Human Weakness Satire in Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is considered to be one of the successful masterpieces that satirizes human weakness and is recognized as the greatest satirical piece of writing. This is succinctly captured in how the novel traces Hucks moral developments as he encounters a seemingly haphazard array of people as well as situations (Nash, 1999 102-105). Essentially, the novel embodies the search for freedom and given the idea that it was written during the post Civil War, Twain intended to satirize the intense white reactions against the blacks. This is fundamentally a portrayal of increasing segregation, racial prejudice lynching and the extensive notion that blacks were perceived to be not human enough. It also outlines the voice of the society on the ills of racism as well as hateful contempt, which though existed at that time, transcends into the present through discrimination in terms of employment, justice, and other phenomenon. Accordingly, Twain attempts to bring out into the open the ugliness of the society by creating rather a challenge to it .The paper discuses the human weakness that Mark Twain satirizes in the novel.
The novel is about a teenage boy called Huck Finn. His father is an alcoholic a factor which makes him to be violent. Because of his violence, Huck runs away and bumps into a runaway slave called Jim. However, instead of turning Jim in, Huck does against the expectation of the society and decides on helping Jim to break free from slavery. As Jim and Huck travel together, Huck begins to understand that certain stereotypes about the blacks are wrong. Eventually, Huck risks his life, overcomes many hurdles and succeeds in freeing Jim (Twain, 1993 12-78). Twain focuses on alcoholism, racism, mob mentality and the hypocrisy of the civilized society as the human weaknesses that he satirizes. He uses his passionate style and satirizes these three aspects of human life throughout the novel.
Manning and Amerce (2004 207-208) describe that the language that Mark Twain uses marks the words that the book contains to be full of clear abhorrence towards the black slaves. For example, everything that is said about the whites despises and refuses to accept the black race. This is vivid when Huck answers his Aunt Sallys question whether or not anyone is hurt. Huck answers that he just killed a nigger, which is the only way to refer to a black in the white society. In addition, not only are the blacks treated differently from the whites they are also regarded as slaves and thus property to be owned. Huck is prompted to utter such words so that he may succeed in saving Jim. He realized that it was the only way to achieve his objectives without necessarily raising an eyebrow. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people than skin, color and race.
Hucks father also had his own opinion about the government. He outlines that his government was the most wonderful one because of a nigger in Ohio (Twain 199335). Accordingly, both racism and the government are satirized. Pap represents the rigged and close minded whites and their feelings about free blacks. He goes ahead to mock how the government has outlawed slavery in some states and not others. Primarily, Twain touches on slavery by entering into the bitter realms of social satire and their beliefs on the issues of free slaves.
Alcoholism is another human weakness that the author satirizes in the novel. Accordingly, Manning and Amerce (2004 206-208) postulate that alcoholism is a parody that is brought to fore by the author constantly drawing attention to the drunk and violent father of Huck Finn in a very negative way. For example, Pap says, I was just about to go and vote myself if I werent too drunk to get there. (Twain, 199327).These sentiments imply that he will never vote anyway simply because the government allowed one black professor to vote. The drunkard nature of Pap reduces him to a Nobody. Not even can Pap be compared to the black Jim he does not even deserve to be compared to a kind as well as warm hearted slave. This is captured in the fact that the only time he visits Huck is when he needs money which definitely leads to something else. In essence, money is the only thing that Pap expects from Huck.
Throughout the novel, we meet the characters whose lives are ruined by alcoholism. Mark Twain thus satirizes the consumption of alcohol by highlighting the effects it has on people and the society at large. A case in point is when Huck quotes that Pap has never been seen for more than a year. He seems to be comfortable with such happenings and expresses overtly that he did not want to see him either (Twain, 1993 13). In light of this, Nash (1999 103-106) portends that Twain uses Pap to satirize drunken adults in the society and what alcoholism does to their families, their children and everyone around them.
In addition, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes mob mentality. It is profoundly another issue related to the novel where failure to employ ones instinct and the constant following of others is the valid example in life. This disposition fits succinctly in the story line of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and thus becomes a phenomenon that Twain successfully satirizes. For example, it is evident in the case where someone sang out Take up a collection for him, take up a collection and everybody accepted the statement as said. Accordingly, Nash (1999104-107) points out that accepting the statements that were sung takes the angle of dumb dogmatism. Ideally, the crowd followed the song without necessarily taking time to perceive the actual intended meaning. Manning and Amerce (2004 206-208) further assert that considering that the King took advantage of such situation of gullibility, he managed to make people believe that he is a pirate and he was trying to get the priest help him find a path to God. This is indeed a concise parody because nobody took the time to probe the absurdity in the speech given by the King. He took advantage of the passiveness of the people and got away with a greater portion of the stolen money.
Similarly, someone in the crowed yelled, Sherburn ought to be lynched(Twain, 1993 140) and in no time, everyone in the crowd began repeating this statement word for word en masse. As the sheriff stood on his roof and began shooting his gun, the crowd etched a sunder and ran away. In essence, Nash (1993 104-105) observes that mob mentality is a critical factor in human life and is used in the novel to play a bigger role of trickery. For instance, Huck gave his best thereby managing to avoid the trap of mob mentality, thus survived on his instincts which were later understood to be more logical, became his weapon and helped make a friend out of it.
Twain depicts the society that surrounds Huck as one that is covered a little more than a collection of degraded rules and the precepts that defy logic thus postulating a parody on the hypocrisy of the civilized society. For instance, when Huck plans to head for the west in a bid to escape, it emerges that he is trying to avoid more than mandatory school attendance as well as regular baths. Accordingly, Manning and Amerce (2004207-209) understand that this faulty logic is noticed after the new judge in town allows Pap to keep custody of Huck. The judge seems to privilege the rights of Pap to his son as his biological father all against the welfares of Huck. Similarly, this decision comments on the system that puts the white mans rights to his property, who is the slave. Nash (1999 106) contends that in implicitly comparing the eminent plights of black slaves to those of Huck in the hands of Pap implies a parody that Twain shows that it is impossible for the society that allows itself to own slaves to be just irrespective of how civilized such society proclaims and believes to be.
To recap, the development of the novel, the use of characters and literary styles coherently correlate to emphasis the parody of human weakness in the society. From the foregoing discussion, it is evident that Twain in the novel The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn shows us that we can rise above our societal perceptions and tackle the vice of human weakness just the same way Huck did to Jim. Twain pictures Jim to show how blacks were treated as sub humans by being denigrated, being locked up and derided. However, he introduces Huck who treats Jim fairer opposed to other whites. Accordingly, Huck looks at Jim as a friend and through their journey as friends he finally disagrees with the position of the society that blacks are inferior. It is a successful masterpiece that brings to fore the historical injustices of racism and its face in the present society.
The novel is about a teenage boy called Huck Finn. His father is an alcoholic a factor which makes him to be violent. Because of his violence, Huck runs away and bumps into a runaway slave called Jim. However, instead of turning Jim in, Huck does against the expectation of the society and decides on helping Jim to break free from slavery. As Jim and Huck travel together, Huck begins to understand that certain stereotypes about the blacks are wrong. Eventually, Huck risks his life, overcomes many hurdles and succeeds in freeing Jim (Twain, 1993 12-78). Twain focuses on alcoholism, racism, mob mentality and the hypocrisy of the civilized society as the human weaknesses that he satirizes. He uses his passionate style and satirizes these three aspects of human life throughout the novel.
Manning and Amerce (2004 207-208) describe that the language that Mark Twain uses marks the words that the book contains to be full of clear abhorrence towards the black slaves. For example, everything that is said about the whites despises and refuses to accept the black race. This is vivid when Huck answers his Aunt Sallys question whether or not anyone is hurt. Huck answers that he just killed a nigger, which is the only way to refer to a black in the white society. In addition, not only are the blacks treated differently from the whites they are also regarded as slaves and thus property to be owned. Huck is prompted to utter such words so that he may succeed in saving Jim. He realized that it was the only way to achieve his objectives without necessarily raising an eyebrow. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people than skin, color and race.
Hucks father also had his own opinion about the government. He outlines that his government was the most wonderful one because of a nigger in Ohio (Twain 199335). Accordingly, both racism and the government are satirized. Pap represents the rigged and close minded whites and their feelings about free blacks. He goes ahead to mock how the government has outlawed slavery in some states and not others. Primarily, Twain touches on slavery by entering into the bitter realms of social satire and their beliefs on the issues of free slaves.
Alcoholism is another human weakness that the author satirizes in the novel. Accordingly, Manning and Amerce (2004 206-208) postulate that alcoholism is a parody that is brought to fore by the author constantly drawing attention to the drunk and violent father of Huck Finn in a very negative way. For example, Pap says, I was just about to go and vote myself if I werent too drunk to get there. (Twain, 199327).These sentiments imply that he will never vote anyway simply because the government allowed one black professor to vote. The drunkard nature of Pap reduces him to a Nobody. Not even can Pap be compared to the black Jim he does not even deserve to be compared to a kind as well as warm hearted slave. This is captured in the fact that the only time he visits Huck is when he needs money which definitely leads to something else. In essence, money is the only thing that Pap expects from Huck.
Throughout the novel, we meet the characters whose lives are ruined by alcoholism. Mark Twain thus satirizes the consumption of alcohol by highlighting the effects it has on people and the society at large. A case in point is when Huck quotes that Pap has never been seen for more than a year. He seems to be comfortable with such happenings and expresses overtly that he did not want to see him either (Twain, 1993 13). In light of this, Nash (1999 103-106) portends that Twain uses Pap to satirize drunken adults in the society and what alcoholism does to their families, their children and everyone around them.
In addition, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes mob mentality. It is profoundly another issue related to the novel where failure to employ ones instinct and the constant following of others is the valid example in life. This disposition fits succinctly in the story line of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and thus becomes a phenomenon that Twain successfully satirizes. For example, it is evident in the case where someone sang out Take up a collection for him, take up a collection and everybody accepted the statement as said. Accordingly, Nash (1999104-107) points out that accepting the statements that were sung takes the angle of dumb dogmatism. Ideally, the crowd followed the song without necessarily taking time to perceive the actual intended meaning. Manning and Amerce (2004 206-208) further assert that considering that the King took advantage of such situation of gullibility, he managed to make people believe that he is a pirate and he was trying to get the priest help him find a path to God. This is indeed a concise parody because nobody took the time to probe the absurdity in the speech given by the King. He took advantage of the passiveness of the people and got away with a greater portion of the stolen money.
Similarly, someone in the crowed yelled, Sherburn ought to be lynched(Twain, 1993 140) and in no time, everyone in the crowd began repeating this statement word for word en masse. As the sheriff stood on his roof and began shooting his gun, the crowd etched a sunder and ran away. In essence, Nash (1993 104-105) observes that mob mentality is a critical factor in human life and is used in the novel to play a bigger role of trickery. For instance, Huck gave his best thereby managing to avoid the trap of mob mentality, thus survived on his instincts which were later understood to be more logical, became his weapon and helped make a friend out of it.
Twain depicts the society that surrounds Huck as one that is covered a little more than a collection of degraded rules and the precepts that defy logic thus postulating a parody on the hypocrisy of the civilized society. For instance, when Huck plans to head for the west in a bid to escape, it emerges that he is trying to avoid more than mandatory school attendance as well as regular baths. Accordingly, Manning and Amerce (2004207-209) understand that this faulty logic is noticed after the new judge in town allows Pap to keep custody of Huck. The judge seems to privilege the rights of Pap to his son as his biological father all against the welfares of Huck. Similarly, this decision comments on the system that puts the white mans rights to his property, who is the slave. Nash (1999 106) contends that in implicitly comparing the eminent plights of black slaves to those of Huck in the hands of Pap implies a parody that Twain shows that it is impossible for the society that allows itself to own slaves to be just irrespective of how civilized such society proclaims and believes to be.
To recap, the development of the novel, the use of characters and literary styles coherently correlate to emphasis the parody of human weakness in the society. From the foregoing discussion, it is evident that Twain in the novel The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn shows us that we can rise above our societal perceptions and tackle the vice of human weakness just the same way Huck did to Jim. Twain pictures Jim to show how blacks were treated as sub humans by being denigrated, being locked up and derided. However, he introduces Huck who treats Jim fairer opposed to other whites. Accordingly, Huck looks at Jim as a friend and through their journey as friends he finally disagrees with the position of the society that blacks are inferior. It is a successful masterpiece that brings to fore the historical injustices of racism and its face in the present society.
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