IE Book Report

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The United States of America: Penguin Classics, 1884, 369 pages.

Responding to the Plot
The main character is Huckleberry Fin who is a pure and mischievous white boy. He lives with Ms. Widow Douglas who is educated, formal, and refined, also she does not have blood relation with Huckleberry. Though she takes care of him like her child, he hates her. Then he cannot stand it and lit out to be free with Jim who is the slave. At first, Huckleberry deals with Jim like an ordinary nigger, and Jim submits to Huckleberry. Gradually Huckleberry looks on Jim as his friend, and wants to help him. Then they made a raft to go the free stats from the slave stats. They meet murder, robber, swindler, good person, and hypocritical during the adventure of Mississippi. As time passes, Huckleberry notices Jim is brave, manly, tolerant, and clever. He understands that Jim is a human nature.
If I were Huckleberry, I would be live with Ms. Widow politely because I do not have courage to go out like him. I could not oppose to adult when I was child. If I were the author, I let the father of Huckleberry regenerate because I do not want to show the wild father’s image for the children. I like the Huckleberry’s saying, “Now, Jim, you’re free man!” This scene describe black person is human being.

Analyzing 7 Literary Terms
1)point of view
The story is told by first person.

2)Setting
The time is 1835 to 1845, before the civil war. The place is the midland of the United States of America.

3)Conflict
Berry vs. Ms. Widow Douglas
Berry vs. Society of white supremacy
Berry vs. Christianity

4)Climax
The scene that Huckleberry meets Jim again. Their raft is broken by storm, and they are separated. Huckleberry misses Jim, and that is the first feeling for Jim who is man. He fears the death of Jim.

5)Theme
Paradox and mental growth. Huckleberry grew up in the society that the people believe the existence of slave as natural. Also, he thought it was immoral to help the slave who had escaped from master. Sometimes he confused heavily what he had done, but after all he helped Jim to escape. He won himself and the society.

6)Symbol
The raft is the symbol of this story. Huckleberry and Jim make a raft to escape from the southern slave state to northern free state. They believe that they can be free if they go down the Mississippi. Though they lose the way to go over and over, they develop the adventure with the raft. The raft is a bond of friendship unites Huckleberry and Jim.

7)Irony
I could not find irony in this story.

Reflecting on the Story
I was interested in the using dialect. Mark Twain uses four dialects that are divided region and class. It was difficult to read it, because I do not know advance English words. Sometimes it was written just pronunciation, so I searched dictionary every time with guessing. The character’s life is many differences with me because they were poor than me. Huckleberry is poor white boy, and Jim is slave black adult. They have luck of education, but they have courage and wisdom. I think they are real clever person. If the book has been made into a film, I compare the dialect with the book. His experience inspired him to write the book. Maybe he hate the age of then that white people discriminates black people. Also, he gave the massage that society has paradox which people think natural is sometimes immoral, which means define the people made is sometimes mistaken. The people may not be able to descript it, or the people may pretend not to realize it. I agree with the author’s view of people and life. But I worry whether he became pessimistic after writing the book because he took too much attention for the incomplete society. I leaned history of America in the 19 century from Huckleberry and Jim. I changed my idea and worth after reading this book. Before reading, I thought the book is funny adventure story, but after leading I understand the book concluded sad thing, immoral thing, and paradox. I realized that he had charged massage in this story.