The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by
Mark Twain – Reading/Discussion Schedule
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But
when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”
–Mark Twain
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece on a scale that the English know with Shakespeare’s plays.
Huck has transformed American lives in ways that are deep and powerful. And Huck has made as many people
angry, too. Mark Twain single-handedly laid bare the sins of the ante-bellum south as well as the sins of the
entire country—while at the same time, celebrating what the country stood for in characters like Huck, Jim and
the Wilkes family. Every chapter opens up a new opportunity to glimpse into the heart of a south pre-occupied
with segregation, slavery and cruelty. But here too is a canvas on which are painted some of the greatest
characters in American literature.
This is the reading schedule for Huck Finn. You should have the appropriate pages/chapters read BEFORE the
discussion date. We WILL stay on schedule, so keep your book near your heart at all times. Please
understand the fact that we will have “pop” quizzes.
You are required to answer the questions in you chapter-by-chapter study guide. Take additional notes on
those pages as well. The study guide questions, unless otherwise noted in class, are due when the
corresponding chapters are due.
Essential Questions
Questions to think about as you read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
1) What are enduring questions and conflicts that writers (and their cultures) grappled with hundreds of years
ago, and how are they still relevant today?
2) How do you respond when society’s rules conflict with your sense of morality?
3) How far are you willing to go to help a friend in need?
4) How do you distinguish between what appears to be true and what actually is true?
5) How do you respond when you are judged based on your appearance?
"Huckleberry Finn took the first journey back. He was the first to
look back at the republic from the perspective of the west."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
Syllabus and Reading Schedule for Term 4*
As we plot out our literary adventure through Huck Finn, fill in this chart to help you keep track of the readings
and when there is an assignment or test due. Some of your assignments are all put in for you.
*Schedule is subject to change due to the discretion of the instructor. Students are responsible for amending the
schedule and handing in work on the dates assigned in class. This is only meant to act as a guide and
organizational tool for student learning.
Assigned Reading
Huck Finn distributed
Wednesday, 4/27
Thursday, 4/28
Introduction to Huck Finn
Jigsaw
Huck Finn Chapters 110
Jigsaw continued or
Discussion of Chapters 1-10
Friday, 4/29
Alphabet Soup # 17
Monday, 5/2
Discussion of Chapters 1-10
Tuesday, 5/3
Satire
Wednesday, 5/4
SAT Prep
Thursday, 5/5
Test/Assignment
Gatsby Project Work Day, and
teacher-student meetings on
essays
Monday, 4/25
Tuesday, 4/26
In-Class Agenda
Huck Finn Chapters
11-26
Discussion Chapters 11-26
Friday, 5/6
Alphabet Soup # 18
Monday, 5/9
SAT Prep
Tuesday, 5/10
Wednesday, 5/11
Thursday, 5/12
Huck Finn Chapters
27-43
Discussion Chapters 27-43
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
Friday, 5/13
Ethan Frome
distributed. Test on
Tuesday, 5/24
Alphabet Soup # 19
Monday, 5/16
Test on Huck Finn
Tuesday, 5/17
Math MCAS
Wednesday, 5/18
Math MCAS
Thursday, 5/19
American Dream Essay
Assigned
Friday, 5/20
Alphabet Soup # 20
Monday, 5/23
Gatsby Play Practice Day
Tuesday, 5/24
Gatsby Play
Wednesday, 5/25
Review Ethan
Frome
Thursday, 5/26
Ethan Frome Test
Friday, 5/27
Alphabet Soup # 21
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
Name_________________________________
English 10(1)
Directions: Use this study guide to help you prepare for your final test and to guide your reading of
Huck Finn. On the day the reading is due this should also be completed and will count as a homework
grade.
Chapters 1-3
1. Identify: Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Jim, Miss Watson and Widow Douglas. Write down what we
know about them so far.
Huck Finn
Tom Sawyer
Jim
Miss Watson
Widow Douglass
2. Why doesn't Huck get along with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas?
3. What does Huck think about religion -- specifically the good place, the bad place and prayer?
4. Give at least two examples of superstition in this section of the novel.
1.
2.
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
5. Contrast Huck and Tom. What are their main differences?
Huck
Tom
Chapters 4-7
1. Why did Huck give his money to Judge Thatcher?
2. Describe Pap Finn. What kind of a person is he?
3. What is Huck's attitude towards his father?
4. Why does Pap yell at Huck for becoming civilized? Is he right?
5. What was Huck's plan of escape from his father?
6. How do you know that material things don't matter to Huck?
Chapters 8 - 11
1. What purpose(s) does Huck's death serve?
2. How does Huck meet Jim on Jackson's Island? Why is Jim there?
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
3. What is in the two story house that floats by?
4. Give three examples of Man vs. Society in this section.
1.
2.
3.
5. How are the townspeople superstitious? Jim? Huck? Give examples.
6. Compare/contrast Huck & Jim.
Huck
Jim
7. Why does Huck dress as a girl to go ashore? Why does he go? What does he find out?
8. How do you know Huck and Jim are friends by the end of Chapter XI?
Chapters 12-14
1. Why do Huck and Jim begin their journey down the Mississippi?
2. Why do Huck and Jim board the Walter Scott?
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
3. Why does Huck want to save Jim Turner?
4. How does Huck send help to the Walter Scott?
5. What do we learn about Jim from his talking about "King Sollermun" (King Solomon: see handout)?
Chapters 15-18
1. What trick does Huck play on Jim?
2. Why doesn't Huck turn in Jim?
3. Why don't the slave hunters get Jim?
4. Explain the differences between Huck and the hunters.
5. What is the bad luck in Chapter 16?
6. How does Huck get to the Grangerfords?
7. Why did Twain include this adventure with the Grangerfords?
Chapters 19-25
1. How did Jim and Huck meet the king and duke?
2. Does Huck believe their story?
3. Give two examples of the "cleverness" of the king and duke.
1.
2.
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
4. Why did the people return to the show?
5. What's the point of the incident of the shooting of Boggs?
6. Why do we hear about Jim's daughter "'Lizabeth"?
7. Where did the king and duke get their plan about being the Wilks brothers?
Chapters 26-31
1. How do the king and duke get the money?
2. Why does Huck steal the money from the mattress?
3. Why doesn't Huck's conscience bother him when he lies so much?
4. What things give away the king and duke?
5. Why is Huck upset when Jim is sold?
6. Why it is important that Huck says, "All right, then, I'll go to hell."?
Chapters 32-39
1. Why does Huck assume Tom Sawyer's identity?
2. What happens when Tom appears on the scene?
3. What's the difference between Tom's plan for freeing Jim and Huck's?
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.
4. How does Huck change when Tom comes?
5. Tom's plan is actually cruel. Why?
6. What more do we learn about Tom in these chapters?
Chapters 40-43
1. How does Huck appear to be superior to Tom?
2. What happens to Jim?
3. What happens to Tom?
Core Values: Communication and Higher Order Thinking Skills
Std 9: Students will deepen their understanding of a literary work by relating it to its contemporary or historical
background.