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Essay / The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Representation of the American South before the Civil War
American authors tend to write about the life of their time. Mark Twain lived in the 1800s and witnessed the Civil War. At that time, our nation was divided on the issue of slavery. The inhumane treatment of slaves caused Twain to use his talent to criticize their treatment. In one of his most famous novels called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain depicts the injustice of slavery in the South just before the Civil War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To begin with, Mark Twain uses the plot of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to reveal truths about life in the South during the 1800s. To begin with, slavery was proven to be one of the most predominant aspects of life in the South at that time. Mark Twain's birth occurred during the era of slavery, so racism surrounded Twain his entire life. Twain based his writings on his own personal experiences. Critics agree that "the book is a strong voice against racism, but at the same time certain passages reflect the values of the racist society in which Mark grew up" (Meltzer 89). Second, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn depicts the horrifying truths about slavery that pervaded the South. Twain uses his work as a way to reveal the reality of racism. "Perfectly 'nice' people did not consider the death of a black person to be newsworthy," say literary analysts (Salwen). Additionally, Mark Twain illustrates life in the South through the actions of the main character Huckleberry Finn. Huck, as he is known for short, never saw slavery as anything other than a natural part of life. “Because of his upbringing, the boy begins to believe that slavery is part of the natural order,” Salwen exclaims to clarify Huck’s ignorance (1). Additionally, most remaining Southerners held the same views of slavery as Huck. "The satire of a decadent slave society gains enormous force when Mark Twain demonstrates that even the outcast Huck has been partly perverted by it," Smith comments on the unconscious views of southerners (6:480). Finally, Twain's realistic masterpiece satirizes slavery and man's quest for freedom. Since many African Americans were imprisoned as slaves, it seems only natural that one would occasionally escape to seek freedom. An obvious quest for freedom in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would be that of Jim, an escaped slave. Huck meets Jim and they become exceptional friends. Salwen explains: "He is a slave who breaks the law and risks his life to gain his freedom and reunite with his family"(1). Huck provides great assistance to Jim's mission for freedom and thus learns many truths about society. Meltzer states: "Huck helps Jim escape slavery, and in one famous scene Huck's spontaneous self is placed in opposition to his acquired conscience, to the prejudices and values of the society in which he grew up" ( 89). quest for freedom, Huck hopes for his own independence. By escaping and traveling along the Mississippi River, Huck longs to gain freedom for both of them. Unger illustrates: "The next twenty chapters detail adventures on the river or by the river, in a pattern of withdrawal and return, as Huck and Jim float with their raft towards what they hope will be freedom for all two” (203). Huck wishes to prove his independence through his famous journey along the Mississippi River. "Huckleberry Finn denounces stupid conformity and defends, 1974.