ipl-logo

How Does Twain Use Satire In Huckleberry Finn

895 Words4 Pages

Marie Herrin Mrs. Huffaker AP Language 12 January 2016 Racism in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn An issue of central importance in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is the controversial topic of racism. In chapter six, Twain manipulates his reader’s response to racism by controlling the speaker and surrounding circumstances of the bigoted statements in a way that pushes the reader to reject the racism because they have already rejected the speaker. In order to influence his readers, Twain utilizes the rhetorical devices of characterization and satire to show the immorality of the racist message. Through the characterization of Pap, Twain is able to express his anti-slavery views and influence them onto his readers. Twain depicts …show more content…

Yes, just as that man has got that son raised at last, and ready to go to work and begin to do suthin’ for HIM and give him a rest, the law up and goes for him. And they call THAT govment! That ain’t all, nuther.” This is ironic because it is evident that Pap did not raise Huck and he would also be a horrible role model for him if he did so. Because Pap did not benefit Huck’s upbringing in anyway, it is obvious that Twain portrays Pap as a narrow-minded character that should not be trusted. Twain clearly demonstrates bigotry though Pap’s close mindedness that is evident throughout his speech about the government. “When they told me there was a State in this country where they’d let that n----- vote, I drawed out. I says I’ll never vote again...I says to the people, why ain’t this n----- put up at auction and sold?” (Twain 20). This quote is an example of one of Pap’s commentaries that readers don’t tend to agree with. Pap’s speech creates a pattern of recognition for the audience which allows them to reject any of Pap’s beliefs, including his view on racism. Thus, when Pap talks about his opinion on racism, readers tend to disregard it as well. In addition, Twain makes an effective use of making Pap the speaker in this chapter because the way Twain characterizes Pap reinforces how readers may oppose his

Show More
Related

  • Rhetorical Analysis Huckleberry Finn

    752 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the sixth chapter of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain manipulates the reader’s opinion of racism by using Pap, an antagonist to display his attitude towards the subject. Twain expertly uses the character Pap to explain his viewpoint using circumstance and the structure of his speech to make the idea of racism distasteful, uncomfortable, and even absurd to the reader. Before the initial speech Twain sets up Pap as a horrible father, a chronic alcoholic, and a liar. These qualities followed by Pap’s actions establish a permanent animosity towards the character and what he stands for leading the reader to inherently disagree with everything he says. Twain introuduces Pap at the beginning of chapter 6 by with him attempting to steal

    Read More

  • How Should Huckleberry Finn Be Censored

    743 Words  | 3 Pages

    Twain's writing cuts deep into the heart of racism, and shows us that it does not matter what we look like on the outside, it only matters what we have on the

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn Rhetorical Analysis

    438 Words  | 2 Pages

    Twain satirizing the KKK serves as a relevant purpose because Sherburn’s speech portrays how Twain believes that racists represent cowards and their ridiculous ideas serve no good purpose. Sherburn knows that the mob is “afraid to back down- afraid you’ll be found out what you are- cowards” (Twain 146). Twain satirizes the KKK through innuendo by describing them as cowards because they wear masks, only come out in groups, and can only be found at night. Twain disagrees with the KKK and their beliefs and wants to portray to his readers that the cowardly people behind them have no strength. The ideas Twain subverts still remain present in society

    Read More

  • Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Public Schools Essay

    818 Words  | 4 Pages

    A major theme throughout American history, as well as throughout Huck Finn, is racism. Racism, a topic still raw today, should not be ignored. Jocelyn Chadwick, a Mark Twain scholar, writes, “Twain brings into schools what most of us in this country desperately need, yet fear, most: discussions-frank discussions-about race”. With the use of the N-word and dialogue such as “‘We blowed out a cylinder head.’ ‘Good gracious!

    Read More

  • Dbq Essay On Huck Finn

    1030 Words  | 5 Pages

    Writing in many ways is artwork — writers are able to use words and sentences in order to make big ideas as a painter is able to use his paint to illustrate big pictures and ideas; but like a picture, writing can be read and seem differently to each of the readers eyes. Works of literature such as these can be subjected to controversy from disputes of true meaning in the text. The novel Huck Finn has been challenged and criticized by adults and children for being full of racist language and bigotry. Since its publishing in 1885, the book Huck Finn has created an enormous public debate on whether or not Huck Finn should be taught in the classroom. Mark Twain, the author of Huck Finn, wrote the book to be full of racist ideas, in order for

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn Pap Quotes

    1236 Words  | 5 Pages

    Pap is also a bad role model for Huck due to his abusive, racist, and prideful nature. He drives Huck to abandon society to continue on his search for freedom. Pap did not represent a

    Read More

  • Examples Of Racism In Huckleberry Finn

    142 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the racist attitudes of the Deep South in the late 1800's are shown. Mark Twain portrays a runaway slave, Jim, as a racist caricature who does whatever is asked of him and exhibits little intelligence. The reader can initially see this through the use of the word "nigger" that is all throughout the book. In the modern 21st century this term is taken offensively, but in the 19th century this term was commonly used and Twain took advantage of it.

    Read More

  • Huck Finn Racism Analysis

    1403 Words  | 6 Pages

    The black man on the back porch is afraid of the rattle snake because it is bad luck, or the innocent little slave is quick to believe everything one tells them at the drop of the hat. These are just some of the many racist stereotypes of the 1840s. A character named Jim is the star African American whom Twain bestoys the mission of being the stereotypical black man to prove a point. He along with his much more pallor companion Huck go on exciting adventures that unfold the events which expose the racist conduct of the time. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain saturates his novel with potent images of acute racism severe enough as to create a satirical mien that exposes the absurdity of prejudice.

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn Racism Essay

    1151 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mark Twain is a very famous and respected writer who is often criticized for his racist language and accused of being racist himself, especially with a particular novel. This novel is called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and is about a runaway slave and a young boy’s adventures as they attempt to escape and the young boy, Huck, struggling between his own morals and society’s racist attitude. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist novel because of Huck’s morals representing Twain’s own, Twain’s use of realism in the book, and his positive characterization of slave characters, like Jim. In this novel, Huck has his own moral opinion of Jim as a slave, which represents Twain’s own morals in his real life.

    Read More

  • Mark Twain's Use Of Satire In Huckleberry Finn

    939 Words  | 4 Pages

    He included multiple types of irony, and using Huck, showcased his theme of morality over legality perfectly. Huck's innocence is a dramatic irony in a way that only the reader knows that what he does is actually right when he is told and thinks otherwise. The reader is also able to infer that personal beliefs can trump herd mentality any day, and that insight can only come through first-hand experience. Twain's impact of theme affects the reader just as heavily as it does Huckleberry Finn, crossing the barrier of fact and fiction. He is able to enlighten readers that a better world is among them, although they may need to sift through the cesspool of a poorly influenced society, just like Huck

    Read More

  • Huck Finn Racism Quotes

    1724 Words  | 7 Pages

    These reasons show why Twain may have intended to discourage racism. In the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain it is a story of a troubled young boy and his good friend Jim. In the story Twain is not trying to portray racism toward the character Jim but rather is discouraging it. We see examples in the novel where Twain shows how Jim differs from other White men who cheat others, how he describes the white and black symbolism, and shows empathy for Jim.

    Read More

  • What Is Racism In Huck Finn

    1124 Words  | 5 Pages

    The book is seen as a controversial element due to the fact that it contains many slurs and a language that is seen as vulgar and crude. Twain’s attitude infers that the ideal thought of slavery and racism are in fact are somewhat the traditional views of the past, but he used satire and irony to insure his readers

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Racism In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1658 Words  | 7 Pages

    The book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885. Twain wrote this book as a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In the process of writing he ended up creating a book about how racism and how wrong it is. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was in 1839-1840 in the Mississippi Valley where Jim and Huck meet many different people, and this is where most of the stuff they went through happened. Huck Finn is a 12 year old boy ,who has no sense of right and wrong Huck is the main character and affects how the story went.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Morality In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the following statement, “It was ‘lection day, and I [Pap] was just about to go and vote myself if I warn’t too drunk to get there’ but when they told me there was a state in this country where they’d let that nigger vote, I drawed out” (Twain 27), the reader questions the decency in an abusive, alcoholic excuse of a man being able to vote over a black man. Comparatively, Twain suggests that someone’s color shouldn’t determine their basic human rights. Whether it be with voting, or even just having freedom from slavery, the corruption of equality leads to a major theme of the novel.

    Read More

  • Racism And Slavery In Huck Finn

    516 Words  | 3 Pages

    Twain’s perspective on slavery and ideas regarding racism had been a source of debate. This theme of racism and slavery and Twain’s perception of it is developed throughout the “plot” events of the book. Twain was passionately anti-slavery during his

    Read More

More about How Does Twain Use Satire In Huckleberry Finn

Open Document