Group Perspective: Confronting Expectations

Since the late 19^th century, Huckleberry Finn has been considered an American classic, portraying the distinct American culture and social climate during one of the countries most instable periods. The time surrounding the civil war as well as the war itself mark a period in American history in which the country was almost irrevocably ripped apart by differing economic, political, and social views. The novel Huckleberry Finn effectively showcases the difficulties of this time in terms of developing social opinions and reveals the strength of sectional divide. Huck’s tenacity inspires the reader to confront society and excites an audience rooting for the rebellious thoughts Huck tries to quell. As Huck moves throughout his journey, he grows close to his black companion, Jim, and begins to view him as more of a human being and friend rather than a former slave to be relinquished for monetary reward. Jim represents the best of humanity, portraying an almost secret intelligence, that speaks of the equality between whites and blacks. Twain was writing this novel following the war and very close to reconstruction, a time no less stained by tension and disunity than that of the Civil War. The period was marked by moral confusion—how do we deal with slaves? Are they equal? How do you change your whole outlook on life? Modern readers are largely separated from the tensions present at the time of authorship and generally regard the novel as the journey of a southern boy slowly coming to see that slavery is wrong and that African Americans are equal to whites. This explains the common distaste for the seemingly racist end to the novel. Why has Huck, who has come so far, regressed so quickly? This is the beauty and skill of Twain’s writing. At no point has Twain given the reader reason to believe that Huck is working towards abolitionism. Rather, each  time Huck treats Jim as an equal or close to an equal he feels guilt. Twain is using his main character to portray the uncertainty of the period. Huck deals with the same questions all white southerners confronted following the Civil War. He struggles to reconcile the views drilled into him by Southern society and his new doubts. Recognizing this, the end makes sense. Twain does not arbitrarily decide to have Huck fall from his advanced moral position because Huck is not truly on the pedestal where readers have placed him. Huck has made no decision that is fully anti-slavery or pro-Civil Rights—he has only had doubts. Many readers take these doubts and assume Huck is becoming an abolitionist. Twain has not deviated from the main plot but rather he has confronted reader’s expectations of Huck and highlights the difficulty of reforming a society dependent upon an institution like slavery.

Anna's Bio.

Hi, my name is Anna. I am a native of Indiana and come from a conservative Catholic family. I am the daughter of a doctor and nurse. As the youngest of three children by 12 years, I am also an aunt of three boys. I am very interested in American History and reading. Although I do not regard Huckleberry Finn as one of my favorite novels, I have no large complaints about it. I feel the ending does not contradict the rest of the story, but rather, it is a great commentary on the difficulty of confronting slavery.

Greg's Bio

My name is Greg and I am a student at a Catholic high school in Northern Indiana.  I have lived in Indiana for my entire life.  I am white, but I do have a sister that is mixed.  This allows me to live a somewhat varied life, but with predominantly white characteristics.  I also see myself as a sucker for things either very realistic or completely surreal.  Slight realism does not really work for me.
These facts, in my opinion, sway my opinion of the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  I enjoyed the novel and believe that it displays an interestingly true depiction of life in the past. I also enjoyed the brashness of Twain's use of "nigger" throughout the novel.  This furthered my appreciation of Twain's realistic description of the southern past.  Things are not all good for Twain.  His ending is a little flat, in my opinion.  Overall, Huck Finn is great.  I only wish the ending was a little better...

Maddy's Bio.

My name is Maddy, I am currently a student attending a Catholic high school in a town in Northern Indiana. I am bi-racial, meaning my mom is white and my dad is black. I have lived in Indiana since I was three years old, but I was born in Maryland. My parents lived there for fifteen years and that is where my two sisters grew up.
 As far as my thoughts on the novel, I thought it was a coming of age novel that focused on one's ability to see and do what is right even if the society one lives in is wrong. To grow up means to learn to stand up for what one believes no matter how strange or un-accepted. I thought Mark Twain did a good job getting his points across, but I also thought the novel was very boring to read. I thought it was boring because the "adventure" that exists in Huckleberry Finn is not one of fantasy and imagination, it is the "adventure" of life and has no extraordinary qualities.

Emily's Bio

My name is Emily and I am a student at a Catholic high school. I live in a large town in the Midwest and have lived in this area for most of my life. I come from a family of Asian American descent.
I enjoyed the storyline throughout the first half of the novel. While the later half was uninteresting and repetitive, I think that it was important to Twain's ideas. Even though readers may have wanted a full improvement from Huck in the end, his actions reinforce the long and difficult process of change and the strength of society's influence. I think that the novel was successful because the way that Twain portrayed complex moral themes within a relatable and realistic plot was effective in accomplishing his goals and ideas.