Samuel L. Clemans, whose pen name is Mark Twain was one of Americans greatest writers who was known around the world for his works like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. He is recognized as many to be one of the greatest American writers. I just finished one of his books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which I felt was a very moving book . The book is about a young boy (Huck Finn) whose father is and old drunken alcoholic. Twain satires alcoholism, which is mentioned through out this novel. When pap who constantly drinks and is violent with Huck, came home drunk and He cased me with clasp knife and says he would kill me mark 29).
Because of the alcoholism, pap did not care about Huck, just his money, so he wouldnt care to kill him, as he never knew what family meant. Many parts of the book satires racism. One time pap is walking through town and sees a black man all cleaned up walking the road to go vote, It was lection day, and I was just about to go and vote myself if I warnt too drunk to get there; but when they told me there was a State in this country where theyd let a nigger vote, I drawed out. I says, Ill never vote again (mark 27).
Pap thinks because a person is black that he houldnt have the right to vote and since one is, well he wont ever again, but in reality he is a drunk and could care less about his vote counting, because he really doesnt care about his country. The very first satirical scene happens after Tom and Huck plays a trick on Miss Watsons slave , Jim. Afterwards Jim said the witch bewitched him and put him in a trance, and rode hi all over the State, an then set him under the tree again and hung his hat on a limb to show who done it (mark 5) .
This show Hucks humorous while showing blacks as very superstitious like the hair ball he said there was a spirit inside, and it nowed everything(mark 17). This book shows how the white refused to accept the black race when Huck answers a question no mum just killed a nigger (mark 221). The black people are treated differently like when I wouldnt shake my Nigger, would I? -the only Nigger I had in the world, and the only property I owned . (mark 216). Huck goes against society and makes the decision to help Jim.
Mob mentality is another satire found in this novel. Failure to use one’s instinct, and following someone else’s is one valid example in life, and fits in well with the story line. Take up a collection for him, take up a collection,” (mark132) somebody sang out and everyone fatuously accepted the statement as said, not taking the time to perceive the actual meaning. King took advantage of such gullibility, making people believe that he is a pirate, and getting the priest to help him find a path to God.
Because nobody took the time to probe the absurdity in the speech given by King, he took advantage of the passiveness of people and got away with a significant amount of stolen money. Somebody from the crowd yelled, “Sherburn ought to be lynched”(mark 145). In no time, the people n the crowd were repeating this statement word for word en masse. As the sheriff, standing on the top of a roof shot from his gun, the crowed etched asunder and ran off.
Mob mentality is an essential factor and plays a big role in trickery -also a big issue in the book. Huck gave it all his best, and was able to avoid mob mentality and go with his instincts, which were proved to be the most logical ones, and helped him make a friend out of it. The Grangerfords was another family showing human hate. These two families have been in a feud for what reason is unknown by the family, perhaps about land. These amilies are rich, respectable, and go to church ever Sunday, but they kill each other.
On the table in the middle of the room was a kind of lovely crockery basket that had apples and oranges and peaches and grapes piled up in which was much redder and yellower and prettier than the real ones but they warnt real because you could see where pieces had got chipped off and showed white chalk, or whatever it was , underneath . (mark 97), just because something looks rich and vibrant and doesnt always means its real, it could be just fake. Next Sunday we all went to church, about three miles , everybody a – horseback .
The man took their guns along, so did Buck and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall. ( mark 109). They all seem to be thinking about going to church which you would think that would stand for good, but in they are thinking evil and even shooting at neighbors on the way. Then later going back to the church to get Miss Sophias testament and Huck said and there warnt anybody at church , except maybe a hog or two. (mark 110), this shows that just because some one looks nice and clean then may not be on the inside. Mark Twain is an exceptional writer.
Using Huck and Jim to pass on some aluable messages, one of which being similar to a book being judged by its cover. Twain’s style of writing allows him to actually emulate conversations as they are, including various types of slang which he did by writing it as Huck . This particular piece of writing left many readers questioning the content and imitation of reality. Though racism is part of the story . The moral of the story is clear, there is more to people than color, just like there is more to a book than its cover. Keeping that in mind, Mark Twain chose to satirize racism, alcoholism, and mob mentality, and made his message clear.
