Mark Twain: Mark Twain: Samuel Langhorne ClemensSamuel Langhorne Clemens

November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910

Over 15 million copies of Over 15 million copies of Huck FinnHuck Finn have been sold have been sold. . The US has about 40 editions in print. It has been read in English, The US has about 40 editions in print. It has been read in English,

Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, and practically every other language Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, and practically every other language on the globe.on the globe.

How historical events influenced How historical events influenced Twain’s writing:Twain’s writing:

The Missouri CompromiseThe Missouri Compromise Samuel Clemens’ childhoodSamuel Clemens’ childhood Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws AbolitionistsAbolitionists Fugitive Slave LawsFugitive Slave Laws Minstrel ShowsMinstrel Shows

Looking for CairoLooking for Cairo

The Missouri CompromiseThe Missouri Compromise

The Compromise of 1850 The setting of the novel is in Missouri. Huck The setting of the novel is in Missouri. Huck

and a runaway slave, Jim, flee to freedom on and a runaway slave, Jim, flee to freedom on the Mississippi River. Their destination is the the Mississippi River. Their destination is the Ohio River to go North. Ohio River to go North.

QUESTION:QUESTION: According to what you read on According to what you read on the link and the map, why would going north the link and the map, why would going north benefit them?benefit them?

Twain’s Home TownTwain’s Home Town

Author’s BackgroundAuthor’s Background

Mark Twain Biography - Biography.com

QUESTION:QUESTION: According to the link, how According to the link, how does Samuel Clemens’ background affect does Samuel Clemens’ background affect the plot and characters of his writing?the plot and characters of his writing?

Life on the Mississippi: Twain meticulously studied 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of the Mississippi for more than two years before he received his steamboat pilot license in 1859.

Jackson’s Island?Jackson’s Island?

Huck and Jim hide out on a small island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Perhaps Twain was inspired by what he saw on his travels up and down the river on a steamboat.

Jim Crow Laws: 1865Jim Crow Laws: 1865Jim Crow Laws: the name ‘Jim Crow’ originated from Minstrel Shows. The mindset was that

Whites were superior to Blacks in all important ways, including but not limited to intelligence, morality, and civilized behavior; sexual

relations between Blacks and Whites would produce a

mongrel race which would destroy America

Jim Crow GuideJim Crow Guide Never assert or even intimate that a White Never assert or even intimate that a White

person is lying. person is lying. Never impute dishonorable intentions to a Never impute dishonorable intentions to a

White person. White person. Never suggest that a White person is from an Never suggest that a White person is from an

inferior class. inferior class. Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate,

superior knowledge or intelligence. superior knowledge or intelligence. Never curse a White person. Never curse a White person. Never laugh derisively at a White person. Never laugh derisively at a White person. Never comment upon the appearance of a Never comment upon the appearance of a

White female.White female.

How is the influence of these laws How is the influence of these laws reflected in reflected in Huck Finn?Huck Finn?

Miss Watson sells JimMiss Watson sells Jim Huck apologizes to JimHuck apologizes to Jim Huck has to keep Jim tied upHuck has to keep Jim tied up The king and the duke sell JimThe king and the duke sell Jim Huck’s moral conflictHuck’s moral conflict Jim does everything he is toldJim does everything he is told QUESTION:QUESTION: Do you think Twain is Do you think Twain is

mocking slaves, or sympathizing?mocking slaves, or sympathizing?

AbolitionismAbolitionism was a movement to end the slave was a movement to end the slave trade and emancipate slaves in western Europe trade and emancipate slaves in western Europe

and the Americas.and the Americas. Abolitionists

Go to the above link and consider: Huck has a runaway slave with him. He must decide whether or not to turn him in. He decides that he’ll just “got to hell” for being an abolitionist (Twain Chapter 31).

QUESTION: Is being an abolitionist a good thing, or a bad thing? Morally? In the eyes of the law?

Fugitive Slave LawsFugitive Slave Laws The law stated that any federal marshal who did not The law stated that any federal marshal who did not

arrest an alleged runaway slave could be fined $1,000. arrest an alleged runaway slave could be fined $1,000. People suspected of being a runaway slave could be People suspected of being a runaway slave could be arrested without warrant and turned over to a claimant on arrested without warrant and turned over to a claimant on nothing more than his sworn testimony of ownership. A nothing more than his sworn testimony of ownership. A suspected black slave could not ask for a jury trial nor suspected black slave could not ask for a jury trial nor testify on his or her behalf. testify on his or her behalf.

Any person aiding a runaway slave by providing shelter, Any person aiding a runaway slave by providing shelter, food or any other form of assistance was liable to six food or any other form of assistance was liable to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

QUESTION: QUESTION: How does Twain use this law in the plot of How does Twain use this law in the plot of Huck Finn?Huck Finn?

Minstrel ShowsMinstrel Shows These three stock characters were among several that These three stock characters were among several that

reappeared in minstrel shows throughout the nineteenth reappeared in minstrel shows throughout the nineteenth century. "Jim Crow" was the stereotypical carefree slave, century. "Jim Crow" was the stereotypical carefree slave, "Mr. Tambo" a joyous musician, and "Zip Coon" a free "Mr. Tambo" a joyous musician, and "Zip Coon" a free black attempting to "put on airs" or rise above his station. black attempting to "put on airs" or rise above his station. The parody in minstrel shows was often savage.The parody in minstrel shows was often savage.

Minstrel shows developed in the 1840’s, peaked after the Civil War and remained popular into the early 1900s. Minstrelsy was a product of its time, the only entertainment form born out of blind bigotry .

How is Jim’s character similar to the How is Jim’s character similar to the Minstrel Show Characters?Minstrel Show Characters?

Jim is illiterate and superstitiousJim is illiterate and superstitious Jim is gullible and easily fooledJim is gullible and easily fooled Jim does everything that he is toldJim does everything that he is told Jim misses his family and, ironically, wants to Jim misses his family and, ironically, wants to

buy them backbuy them back Jim cares deeply for HuckJim cares deeply for Huck QUESTION: QUESTION: Through the characterization of Through the characterization of

Jim, do you think that Twain is doing the same Jim, do you think that Twain is doing the same thing as the minstrel shows? Or creating thing as the minstrel shows? Or creating sympathy?sympathy?

Think about it: Achieving a PurposeThink about it: Achieving a Purpose

SettingSetting SatireSatire IronyIrony CharactersCharacters PlotPlot ThemesThemes MotifsMotifs SymbolsSymbols DialogueDialogue

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws Fugitive Slave LawsFugitive Slave Laws SlaverySlavery AbolitionistsAbolitionists MS RiverMS River Samuel Clemens’ Samuel Clemens’

early yearsearly years MO CompromiseMO Compromise Minstrel ShowsMinstrel Shows

Huck Finn: Huck Finn: ContextContext the interrelated conditions in which the interrelated conditions in which

something exists or occurs something exists or occurs the parts of a discourse that surround a the parts of a discourse that surround a

word or passage and can throw light on its word or passage and can throw light on its meaning meaning

QUESTION: QUESTION: Under what social conditions Under what social conditions did Mark Twain writedid Mark Twain write Huck Finn? Huck Finn? How did How did the historical context affect his purpose?the historical context affect his purpose?