Warm-up

• Pick 5 words from #1-11 and use each one in a sentence correctly. You should have a total of 5 sentences!

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark

TwainEnglish III—Notes

Mark Twain Mark Twain

• Worked as printer's apprentice and typesetter in Worked as printer's apprentice and typesetter in Hannibal, MO, 1847-50Hannibal, MO, 1847-50

• Was an apprentice riverboat pilot, 1857-59 Was an apprentice riverboat pilot, 1857-59 • Much of his life is Much of his life is The Adventures of Huck FinnThe Adventures of Huck Finn • His real name is Samuel Clemens.His real name is Samuel Clemens.• His pen name—Mark Twain—means the middle His pen name—Mark Twain—means the middle

of the river—either safe harbor or dangerous of the river—either safe harbor or dangerous waterswaters

• America’s leading humorist of the 19America’s leading humorist of the 19thth century century

Realism: 1860-1914

    Following the Civil War, Americans Following the Civil War, Americans increasingly idealized progress and increasingly idealized progress and the self-made man. the self-made man.

    Population shifted from farms to Population shifted from farms to cities and by 1919 half of the cities and by 1919 half of the population was concentrated in about population was concentrated in about 12 cities.12 cities.

Realism, Cont.Realism, Cont.     Problems of urbanization and Problems of urbanization and

industrialization appeared: poor and industrialization appeared: poor and overcrowded housing, unsanitary overcrowded housing, unsanitary conditions, & low pay ("wage slavery"). conditions, & low pay ("wage slavery").

    Realists sought to accurately portray real Realists sought to accurately portray real life, without filtering it through personal life, without filtering it through personal feelings, romanticism, or idealism. Subjects feelings, romanticism, or idealism. Subjects were often drawn from slums and factories were often drawn from slums and factories of the cities – far from the lives of idealized of the cities – far from the lives of idealized characters. characters.

Novel StructureNovel Structure

• This is naturalistic, romantic, realistic and This is naturalistic, romantic, realistic and picaresque novelpicaresque novel– Naturalistic because the role the river plays in the Naturalistic because the role the river plays in the

novelnovel– Romantic in the love of nature and the appreciation of Romantic in the love of nature and the appreciation of

what she brings to Huck and Jimwhat she brings to Huck and Jim– Realistic because of the dialogue in the novel, Realistic because of the dialogue in the novel,

especially Jimespecially Jim– Picaresque in the fact that it is episodic and can be Picaresque in the fact that it is episodic and can be

difficult to follow, but it tells the story of a young difficult to follow, but it tells the story of a young rogue who does not follow society’s rulesrogue who does not follow society’s rules

• Narrated by Huck – 1Narrated by Huck – 1stst person person• Regional dialect—Jim and HuckRegional dialect—Jim and Huck

CharactersCharacters

• Huck—narrator, young boy, dishonestHuck—narrator, young boy, dishonest• Jim—slave, unhappy, father-figure to Jim—slave, unhappy, father-figure to

Huck after a few chaptersHuck after a few chapters• Pap—drunk, abusive father of Huck; Pap—drunk, abusive father of Huck;

uses his son to his advantageuses his son to his advantage• Tom Sawyer—mischievous young boy; Tom Sawyer—mischievous young boy;

friends with Huck; reads romance novelsfriends with Huck; reads romance novels• The Widow Douglas—Huck’s guardian; The Widow Douglas—Huck’s guardian;

has Huck’s best interests at hearthas Huck’s best interests at heart• Judge Thatcher—keeps Huck’s money Judge Thatcher—keeps Huck’s money

for him; worries for Huck’s safetyfor him; worries for Huck’s safety

SatireSatire

• A work or manner that blends a harshly A work or manner that blends a harshly critical attitude with humor and wit for critical attitude with humor and wit for improving human institutions or humanity.improving human institutions or humanity.

• Satire employs irony, sarcasm, Satire employs irony, sarcasm, understatement, exaggeration, and the like understatement, exaggeration, and the like to expose folly and vice. to expose folly and vice.

• Satirists attempt through laughter not so Satirists attempt through laughter not so much to tear down as to inspire a change.much to tear down as to inspire a change.

Objects of Satire in Objects of Satire in Huck Huck FinnFinn

• Man’s inhumanity to Man’s inhumanity to manman

• Aristocracy and Aristocracy and royaltyroyalty

• Conventional Conventional religion, Calvinism, religion, Calvinism, missionariesmissionaries

• InvestmentsInvestments

• GullibilityGullibility• RespectabilityRespectability• Southern code of Southern code of

honorhonor• RomanticismRomanticism

Themes and Notable IdeasThemes and Notable Ideas

• The River—symbolThe River—symbol– what happens to them on the river?what happens to them on the river?– What happens to them off the river?What happens to them off the river?– What is the function of the river?What is the function of the river?

• Theme: freedom vs. responsibilityTheme: freedom vs. responsibility

• Theme: truth vs. falsehoodsTheme: truth vs. falsehoods

• Theme: choices & consequencesTheme: choices & consequences