Society in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - Book Report/Review Example

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Mark Twain’s novels were not just storytelling but those actually contained a great deal of elementsthat reflected real situation of the society. ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’, one of the most famous of Mark Twain’s works, is written from the same standpoint of principle. It cannot be claimed always that a novelist writes a novel with the purpose of conveying certain messages or his attitude towards those aspects that he considers as social vices. It is a very spontaneous process that attitude of the novelist towards society and people is finally reflected and due to this reason a novel is considered as a refection of the novelist’s philosophy. Perhaps due to this reason, “artistry of Twain’s ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ has inspired … sophisticated and impressive critical responses….” (Budd and Messent, 543) In case of Mark Twain such observation is truer as in his novels we see he has included a great deal of his autobiographical elements. In this context we can cite for the observation of Shelley Fisher Fishkin, whose observation asserts that the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn includes a great deal of autobiographical elements, “A boy of Twain’s acquaintance, Benson Blankenship, …. (His behavior would become a model for aspects of Huck’s behavior.)” (Fishkin, 21) It is from his autobiographical references we come to know, “By the time of Twain’s youth, slavery had become institutionalized in the South…In southern Missouri, where Twain, and Huck, lived, slavery still existed.” (Jarnow, 21)       ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ shows that the protagonist Finn undergoes several adventures and finally he develops his approach towards life out of the experiences of such adventures. Apart from Finn’s adventure to observe life from a close angle, there is another element that plays a very important role in the novel that is the protagonist’s (the novelist’s) attitude towards slavery. Constitution if the United States of America came into power since 1864 and it immediately abolished the system of slavery from America officially. The Constitution clearly declared that all men are free and they are eligible to receive equal treatment from the State, despite their differences in race, religion, ethnicity and skin color. (Wilson, 5) However, looking at the practical situation it is evident that situation of the black people or people from Afro-American ethnic background has remained unchanged even in the modern society. Like all the other great literary figures Mark Twain also believed that humanism is the only philosophy that brings one man close to the other and at the same time it makes the bonds of human fellowship stronger. During his lifetime he observed how the black people used to be tortured in the hands of their white lord and he expected that such inhuman process of treating each other must end immediately. “Despite his southern identity, Twain had no affection for slavery…” unlike most of the people belonging to the contemporary society. (Sisson, Zacher and Cayton, 109) Thus, he felt that adoption of American Constitution was an important step towards such approach but in the actual plain there was no advancement. The ethnic Americans have never accepted the black men as part of their society and their tortured continued. Mark Twain’s anti-slavery attitude has been reflected through the character of Finn as the novel was published right after 20 years of the abolition of slavery system. Through his adventures across the nation Finn explored various dimensions of social life and at the same time he has enhancing his self awareness. It though such process he realized that humanism is the ultimate philosophy and as human beings, despite several apparent differences, every human being must respect this virtue, so that they can make the world a better place to live. Through his process of self-awareness and maturity Finn has explored a new dimension about the society and out such approach towards the society he has developed outlook against slavery. Evidently, through the course of his adventures we come to know about the socio-political issues that were prevailing in the society.             Self-awareness is a continuous process that is the main characteristic of human intellectual maturity. Different genres of literature have expressed this process in various forms but such growth is most poignantly observed in different novels. Novelists of different ages and different literary traditions have expressed this process of self awareness through the growing course of their novels. As individual human beings they have experienced this process of self-awareness through their self development and it has been observed that they attempt to depict such realizations through the protagonists of their novels. Sometimes such depictions are replete with imaginative materials. Sometimes the process of expression is highly metaphorical. Finally, the ongoing process of transition is unmistakable and adds a unique dimension to the narrative. Mark Twain in his novel ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ has masterfully represented the protagonist’s journey to self awareness but such self-awareness becomes a powerful avenue to express the novelist’s reaction to one of the most despised social vice, system of slavery. In the story of Huckleberry Finn the author has represented the adventures of the protagonist Huckleberry Finn. These adventures have led to develop an insight and he has gradually moved towards his self-awareness, empowered with his extensive experience out of such adventures. Twain’s protagonist Huckleberry Finn is represented as the figure that is completely antithetical to all sorts of conventional ideas. Deep reading of the text immediately gives the reader an impression that Huckleberry is a true embodiment of natural spontaneity and the reader identifies himself with this charming character immediately, as he also becomes a part of the spontaneous reflection that Huckleberry represents throughout his journeys. Huckleberry has never been much bothered about growing under any kind of social guidance. The social guidance would help him to develop as a social creature, trapped within the scope of social taught concepts and institutions. Thus, he is free from any kind of institutional pressure as society. Characters in the novel that represent the social oppression, have failed to dominate Mark Twain’s protagonist. Through his journey, he has developed his own identity and finally he has found his way towards freedom. His freedom is not only characterized by his physical freeness but it has been reflected in his mental liberty also. Though he has grown up in a society, where slaves have been treated as commodities not as social beings, he has liberated himself from such biased approach. Huckleberry identifies Jim, the slave, as a human being and just like a fellow human being he helps Jim to escape his plight. His realization has made him understand as human being both Jim’s and his position is same on this earth, “I see it warnt no use for me to try to learn to do right; a body that dont get started right when hes little, aint got no show...Then I thought a minute, and says to myself, hold on,--spose youd a done right and give Jim up; would you felt better than what you do now?” (Twain, 85) His self awareness has helped him to identify himself equal to other people in the society. Thus, he emerges at the end of the novel as a universal creature.        Huckleberry Finn’s ways of upbringing had made him indiscipline and insensitive towards civilized ways and had an abstinence to following of rules. According to the writer a moral superiority and desirability of civilized life is criticized and advised against. Recollecting the ideas of jean-Jacques Rousseau the novelist opines that civilization tends to corrupt human being rather than improving them. Along with this, there is also an element of growth and rebirth, which is revealed in the process of Huck gaining his lessons and his rebirths after every experience and adventure. Though Finn is a part of the white people who have dominated over the black slaves like Jim but such moral corruption has not affected Finn or his feeling for the black people. He, unlike the other socially so-called superior men has failed to understand that Jim is not a slave and he respects his human entity. In that way Finn is a complete misfit of his society but his anti-slavery attitude clearly elevates him from the mere norms of defining a human being and finally he represents the actual humane spirit that governs the world.        “The reader of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn does not come upon the theme of slavery until Chapter 2, when the author reveals that Huck and Tom live in a slaveholding community.” (Johnson, 107) Finn’s mother had died early in his childhood while his father is an abusive alcoholic and does not care for his son unless he needs money. He did not bother to send Finn to school and thus his uncivilized ways of life have been somewhat of an indirect trainer to these uncivilized ways of Finn. However, ironically it has helped Finn in growing as a human being despite his unruly ways and he has shown the heart of a great friend and social being. As Finn travels along the river, he realizes that there are certain social norms that needs not be morally right – he helps the black slaves and learns that they were also human beings and should have the rights shared by the white people. Finn’s journey through the river can be viewed as an experience away from the human civilization where the river serves as the medium and source of his lessons and adventure while the raft is the tool that helps him to explore the new teachings that life had to offer him. (LeMaster, Darrell and Hamric) Though several attempts have been made both by Miss Watson and Widow Douglas to develop Finn as a ‘civilized’ human being but Finn’s indomitable humane spontaneity finally could not be restricted and it becomes clearer as Finn developed a close proximity with Miss Watson’s slave Jim - a black boy from Afro-American background. During that time it was never socially accepted that a white boy would become a close friend of a slave child. It is due to this reason “the salve Jim is regarded primarily as an object to laugh … and slavery is presented as a natural institution.” (Johnson, 107) Finn, an antagonist towards conventional social norms, ignores all such social convention and makes Jim a partner for his adventures. Finn became great friends with Jim and developed a strong bond of care and affection. Desiring the simplicity that he had always enjoyed and known, Finn runs away from the ties of civilization. Later his ill-tempered father who takes him to a cabin finds him. Despite initially enjoying the cabin life he runs away after getting beaten by his father. On his escape route he met Jim on an isolated island and discovered that Jim had ran away on being planned to be sold out by Miss Watson to a slave trader. They began to live there unless Finn returned disguised as a girl, to his town from where he had escaped after spilling a pig’s blood in the cabin to convince his father that he was dead. Here he found out that both his father Pap and Jim were suspects of the murder. Previous to this when they were on the island the boys had found a floating house and Jim secretly discovered a dead man lying in the house as Finn’s father. Finn return to Jim and set out on a raft to hide from the law, especially after he heard from a woman in the town that Jim was suspected to be hiding out on the Jackson Island. Tom Sawyer discovered Finn at a still later stage. They join Tom Sawyer’s “band of robbers” at a hidden cave as their hideout and secret meeting venue. The band however did not last for a long while as it was not as successful and worthwhile as expected and the boys left the gang.         Though the novel is written in such a manner as if to narrate the charming adventures of Finn but the aspect of racism and Twain’s anti-slavery attitude has provided the novel with a unique dimension. Though the reader comes to know about the theme of slavery from the Chapter 2 of the book but continuous companionship between Jim and Finn clearly shows that it is due to the bonds of human fellowship both these boys have fought against the evil and at the same time, they have provided their worth the people. On several occasion Finn has been obstructed from mixing with the slave boy Jim but he has defied all these obstacles and always helped Jim in any kind dangerous situation. (Abernathy, 30) As it has been mentioned already that Finn is a very natural and spontaneous character and depending over the virtues of his character he has never find any concrete reason that why he should stop himself from mixing up with Jim. Huckleberry Finn simply could not be chained down by social norms and he himself realizes that more than anyone. Despite being unbounded by family chains he had the heart and soul to pay back the sentiments of love and friendship, as demonstrated by the gesture towards the black boy. He shuns the narrow-mindedness of the racist society and its norms while saving his friend who has taught him the lessons of friendship during the voyage along the river. Through the novel, Mark Twain has raised this point of argument if presence of slavery system and hostile attitude of one man to the other has done any good to the society or not. At the same time “Twain was also sensitive to a much broader range of question bearing on individual rights than only those directly liked to slavery and Civil War.” (Wieck, 43) The system of social discrimination and establishment of hierarchy, both these aspects are not spontaneous process. Due to such discriminative approach the humankind suffers only and it does not add any advantage to the harmonious existence on the earthly plain. The novel ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ becomes a metaphorical representation of Mark Twain’s anti-slavery approach and Finn acts as the weapon of protest in his hands by which he has attempted to defy the hostile approach of human beings to one another.     Works cited 1. Abernathy, Jeff, To hell and back: race and betrayal in the southern novel, University of Georgia Press, 2003 2. Budd, Louis J., Messent, Peter B., A companion to Mark Twain, Wiley-Blackwell, 2005 3. Cardwell, Guy, Seelye, John D., Twain, Mark, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Penguin Classics, 2003 4. Fishkin, Shelley Fisher, Lighting Out for the Territory: Reflections on Mark Twain and American Culture, Oxford University Press US, 1998 5. Jarnow, Jesse, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Race in America, The Rosen Publishing Group, 2004 6. Johnson, Claudia D., Understanding Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: a student casebook to issues, sources, and historical documents, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996 7. LeMaster, Richard, Wilson, James Darrell and Christie Graves Hamric, The Mark Twain Encyclopedia, Taylor & Francis, 1993 8. Sisson, Richard, Zacher, Christian K., Lee Cayton and Andrew Robert, The American Midwest: an interpretive encyclopedia, Indiana University Press, 2007 9. Wieck, Carl F., Refiguring Huckleberry Finn, University of Georgia Press, 2004 10. Wilson, Charles E., Race and racism in literature, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005 Read More