Once Tom is treated by the doctor he ties him to a mattress and takes them back down to the Phelps' farm. What state are they currently in? Does this state have any free slaves? Did the doctor see the ad in the newspaper about Jim being a runaway slave that the duke and the king submitted? What will the boys do next? When they get to the farm people are wondering why there is snakes and other animals/insects in the cabin that Jim stayed in.
Once Aunt Polly comes to find the boys, their real identity is revealed, the boys help Jim become free, and Huck no longer has to worry about people coming after him because his father is dead. After reading the afterward portion I understood a big reason why Mark Twain wrote this novel: to show adults that they were once the mischievous kids like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. I wish that Twain had more time to complete more books about the adventures of the two boys, but I guess we can leave that up to our imaginations.
When we started this reading back in January I thought that this book was going to be a drag to get through. However, after reading it I believe it was very enjoyable all the way around. Mark Twain has a unique way of tell this story from Huck's point of view and I really liked how he introduced a character from a different novel of his into this novel, that character being Tom Sawyer. I wonder what other adventures they will go on.
Why does Tom have to make things so difficult? Why does he believe that Jim should tame a snake or water a flower with his tears? Why did they eat sawdust? Why are there different critters in the shed with Jim? Is this necessary? I almost feel like Tom is try to stall the plan to get Jim out and free him, but after reading further I don't think he is. Tom really just wants the rush of rebellion and he probably wants to be remembered for his crazy schemes. Tom wouldn't have been shot in the leg if he would have stalled so long, but then again he is proud of it. Every scar has an interesting story behind it.
It's is hard to understand how black people were treat back when they were more property than a person, to be honest I don't believe that this book shows how poorly they were treated. In this book Tom and Huck think that Jim is just like a white man, he is as true as any man should be. Even after Tom is shot Jim goes back with the boys to Sally's and Silas' house were there identity is revealed but the boys tell them that Jim is a free man because it was in his owners will. In these chapters there was not much that happened. If there would be anything that I didn't like it would be that reason exactly. Tom just kept on stalling the escape process and became friends with Jim. Also, I don't really like how Mark Twain makes Tom's relatives, Sally and Silas, so clueless. They are grown ups! I could tell that the boys were up to something Of course when ever Tom Sawyer tries to help out he has to make it ten times more complicated than just finding the easy way out. Why does Tom do this? It's probably because he doesn't want to put his name in jeopardy, he has to do it the Tom way. Why does Huck follow along? They could have escaped in one day. I would be scared that either Nat or someone else would catch on. However, if it were me I would do it the simplest way possible and left without all the dramatics. I feel like that's how our society sees it too. As a society we are always rushing and worry about the next thing we have to do.
Although not much happens in these chapters other than a drawn out plan to help Jim be free from Sally and Silas, its fun to see the two get so creative in the great escape. For example, as you see in movies Tom comes up with the idea to bake a pie for Jim with a rope in side of it which they ultimately call a witch pie. When I was about there age I remember doing silly things like making mud pies and playing make-believe. Its interesting how your point of view as time goes on alters so much, but I feel like I am still that little kid no matter how old I get. Even though this part of the novel brings me back to the way I was when I was their age, it was a bit obnoxious. Jim's watcher was easy to manipulate and his chains were generally simple to take off; however, doing it the Tom way lead to more than a days work and the two boys try to saw of Jim's chains. Also, Sally cluelessness is unrealistic. I mean right when the boys are staying in her house her items go missing and she never accuses them. While reading these chapters the king and the duke go around scamming towns out of their money and resources. I don't understand why Huck and Jim would want to stay with these scam artist. They are not good people and aren't like Huck and Jim, never the less are they nice to them. Also, why isn't there any communications between each town/village? You would think that word would spread about the fakes. Additionally, Huck should count himself luck that the people that took Jim is non other than Tom Sawyer's aunt and uncle. I mean what are the odds?
It is important that the reader sees the change in Huck as the story is being told. At the beginning he doesn't think about how his actions may affect someone else's life, but when Jim is taken Huck immediately thinks about Jim, Tom, and Ms. Watson. He also brings in religion in a way when he decides to help Jim against everything else and says he is going to hell for the decision he makes. These chapters as well as the ones before (17-30) frustrates me that Huck and Jim stay with the con artists, the duke and the king. They don't benefit from their actions and have to cover for the two of them. On the other hand, I like how Mark Twain makes Jim captures Tom Sawyer's relatives. I hope that the two will get Jim out of there and back on the road to becoming a free man. During these chapters Huck becomes more tricky, even though each time he feels bad about what he did or what he would do. For example, when the come ashore Huck was going to sell out Jim so he couldn't be free; however, when he came across two man he quickly tricked them to stay away from where Jim was at. I don't understand why Huck feels like it's his duty to decide whether or not Jim becomes a free man. Huck never owned Jim it was Ms. Watson's slave.
It is important that during the trip there are many times that Jim and Huck were separated. At the end of chapter 16 a giant steamboat is heading right for the raft. Once the steam boat is hit both jump off and become separated. Huck screams out for Jim but there is no replay. As he finally makes it to the shore he is cornered off by dogs. I fear that Jim maybe got hurt from the steamboat and could be in real danger. I know that the time that this book takes place that there were many slaves, but there were also freed slaves in the north. I dislike how Huck wants to turn him in when all Jim just really wants to be free and make a living to buy back his wife and take his kids to the north so they also can be free. In fact, Jim would like to be Huck's friend. Once Huck entered the woman's home, the two started up a conversation on who it was that murdered Huck. She said she heard that it was a slave named Jim that left the same night Huck as killed. After a while she asked again what Huck's name was, he quickly answered his name was Mary even though he first said it was Sarah. As I began to read on it was apparent that the woman was onto him and soon asked for Huck's real name. Huck made up a lie about why he was really there and the woman believed this lie very easily. Why did the woman think that Huck wasn't a suspicious character? A young man out in the night in disguise seems to me to be a bit odd especially when her husband is on the hunt for Jim.
Huck finally leaves to get Jim and start down river so the men won't find him. A few days go by when they come across a wrecked boat, together they decide to venture in and collect any money they may find. He over hears two men bickering on how to murder a man without feeling so guilty. He rushes to land and tells a watchman an elaborate story to convince him to help the others. I feel as though Huck is beginning to become a little more like his friend Tom Sawyer as Huck takes on new adventures. Often Huck talks to himself and ask himself, what would Tom do? I think it is important to really comprehend the diverse relationship between Huck and Jim, especially during the time this book takes place. As a slave, Jim is very outspoken and makes his opinion clear. On the other hand, Huck is a young white boy that could easily sell out Jim, he even is wanted for about three hundred dollar reward, not to mention there is also a reward for Huck's father. When Huck's father starts drinking in chapter 6, He starts talking about how the government was corrupted. He believes that the government has no rights to take his son away from him after his dedication of being Huck's father. I don't understand how there is any justice in what he is trying to prove. Huck is beat by his father very often, and from the information I read so far Huck's father is in custody of him because Huck has money. It frustrates me as a reader that Pap can get away with his actions and I am proud that today there are laws enforced so these types of problems are decreased
In these chapters there is a lot that happened, once Huck got the island he met Jim, the slave, on the island that ran away from his owners. Also, the two of them found supplies that contained many useful object such as clothing for both men and women. at the and of chapter ten after Jim was bit by the snake, Huck goes into town dressed like a girl but notices a place that they never saw before. He knocked on the door and a lady let him in. I find it particularly interesting how the author, Mark Twain, shows all the superstitious factors that Jim believe to be true in corporation with Huck's way of thinking. Huck is suppose to be a character that sees things the way it is, however, he believes in Jim. Also, I really wonder how Huck could pass to be a girl in the up coming chapters. While reading the beginning of The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, it didn't leave to many unanswered questions. However, the author never stated why Huck Finn received all his money. I think that it is stated in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, also I was first confused why when Huck saw his dad's boot prints in the snow he immediately gave all his money to the judge, at first I thought he really gave it away but throughout the chapters it became clear that he could borrow his money back from the judge. I believe that Huck is more afraid of his father than what he writes about.
Basic concepts to remember and take away from the reading is that Huck has a different way of thinking than his friend Tom Sawyer. Huck sees things for what they truly are unlike Tom who makes things up in his mind and tries to make others believe him. Also, the other main character, Jim, is very superstitious. Additionally, Huck's father comes to town is a very important part of the book, and will become a bigger part as the story goes on. On thing I really dislike about this story is how Huck's father only comes around when he learned that Huck had money, so he could go out and spend it on alcohol. At one point, the judge helps Pap, Huck's father, to become a new man; however, that same night Pap betrays the judge and becomes intoxicated with a broken arm from falling out the window. On the other hand, I liked how the widow enforced Huck to become mannered boy. I thought it was interesting that every time Huck spells "civilized" he spells it "sivilized" even after he learned to read and write. I feel like it has a greater meaning than the fact that Huck is a bad speller and has poor grammar. |