds to new concepts and ideas.
Final Perspective Writing Assignment
Pretend that you are Huckleberry Finn. Write a formal
letter to Miss Watson and the Judge explaining why
you believe that Jim should be granted his freedom.
•Include personal reasoning based on how you feel
about Jim as a friend and a person, and why he would
want to be free.
•Include ethical reasoning in regards to why you think
that slavery is wrong in your own opinion.
•Use historical facts that show you understand the
dynamics of slavery during this time period to support
your argument.
• Use both activities done in class today and your notes to help
generate ideas to include in your letter.
• Try to consider the perspectives of both Huck and Jim while
writing your letter.
• Your letter should be approximately five paragraphs long.
“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you
please” –Mark Twain