Mark Twain on Society in Huckleberry Finn
If you have ever felt that the rules presented by society are cruel, suppressing, or just plain unfair, do something about it. This idea is prominent in Mark Twain’s masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Throughout this novel, Twain expresses his disapproval for American society during the late 1800’s through the eyes of Huck Finn and the adventures Huck encounters on his journey down the Mississippi River. Twain reveals this opinion of society by Huck’s realization of American life and his actions toward freedom, as well as Huck’s relationship with ‘nigger’ Jim. Twain also informs his view of society directly through Colonel Sherburn’s speech to the ‘lynch mob’. As you may already know, Huck Finn is a young boy, and his experiences and observations of society are pure. Therefore, his opinions are unbiased and prove Twain’s ideals to be logical and moral.
Foremost, Twain’s opinion is expressed clearly through Huck Finn’s actions towards society. In the beginning pages of the novel Huck shows that he doesn’t want, or care, to be ‘sivilized’. Huck’s legal guardian, the Widow, constantly reprehends him for his behavior. When asking the Widow if he may have a smoke, the Widow says it is unclean and that he shouldn’t do it. Huck concludes, “That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it.” (2). Twain clearly states that many people intuitively put down things when they don’t know much about them. By this, Twain shows how ignorance is common in society; not to mention, whites ignorance of black people. Twain also makes his point by having Huck wanting to be free and away from society. Huck informs us about his lessons from Miss Watson, the Widow’s sister, by stating, “she told me all about the bad place (hell), and I said I wished I was there. She got mad then, but I didn’t mean no harm. All I wanted was to go somewheres;” (2). Twain is basically saying, through Huck, that he rather go to hell than be civilized or that hell might be a nicer place than society. Huck just wants to be free: someplace where there aren’t so many rules that restrict his behavior and make him feel uncomfortable. Also, when Pap, Huck’s father,...