ipl-logo

Morality In Mark Twain´s Huckleberry Finn

830 Words4 Pages

Every decision people make dictates the direction of their moral compass. Morality is what sets people apart from one another, and distinguishes between right and wrong. Though this difference becomes blurred as society is not black and white, it is a spectrum of colors, which is seen differently by different people. For instance, some individuals may label others with societal bias based on their race, gender, or beliefs, while others can see through the veil and truly understand one another. With this in mind, Mark Twain explores this grey area with the character’s Huck and Tom in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The morality of individuals is mainly influenced by their background. This is seen as how Tom creates “Tom Sawyer’s Gang” and states that “Everybody that wants to join has got to take an oath, and write his name in blood”, which is very unreasonable (Twain 7). Tom then lists the violent rules …show more content…

They are not characters in a story who go through unimaginable amounts of tragedy or streaks of joy and luck. Real people in today’s society are flawed in every way, the ideal perfection is never reached. People face tests of morality every day, from lying to their peers to walking pass a beggar on a street. These decisions are what define a person’s humanity, the direction of their moral compass. Many view Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as an adventure of pure humor, but Twain employs this comedy as satire to describe the innate faults of individuals.
In the end, Huck and Tom are characters that represent how morality is shaped through experiences. The realism of the story allows the readers to believe the natural growth of the characters. People need to understand that the whenever they come across a situation that tests their morality, they need to weigh their options, consider actions from all sides. For the choices people make will define who they

Show More
Related

  • Why Is Huck Finn Possible

    668 Words  | 3 Pages

    Huckleberry Finn is a significant character in Twain’s novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Typically anyone who reads this novel gains a sense of knowledge of what it was like to live in such times. In this book, Huck undergoes many types of occurrences ranging from manufacturing a gang with his friends to dressing up as a girl. Huck also is involved in more serious and controversial events that mentally force Huck to think like an adult. Readers get to experience Huck’s way of thinking throughout the whole book.

    Read More

  • Societal Constructs In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    303 Words  | 2 Pages

    introduction As humans, we contain the ability to analyze, understand, remember and judge situations in ways that other species cannot. Societal constructs remain as ideas found only within human society, and they develop over time. The constructs often cause no adverse effects, yet in the form of objectification and discrimination these constructs possess the capability to degrade the quality of human lives. In the 19th century novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn author Mark Twain develops the relationship between Jim and Huck as they reject societal constructs and search for freedom, which defies cultural appropriations and beliefs at the time and encourages individuals to challenge rules society perpetuates. literary review Critics

    Read More

  • Examples Of Morality In Huckleberry Finn

    1222 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the fictional novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain, this idea of morality is a constant theme throughout the book. The protagonist, a young antagonized boy by the name of Huckleberry (Huck), escapes from his home and meets a runaway slave named Jim. Throughout their adventures together as they travel Southern America during the early 1800’s, Huck is plagued by this constant, nagging sense of morality and whether or not he should risk his well being to save his acquaintance Jim. In the beginning of the book, Huck’s immorality is seen as he does not respect others and only thinks for his own benefit. Eventually, however, Huck progresses as an individual and displays his increased moral

    Read More

  • Lying In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1475 Words  | 6 Pages

    The progression of morality from the stark divide between right and wrong over the past twenty five hundred years into the highly variegated moral spectrum that is used today is the result of the division of ethics into seven moral prisms. The complexity of this moral spectrum deals with issues of duty, compassion, community, happiness, virtue, and self. This brings to light the moral permissibility of lying, when lying becomes the most intuitively moral option. Mark Twain, throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, blurs the lines between right and wrong; actively utilizing the moral spectrum that was not widely recognized until close to fifty years later. During Huck Finn’s adventures, he constantly runs into moral conflict; many of

    Read More

  • How Is Huck Finn A Moral Model

    2108 Words  | 9 Pages

    Morality plays an important role in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck Finn is an uneducated, thirteen-year-old boy who does not necessarily know the difference between right and wrong, yet often makes the right choices throughout the novel. While Huck often accidentally does good, some people do not see this as an indication that he is a morally good person. On the other hand, Jim is a slave who almost always does the right thing, but we are not inclined to see Jim as a moral model because he is a slave.

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn Moral Development Essay

    795 Words  | 4 Pages

    Morality is defined as the principles for which people treat one another, respect for justice, and the welfare and rights of others. Moral development is gained from major experiences that can change viewpoints on life or cause people to make a difficult choice in a tough situation. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, one of Mark Twain’s major themes evident in the book is the moral development of Huck FInn, the main character. In the beginning of the book, Huck’s lack of morals and uncultured personality is a product of living with his abusive, demoralized father.

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn Morality Quotes

    2304 Words  | 10 Pages

    When one reads The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, themes involving morality and conscience become heavily prevalent. The protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, portrays a manifest dynamic character. His actions and statements ranging from the outset of the novel through its ending show Huck’s development of a more concise sense of morality and conscience prevailing over the societal influences of “right and wrong”. In the nineteenth century American South, the inescapable system of slavery and social hierarchy would have discouraged an interracial bond. Yet Huck, while escaping his abusive father, chooses to befriend Jim, the runaway slave whom he encounters, and shares a pivotal stage in his life with his newfound companion, whereby contradicting

    Read More

  • Examples Of Hypocrisy In Huckleberry Finn

    705 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hypocricy and Blind Faith Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took place in the eighteen hundreds when religion and reputation were dominant in peoples everyday lives. It was very rare for someone to believe something different than everyone else. In Twain 's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer and Huck appear to be very different, but their actions, descriptions, and dialogue bring them together to symbolize society in order to show the blind conformity and hypocrisy that humans often display.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Huckleberry Finn

    884 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mark Twain was a social critic just as much as he was a novelist. He observed a society filled with arrogant, racial hypocrisy. In the beginning of his fictional novel, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Twain forbids his audience from finding a motive, moral, or plot. In using rhetorical strategies such as satire, irony, and humor he challenges the reader to look for deeper meanings throughout the novel. With the purpose to shed light on the false ideals that society represents as seen through the eyes of young boy.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Corruption In Huckleberry Finn

    2101 Words  | 9 Pages

    Throughout the story, Mark Twain uses Huck to suggest that “natural life” is more desirable. The entire plot of this novel revolves around Huck and Jim floating down the Mississippi River on a raft and going on adventures each time they come to shore. However, as the story goes on, the reader realizes that when Huck and Jim get off the raft, they constantly meeting criminals and other bad people. Life on the raft is as peaceful as it gets, but when Huck is ashore, he meets slimy people, including the Duke and the King, some of the people involved in the feud, and Colonel Sherburn and Boggs. Huckleberry Finn and Jim also witness some extreme violence, including tarring, feathering, lynching, theft, murder, and quite simply, a lot of death.

    Read More

  • Mark Twain's Use Of Satire In Huckleberry Finn

    939 Words  | 4 Pages

    To begin, Twain targets Huckleberry Finn's innocence and uses it as a way to show that anyone being raised in a racist, pro-slavery America was conflicted between morals and laws. At first, Huck is a "rebel" in his own mind, so to say, and tries to avoid becoming "sivilized" from the Widow Douglas. He sticks to what he knows, and uses his experience with people and his own judgment to make decisions like an adult, something quite

    Read More

  • Theme Of Justice In Huck Finn

    738 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic novel that takes the reader on a series of thrilling adventures full of life threatening situations, racism, and slavery. The author Mark Twain, uses the novel to highlight the flaws in society by creating a character like Huck, whose personal sense of morals and justice are more noble than those of the very people trying to civilize him. Throughout this captivating novel Huck endures his fair share of trouble and morally challenging decision but he always comes out on top by following his heart and doing what he feels to be right.

    Read More

  • What Is The Corrupt Influence Of Society In Huck Finn

    884 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mark Twain emphasizes the theme that a person's morals are more powerful than the corrupt influence of society in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Based on how Huck Finn views the world and forms his opinions, he does not know the difference between right and wrong. In the novel, Huck escapes civilized society. He encounters a runaway slave, Jim, and together they travel hopes of freedom. But along the way, Huck and Jim come across troubles that have Huck questioning his motives.

    Read More

  • Huck Finn's Moral Development In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1141 Words  | 5 Pages

    Individuals often say that the right way may not necessarily be the popular way, but standing up for the right thing, despite it being frowned upon, will be the true test of one’s moral character. This relates to the moral growth that Huck Finn experiences throughout his journey. Mark Twain’s controversial novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, can be said to be a compelling story about how one individual, Huck Finn, goes against society’s ideals. Huck’s moral development can be said to be based primarily on those around him, especially Jim. Many instances also influence Huck’s morals, particularly during the raft journey that will change his beliefs and morals.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Morality In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reader gauges morality through the misadventures of Huck and Jim. Notably, Huck morally matures as his perspective on society evolves into a spectrum of right and wrong. Though he is still a child, his growth yields the previous notions of immaturity and innocence. Likewise, Mark Twain emphasizes compelling matters and issues in society, such as religion, racism, and greed. During the span of Huck’s journey, he evolves morally and ethically through his critique of societal normalities.

    Read More

More about Morality In Mark Twain´s Huckleberry Finn

Open Document