Twain's claim in the first 100 pages is that race and class don't define a person, and don't determine their character. Huckleberry Finn had transitioned from living with the wealthy, white widow to his white father, yet still life was not perfect and he was not completely happy. Life was too strict when rooted in the Catholicism and education of the widow, while he lived in fear of being beaten and abandoned by his father in the log cabin. However, once he escapes and joins forces with Jim--a poor, runaway slave with a thick Missouri Negro dialect--Finn finds true happiness and adventure.
What a great point, Ellie! I love how the idea that race and class don’t define individuals develops throughout the novel. When Huck and Jim pass that boy on the road, the boy views Jim not as a person, not even as a slave, but rather, as a “two hundred dollars reward” (235). This diction exhibits the mindset of those in the antebellum south.
In this passage, Jim is professing his friendship and loyalty to Huck, which is an important storyline in the novel. Since Huck helped Jim escape and stay hidden, Jim now wants to stick with him because Huck is the only friend he has ever had.
In addition to logos and ethos, the novel contains a great deal of pathos, and the quote you chose was, in my opinion, the best example of pathos in the book. Heartfelt moments such as this were meant to convince both Southern and Northern individuals of the inhumanities of slavery before and after the Civil War, and still manage to convey a sort of poignancy that I find to be increasingly rare in modern literature.
“So she done it. And it was the niggers - I just expected it. She said the beautiful trip to England was most about spoiled for her; she didn't know how she was ever going to be happy there, knowing the mother and the children warn't ever going to see each other no more - and then busted out bitterer than ever, and flung up her hands.” (207)
Aside from Finn, Mary is seemingly the only other European-descended character within the novel who is able to recognize African-descended individuals as possessing the same sentiments as Europeans. However, unlike Finn, Mary does not actually work against the cruelties of slavery. Thus, Twain subtly criticized those who called themselves abolitionists yet did nothing more than simply declare the need for emancipation - they did not truly devote themselves to achieving their aims for fear of challenging the almighty ethnocentric ideologies of Southern society. Twain asserts that these individuals were not as selfless as they claimed themselves to be, and stresses the need for them to alter such ineffective methods.
I love your connection of Mary Jane's character to the so-called 'abolitionists'. However, these 'abolitionists' quite possibly felt that advocating for the lives of the black slaves was a danger to their own lives, so they kept quiet. Even today, people are afraid to speak and act on what they believe out of fear of backlash from their community. If their feelings, beliefs and ideas don't coincide with the common societal belief, they could be torn apart, wrecked, and ostracized. With their lives and their reputations on the line, it makes sense that many 'abolitionists' kept quiet.
Well Twain as well was afraid of the backlash by saying that he found the book instead of writing it. There will always be ideas that are revolutionary that people will be afraid to speak out about.
At this point in the novel Huck’s interactions with the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, and their ongoing family rivalry focuses on the idea that not all is what it seems. Twain claims that initial perceptions of people are not significant enough to understand who that person is, and that assumptions are often false. Although the Shepherdsons have “never done nothing” to Buck, he still shoots at them, and is promptly asked by Huck “what did you want to kill him for?” Although both sides don’t understand the cause of the feud they assume that the opposing family deserves to be harmed, just as Huck’s racist society believes that Jim deserves nothing more than slavery, despite the fact that they really don’t understand him as a person.
“But that’s always the way; it don’t make no difference whether or not you do right or wrong, a person's conscience ain't got no sense, and it just goes for him anyway.” (257-8) Everyone comes to a fork in the road at some point in their life. They have a few options, but they are all terrible, and there is no one ‘good’ or ‘right option. Every road has it’s drawbacks. Once the decision has been made, the negative clauses of the chosen path take effect, and the decision maker feels guilty. That feeling of guilt would have come with any of the options. Huck believes that no matter what happens, consciences will make the person feel bad either way. Huck felt partially responsible for the fate of the king and the duke, even though they were terrible people who deserved their punishment of tar and feathers.
Twain's claim in the first 100 pages is that race and class don't define a person, and don't determine their character. Huckleberry Finn had transitioned from living with the wealthy, white widow to his white father, yet still life was not perfect and he was not completely happy. Life was too strict when rooted in the Catholicism and education of the widow, while he lived in fear of being beaten and abandoned by his father in the log cabin. However, once he escapes and joins forces with Jim--a poor, runaway slave with a thick Missouri Negro dialect--Finn finds true happiness and adventure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point, Ellie! I love how the idea that race and class don’t define individuals develops throughout the novel. When Huck and Jim pass that boy on the road, the boy views Jim not as a person, not even as a slave, but rather, as a “two hundred dollars reward” (235). This diction exhibits the mindset of those in the antebellum south.
DeletePages 100-125
ReplyDelete"Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had" (101).
In this passage, Jim is professing his friendship and loyalty to Huck, which is an important storyline in the novel. Since Huck helped Jim escape and stay hidden, Jim now wants to stick with him because Huck is the only friend he has ever had.
In addition to logos and ethos, the novel contains a great deal of pathos, and the quote you chose was, in my opinion, the best example of pathos in the book. Heartfelt moments such as this were meant to convince both Southern and Northern individuals of the inhumanities of slavery before and after the Civil War, and still manage to convey a sort of poignancy that I find to be increasingly rare in modern literature.
Delete“So she done it. And it was the niggers - I just expected it. She said the beautiful trip to England was most about spoiled for her; she didn't know how she was ever going to be happy there, knowing the mother and the children warn't ever going to see each other no more - and then busted out bitterer than ever, and flung up her hands.” (207)
ReplyDeleteAside from Finn, Mary is seemingly the only other European-descended character within the novel who is able to recognize African-descended individuals as possessing the same sentiments as Europeans. However, unlike Finn, Mary does not actually work against the cruelties of slavery. Thus, Twain subtly criticized those who called themselves abolitionists yet did nothing more than simply declare the need for emancipation - they did not truly devote themselves to achieving their aims for fear of challenging the almighty ethnocentric ideologies of Southern society. Twain asserts that these individuals were not as selfless as they claimed themselves to be, and stresses the need for them to alter such ineffective methods.
I love your connection of Mary Jane's character to the so-called 'abolitionists'. However, these 'abolitionists' quite possibly felt that advocating for the lives of the black slaves was a danger to their own lives, so they kept quiet. Even today, people are afraid to speak and act on what they believe out of fear of backlash from their community. If their feelings, beliefs and ideas don't coincide with the common societal belief, they could be torn apart, wrecked, and ostracized. With their lives and their reputations on the line, it makes sense that many 'abolitionists' kept quiet.
DeleteWell Twain as well was afraid of the backlash by saying that he found the book instead of writing it. There will always be ideas that are revolutionary that people will be afraid to speak out about.
Delete125-200
ReplyDeleteAt this point in the novel Huck’s interactions with the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, and their ongoing family rivalry focuses on the idea that not all is what it seems. Twain claims that initial perceptions of people are not significant enough to understand who that person is, and that assumptions are often false. Although the Shepherdsons have “never done nothing” to Buck, he still shoots at them, and is promptly asked by Huck “what did you want to kill him for?” Although both sides don’t understand the cause of the feud they assume that the opposing family deserves to be harmed, just as Huck’s racist society believes that Jim deserves nothing more than slavery, despite the fact that they really don’t understand him as a person.
(This quote is on page 158)
DeleteJulia Nail
ReplyDeleteBlock F
Pages 235-300
Claim
“But that’s always the way; it don’t make no difference whether or not you do right or wrong, a person's conscience ain't got no sense, and it just goes for him anyway.” (257-8)
Everyone comes to a fork in the road at some point in their life. They have a few options, but they are all terrible, and there is no one ‘good’ or ‘right option. Every road has it’s drawbacks. Once the decision has been made, the negative clauses of the chosen path take effect, and the decision maker feels guilty. That feeling of guilt would have come with any of the options. Huck believes that no matter what happens, consciences will make the person feel bad either way. Huck felt partially responsible for the fate of the king and the duke, even though they were terrible people who deserved their punishment of tar and feathers.