Huckleberry Finn Romanticism Analysis

Improved Essays
The theme of Realism vs. Romanticism is heavily satirized through out The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it appears constantly as a form of social commentary of the authors and beliefs of the people of the time. Twain uses his characters as concepts to the reader, with Tom representing the romantic views and Huck representing the realistic view of the time period.
Our most definite evidence to this theme is in Chapter 2. Tom convinces Huck to sneak out at night for the purpose of joining his gang. It is at this point when Tom explores the idea of having an "official" oath for his gang. In the oath, Tom elaborates on the various punishments of breaking said oath such as killing the offending person. Tom’s originally wants his gang to murder, steal, and kidnap from people coming to town in their
…show more content…
Just like writers who often make stories based on books without firsthand experiences, Tom Sawyer has very little knowledge on how to execute crimes however, he has read dozens of adventure stories involving criminals and rebels. Tom’s miniscule amount of knowledge is compared to fantasy writers and their make-believe stories of the time. Twain's portrayal of Tom’s ignorance helps show the reader the absurdity of fantasy and adventure stories written by authors who too have little knowledge in those genres. On the contrary we have Huck Finn, a practical and logical young man, he is the contrasting character to Tom. While Tom is very flamboyant and elaborate in his thoughts, Huck is practical and serious. On another note, Twain helps to characterize Huck by having him narrate the story in a deadpan manner, often with Huck’s observations of Tom’s actions as having “no profit”. In a simpler way to compare the two characters, if both were locked in a room, Tom would device a plan to use items in the room to pick the lock whereas

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Mark Twain himself described Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as “a book where a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision. And the conscience will suffer defeat!” Huck uses his sound heart and acts on his feelings, despite everything he has been taught by society, Pap, and the Widow. Throughout the novel, Huck follows his heart instead of his…

    • 657 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Twain fails provide the significance of Huck’s journey and unsuccessfully gives a reason for Huck’s actions when it comes to…

    • 988 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Tom and Huck are selfish at this point of the book which shows how Huck’s moral epiphany from earlier was all for nothing. Huck reverts back to how he was in the beginning of the story due to Tom’s influence. As Huck and Tom go on their selfish adventures they said, “So we allowed we would steal everything there was that come in handy” (Twain 243). In the beginning of the story Huck has issues with stealing. Throughout the book he finally realizes what the right thing is.…

    • 2072 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a timeless American Classic by Mark Twain, yet its ideas and philosophies are debated to this day. Many did not like the morals present in the book, along with the language, ideals, and actions of the main characters. The book targeted the controversial topics of the day and would forever be surrounded by that controversy which originated from the very backbone and attitudes of the everyday man. For Mark Twain in his novel, Huckleberry Finn uses Pap's caustic tone, and Huck's assertive tone to condemn the unfair treatment of others.…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    When talking about who Huckleberry Finn is, it is important to include the different pieces and parts that add up to who he is as a whole. This novel was unique to others that I have read because of the first-person point of view. It gave the reader an insight into what Huck was thinking rather than just guessing characteristics from his actions. From his thoughts and actions Huck’s personality circled around his immaturity, morality, and the idea that he doesn’t fit into the time period. From the beginning to the end of the novel Huckleberry’s immaturity was noticeable.…

    • 1363 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates Huck’s character by using traits that influence his actions and his relationships with people. To begin, Huck’s father raised him in a bad environment and took him into a whole other environment that he is not familiar with and does not know how to act. In the novel, the reader can describe Huck’s character as uncivilized by the way he acts when he has trouble fitting in and learning how to live civilized. When the Widow Douglas took Huck in she tried to civilize him and when Huck could not stand it anymore he, “[…] lit out. I got into my old rags, and my sugar- hogshead again, and was free and satisfied” (Twain 1).…

    • 380 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his opinion Huck thinks that the only way a person was good is when they were educated,Huck thinks that good would based on the elements of dangers we face everyday. For example in chaptor 5 Pap harasses Chuck for wearing good clothe and going to school, he also acusses him for acting better than his own father and “putting on airs” to. Pap says that no one in his family has been able to read ever. Another scene that is goes along with the same theme is where Huck is in the cave during the end of the second chapter.…

    • 291 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, although it was written much before today’s time, still correlate with the events that take place in our society today. Mark Twain wrote this book after his story The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to tell the stories of Tom’s best friend, Huckleberry Finn. In this story Huck and a runaway slave, Jim, travel together along the Mississippi River, exploring the cultural differences of the time, and making their way to freedom. Therefore, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn should be maintained as a book that high school students read because many of the historical topics that are mentioned in this story, still relate with events in our society today.…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Why Is Huck Finn Wrong

    • 1627 Words
    • 7 Pages

    It is easy to fall under the influence of others, especially when one is a child. Mark Twain points this out through the use of his fictional character, Huck, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck is exposed to two characters, Jim and Tom, who play a huge impact in shaping his perspective of write and wrong. Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim helps Huck attain better morals in regards to thievery and ownership; whereas Tom Sawyer serves as an obstacle to Huck’s moral progression. Tom Sawyer misleads Huck by creating his inner desire to steal.…

    • 1627 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Huck Finn Childhood

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Earlier Tom looks up to Huck Finn as much older and wiser, but by the end his maturity has surpassed Huck Finn’s. Twain complicates Tom’s position on the border between childhood and adulthood. Twain’s harshest banter exposes the hypocrisy and the essential childishness of social institutions…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As many did not realize, there is much more to life than the civilized world and is bigger than any race or discrimination of others. Throughout the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain, Huck is always on the run from the ‘real world’ to live a free life with his black best friend, Jim. In the midst of this, Twain is continually evolving Huck as a character to expose the flawed thinking in the world around him. In the beginning of the story, Huck is very oblivious to everything going on around him including abuse, slavery, and stealing.…

    • 1962 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As Huck and Jim continue their trip down the river, the reader develops a strong relationship with Jim as well, wishing for him to be free. The reader, while they might not realize it, begins to see the hardships and slavery and all of the conflicts that a slave would face. These rich, white men that Twain is attempting to reach out to, are being persuaded in a new direction by seeing the strong bond between Huck and Jim. Twain successfully uses dialect, characters, and conflicts to create one of the best pieces of social commentary ever, and is able to reach his audience with a clever, indirect…

    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mark Twain, exposes the evil in his society and he mainly tells truth about society and he says,“You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter... there was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth”(Twain, p.9). The Twain is kind of muckraker who exposes society’s problems by writing a book and he speaks about racist culture. In the other hand, Huck characters saw more superior than Jim character, however sometimes Huck treats Jim nicely and he begins to show sympathy toward Jim. In addition, before pre-civil war slavery was legal and other people refuse to apologize to black people because of their skin color but in the book, Huck did an impressive job…

    • 1458 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Twain uses moral complications and Huck’s personal perspective on the resulting internal conflict to demonstrate Huck’s evolution and changing mindset. Through Huck’s opinion of the duke and the dauphin, his qualms over aiding a fugitive slave, and his relationship with Tom, Twain gives a depiction of Huck’s maturing conscience and morals. Huck, who portrays the antithesis of societal standards, serves to convey the timeless message that society often expects ignorance from the very people who are proving it…

    • 1058 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He is one character that is centered more on realism, but still has traces of romanticism in his actions. Instead of having grand ideas like Tom Sawyer and the new judge, Huckleberry Finn has mostly realistic ideas that fit the given situation. When Huckleberry Finn knows that his father is after his money, he decides to give the money to Judge Thatcher saying, “I want you to take it; I want to give it to you- the six thousand and all… Don’t you ask me no questions about it, please” (Twain 15). Huckleberry Finn gives his money to the Judge knowing that his father will not be able to access it.…

    • 1060 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays