"You don't know about me, without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer..." (1).
In the opening line of Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he assumes that people reading this story have already read his other novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn, the narrator of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, then continues to explain what he assumes readers already know after the conclusion of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which is that he and Sawyer found the money the robbers hid in the cave so they both became rich. However, Finn tells readers to discard what they think they already know about him because Twain did not tell the complete truth in his other novel, and Finn wants readers to have the chance to create new opinions about him as he narrates a story from his own perspective.
This is so good! Such good analyzing! Not only Twain assumes that his readers already read his other novels, he also assumes his readers might have different opinions on the topic of slavery, otherwise he wouldn't have stated "persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished" and "IN this book a number of dialects are used, to wit" in the explanatory section.
This is such a good assumption, especially because Twain "assumes" that his audience has read Tom Sawyer, making Huck Finn readers who haven't read Tom Sawyer want to read it (helping Twain's business). At the same time, though, as you said Angela, Twain says that the two books are different, making Tom Sawyer readers more open to reading Huck Finn even though they've already read a similar story.
p. 100-125 As Huck Finn and Jim travel farther along the river, they start looking for "Cairo" with eager anticipation (98-105). Twain assumes his 19th century audience knows of Cairo, Illinois--the first city in the North where Jim will gain his freedom. It additionally was the intersection of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, where Finn and Jim could travel up into the free states.
Additionally, while Huck Finn is at the Grangerford's, he examines some of their books, which included Henry Clay's Speeches and Dr. Gunn's Family Medicine (113). Henry Clay was a was a Senator for Kentucky, later becoming Speaker of the House and Secretary of State. He formulated many compromises in Congress over the issue of slavery, such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850. Dr. Gunn's Family Medicine was a popular home medical guide in the mid-1800s, allowing for each family to care for themselves in times of illness. Again at the Grangerford's, Finn describes the pictures on the walls--"mainly Washingtons and Lafayettes" (113), assuming his audience is knowledgeable about George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette's roles in the American Revolution.
This is great Ellie! I like how you included the books that the Grangerford's because it also assumes that the reader either was reading it at the time or had taken a US History class. Having Huck describe the pictures as walls also shows that he isn't as educated as that family. This suggest that this novel is for more educated folk.
Great knowledge Ellie! I'm really glad you explained these assumptions because I forgot to look them up after I finished reading, but now they make sense! I am wondering though, why did a seemingly wealthy, white family who owns slaves have multiple books about slavery and compromise?
Blog 3: Assumption Ginny Li page (125-200) Huck assumed the Grangerford “was a gentlemen. He was well born, as well as his family. even Widow Douglass said and no body ever denied that she was the first aristocracy in our town.” (118) In reality, The Grangerfords are the most stupid and uneducated characters in the novel. Unlike other characters who murder their companions with gossips and societal norms, the Grangerford actually murder people with real knives. Their feud had been going on for centuries, just like in Romeo and Juliet, but they have no idea why and how the quarrel started. They are trapped in their uneducated and self-important minds. Even with the art paintings and beautiful houses they own, they could not realize the preacher’s sapphire when he was laughing in their face at the ceremony.
I think this is a really interesting way to look at it. Your idea that "they are trapped in their uneducated and self-important minds" is something that explored in such depth in this novel and can definitely be applied to racists as well. There are many characters that use their ignorance in the form of hatred for others, and I think that this stupidity is exactly what stands in the way of Jim's freedom and happiness.
This is a great example of the hypocrisy that Twain addresses in the novel. Coupled with Finn's anger at Jim for running away and the institution of slavery itself, the cant within the tale is a window into the society of the pre-war antebellum South.
Huck assumed Col. Grangerford was a gentleman based on material objects that he had/owned. Huck's previous upbringing in a higher class household with the Widow taught him that actions don't matter as much as appearance does. Despite his occasional feuding, if a man is well-dressed, well-presented, and owns decent things, he is considered a gentleman. The Widow and Miss Watson instilled these values of a gentleman into Huck, which is why he was able to recognize the Col. as a gentleman.
The basement of my first house was comprised of two huge book cases that contained every classic know to man. Or so it seemed when I was 5 and those shelves were 6 feet taller than me. Reading and writing has consistently been something that I look forward to, and having had the opportunity to learn how to read and write, literacy is something that has shaped my life and my future. Literacy is important in the novel as the reader assumes that Jim is illiterate, until Huck confirms this as he says that “Jim can’t read” (243). It is most likely at this time that most of the slaves Huck has met in his lifetime are illiterate, and it is accurate to assume that at this time a very little percentage of slaves could read or write.
I like your personal example. Almost all the slaves were illiterate and uneducated. White owners would not let their slaves become educated out of fear that they would get smart, unite, rise up, and revolt. The probability that the slaves would be able to pull off such a revolt successfully was fairly high, which scared the white slave owners. It wasn't only the black slaves that were uneducated, however; Huck's father, Pap, though white, was an uneducated drunk who tried to prevent his son from getting an education, out of jealousy that Huck would be smarter than him.
It's great how you said that literacy has shaped your life and future, but I also think that first-hand experiences are extremely important in shaping a person's life.
Isabella Canani Angela I agree first hand experience is important becuase it is better you remember it better. Huck knows what alcoholism does to a family and how pop treats him.
"You don't know about me, without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer..." (1).
ReplyDeleteIn the opening line of Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he assumes that people reading this story have already read his other novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn, the narrator of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, then continues to explain what he assumes readers already know after the conclusion of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which is that he and Sawyer found the money the robbers hid in the cave so they both became rich. However, Finn tells readers to discard what they think they already know about him because Twain did not tell the complete truth in his other novel, and Finn wants readers to have the chance to create new opinions about him as he narrates a story from his own perspective.
This is so good! Such good analyzing! Not only Twain assumes that his readers already read his other novels, he also assumes his readers might have different opinions on the topic of slavery, otherwise he wouldn't have stated "persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished" and "IN this book a number of dialects are used, to wit" in the explanatory section.
DeleteThis is such a good assumption, especially because Twain "assumes" that his audience has read Tom Sawyer, making Huck Finn readers who haven't read Tom Sawyer want to read it (helping Twain's business). At the same time, though, as you said Angela, Twain says that the two books are different, making Tom Sawyer readers more open to reading Huck Finn even though they've already read a similar story.
Deletep. 100-125
ReplyDeleteAs Huck Finn and Jim travel farther along the river, they start looking for "Cairo" with eager anticipation (98-105). Twain assumes his 19th century audience knows of Cairo, Illinois--the first city in the North where Jim will gain his freedom. It additionally was the intersection of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, where Finn and Jim could travel up into the free states.
Additionally, while Huck Finn is at the Grangerford's, he examines some of their books, which included Henry Clay's Speeches and Dr. Gunn's Family Medicine (113). Henry Clay was a was a Senator for Kentucky, later becoming Speaker of the House and Secretary of State. He formulated many compromises in Congress over the issue of slavery, such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850. Dr. Gunn's Family Medicine was a popular home medical guide in the mid-1800s, allowing for each family to care for themselves in times of illness. Again at the Grangerford's, Finn describes the pictures on the walls--"mainly Washingtons and Lafayettes" (113), assuming his audience is knowledgeable about George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette's roles in the American Revolution.
This is great Ellie! I like how you included the books that the Grangerford's because it also assumes that the reader either was reading it at the time or had taken a US History class. Having Huck describe the pictures as walls also shows that he isn't as educated as that family. This suggest that this novel is for more educated folk.
DeleteGreat knowledge Ellie! I'm really glad you explained these assumptions because I forgot to look them up after I finished reading, but now they make sense! I am wondering though, why did a seemingly wealthy, white family who owns slaves have multiple books about slavery and compromise?
DeleteBlog 3:
ReplyDeleteAssumption
Ginny Li page (125-200)
Huck assumed the Grangerford “was a gentlemen. He was well born, as well as his family. even Widow Douglass said and no body ever denied that she was the first aristocracy in our town.” (118) In reality, The Grangerfords are the most stupid and uneducated characters in the novel. Unlike other characters who murder their companions with gossips and societal norms, the Grangerford actually murder people with real knives. Their feud had been going on for centuries, just like in Romeo and Juliet, but they have no idea why and how the quarrel started. They are trapped in their uneducated and self-important minds. Even with the art paintings and beautiful houses they own, they could not realize the preacher’s sapphire when he was laughing in their face at the ceremony.
I think this is a really interesting way to look at it. Your idea that "they are trapped in their uneducated and self-important minds" is something that explored in such depth in this novel and can definitely be applied to racists as well. There are many characters that use their ignorance in the form of hatred for others, and I think that this stupidity is exactly what stands in the way of Jim's freedom and happiness.
DeleteThis is a great example of the hypocrisy that Twain addresses in the novel. Coupled with Finn's anger at Jim for running away and the institution of slavery itself, the cant within the tale is a window into the society of the pre-war antebellum South.
DeleteHuck assumed Col. Grangerford was a gentleman based on material objects that he had/owned. Huck's previous upbringing in a higher class household with the Widow taught him that actions don't matter as much as appearance does. Despite his occasional feuding, if a man is well-dressed, well-presented, and owns decent things, he is considered a gentleman. The Widow and Miss Watson instilled these values of a gentleman into Huck, which is why he was able to recognize the Col. as a gentleman.
Delete235-300
ReplyDeleteThe basement of my first house was comprised of two huge book cases that contained every classic know to man. Or so it seemed when I was 5 and those shelves were 6 feet taller than me. Reading and writing has consistently been something that I look forward to, and having had the opportunity to learn how to read and write, literacy is something that has shaped my life and my future. Literacy is important in the novel as the reader assumes that Jim is illiterate, until Huck confirms this as he says that “Jim can’t read” (243). It is most likely at this time that most of the slaves Huck has met in his lifetime are illiterate, and it is accurate to assume that at this time a very little percentage of slaves could read or write.
I like your personal example. Almost all the slaves were illiterate and uneducated. White owners would not let their slaves become educated out of fear that they would get smart, unite, rise up, and revolt. The probability that the slaves would be able to pull off such a revolt successfully was fairly high, which scared the white slave owners. It wasn't only the black slaves that were uneducated, however; Huck's father, Pap, though white, was an uneducated drunk who tried to prevent his son from getting an education, out of jealousy that Huck would be smarter than him.
DeleteIt's great how you said that literacy has shaped your life and future, but I also think that first-hand experiences are extremely important in shaping a person's life.
DeleteIsabella Canani
ReplyDeleteAngela I agree first hand experience is important becuase it is better you remember it better. Huck knows what alcoholism does to a family and how pop treats him.