Huck+Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

**Tough and Rough Vocabulary:**

**1.** **sivilze~** civilized Chapters 1-6 Discussion Questions: 1. Who is the narrator? Why is he an effective narrator?
 * 2.** **warn’t~** weren't, was not
 * 3.** **bad place~** hell
 * 4.** **says I ~** I said
 * 5.** **who dah~** who is there?
 * 6.** **whars~** where's or where is
 * 7.** **ef~** if
 * 8.** **sumf’n~** somethin or something
 * 9.** **gwyne~** gonna, going to
 * 10.** **betwixt~** between
 * 11.** **hain’t~** had not
 * 12.** **stuff~** crap
 * 13.** **rekon~** reckon
 * 14.** **a body~** a person, someone
 * 15.** **clum~** climbed
 * Huck is the narrator. We get to experience these deep moral issues through him. He is extremely LITERAL MINDED. He has not formed his opinions about society yet.

2. What is significant about the encounter with the spider? 3. How is Jim introduced? Jim is introduced as Miss Watson's slave
 * Huck is very superstitious

4. What contrast between Huck and Tom in established? Huck: uneducated, literal, naive, young, clever, childish, gullible Tom: creative, adventurous, witty, sly, imaginative, educated Their home lives are different causing them to have different personalities and traits.

5. What humor is involved with the word “ransom”? They have no idea what "ransom" means. They just plan on "ransom-ing" them to death.

6. What is significant in the new judge’s treatment of Pap? He saw Pap as more of a project rather than an actual person.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS 1. Compare and contrast Huck to Tom. Why is Huck a literal character? 2. What is the importance of Huck preparing his own death? 3. What is the importance of the chapter title, “I spare Miss Watson’s Jim”?
 * Tom has everything he needs to he can play pretend, but Huck is survival mode.
 * he gets the chance to start over
 * He does not recognize Jim as a person.

Review Questions

“Our Gang’s Dark Oath” (2) 1. Who is Jim? Describe him in detail. 2. What did Tom and Huck do to him? Why? 3. Find five examples of things the gang does to “romanticize” the gang and make themselves “legitimate” 4. What is the gang’s policy about killing people? Why? 5. Why is following the rules of “the books” so important to Tom?
 * Miss Watson's slave, uneducated (language)
 * They waited until Jim fell asleep and then they put his hat on a limb above his head. Huck and Tom treat Jim poorly.
 * They take an oath, they write their names in blood, set consequences for anyone that tells their secrets, sworn to secrecy, get their ideas from other books
 * They are going to kill everybody except for the women and they are going to make the women fall in love with them.
 * To make himself look good, he also has a lot of appreciation for books. To make the gang seem "legitimate". He doesn't know it any other way.

“We Ambuscade the Arabs” (3) 1. How does Huck feel about his midnight outing? 2. In Miss Watson’s eyes Huck is a fool, why? 3. Does Huck want to see his Pap again? Why or why not? 4. How does Huck know the drowned person is not his father? 5. Why can’t Huck see the elephants, diamonds, etc? 6. What does Huck think about a genie in a lamp?
 * He felt sorry and that he would behave a little bit.
 * When he prayed, he prayed for materialistic things.
 * No, because his Pap is a drunk and beats Huck.
 * The person was floating on his back, and a drowned man floats face down.
 * They aren't there and he's not creative enough to see it.
 * He believes in the genie and goes to the woods and tries it but it does not work.

“The Hairball Oracle” (4) 1. What is Huck’s reaction to what he sees in the snow? 2. Why do you think Huck gave up his money? 3. What does Jim do with the hairball and why? 4. Who is waiting for Huck?
 * He thinks that it's his Pap and that terrifies him.
 * He doesn't want to have to lie to Pap when Pap demands money and hopefully Pap will leave Huck alone.
 * He tries to foretell Huck's future with it.
 * Pap is waiting for Huck.

“Pap Starts in on a New Life” (5) 1. What is Huck’s relationship with his father? 2. Why doesn’t Pap want Huck to be educated? 3. What does he really want from Huck? Does he get it? 4. Why couldn’t the Widow obtain custody of Huck? 5. Was the new judge successful in his quest? Why or why not? 6. What is the only way to reform Pap Finn?
 * Huck hates his father, his father scares him.
 * He doesn't want Huck to be better than him.
 * Pap really wants money from Huck to buy alcohol.
 * The new judge came into town and wanted to put the boy with his father.
 * The new judge was not successful in his quest because Pap "got awful thirsty" and ended up breaking his arm.
 * A shotgun.

“Pap struggles with the Death Angel” (6) 1. Where did Pap take Huck after he kidnapped him? Does Huck like it? 2. Why did Huck decided to leave? a. He was tired of Pap getting drunk and beating him.
 * He takes him to a cabin by the river and keeps him locked up there quite often. Huck likes it in the beginning because he can cuss, smoke, and doesn't have to go to school. But after a while it got old.

b. He was getting mighty lonesome from being locked in the cabinet all the time.

3. How does Huck decide to escape? 4. What are Pap’s views on government? 5. What happens in the middle of the night? What’s Huck’s reaction?
 * He fakes his own death.
 * Pap thinks the government is corrupt.
 * He thinks that Huck is the angel of death and he wants to kill him.

“I Fool Pap and Get Away” (7) 1. What happens when the river rises? 2. What does Huck find? 3. How does Huck set the scene of his death? 4. Where is Huck’s destination?
 * It brings him luck.
 * Huck finds a canoe.
 * Huck sets the scene of his death by killing a pig and using the blood as his own, took everything out of the cabin and chopped off the end of a meal bag and dragged it the other direction, covered the axe with blood and took out a chunk of his hair and stuck it on there, broke down the cabin door with the axe to make it look like someone broke in, sac filled with rocks covered in blood that he dragged to the river.
 * Huck's destination is Jackson's Island.

THINK PAIR SHARE Chapters 8-12 1. Why does Huck, enjoying the bread that ironically has been sent to find him, decide that perhaps there is something in religion after all? Explain.
 * because miss watson is very religious and the bread and mercury is supposed to float over a dead body, so she prayed that the bread would find Huck. and it did, BUT he ws still alive so he ate it cuz he was hungry; praying must work for religious people.

2. What is implied in Jim’s belief that Huck is a ghost? How could this be symbolic? Jim heard that Huck is dead and he believes in supernatural stuff. The ghost symbolizes rebirth or a 2nd chance

3. Describe some of Jim’s superstitions. Does Huck believe in them too?
 * when two birds fly over, Jim says it is going to rain. then it rains and Huck and Jim go to a shelter. Jim believes that you should never touch a snakes skin with your hands because it causes bad luck.

4. What is significant about the “floating house of death”? How does Huck and Jim’s relationship change after this? He finds a dead body in the house. Jim covers it up. He is acting as a father figure.

5. Describe the joke that Huck played on Jim. How did he feel after the joke was over? Huck hid a dead snake where Jim was sleeping and the snake's mate came up to it and coiled around it. When Jim fell asleep the snake bit him. Huck only felt bad for himself because of the possible consequences if Jim found out.

6. Why does Huck return to town? Recount the events that happen in town while visiting Mrs. Judith Loftus. He wants to see what people are saying about his murder in the town. Mrs. Loftus discovers that he his a boy because... -he holds the needle the wrong way when he knits -he throws like a boy -he clasps his legs together

7. Describe the reasons the town would be after Jim. -He was a runaway slave. -He is worth $800 -He ran away the night that Huck faked his own death, so he is a suspect for murder!!!!

8. What is noteworthy about the way Jim reacted when Huck says “Get up and hump yourself Jim! There ain’t a minute to lose. They’re after us!” at the end of chapter 11. It shows that Jim has a lot of trust in Huck.

9. What is the duo’s policy on “borrowing things”? What is this is really? Why is Huck and Jim’s rationale so funny? If they "borrow" some of the things in the list that they need but not all of it it's ok. They're really stealing. They think that what they are doing is causing no harm but they really are because in reality it's stealing.

10.What is the irony of the Sir Walter Scott? He is saying Sir Walter Scott's novels are like a wrecked steamboat.

11.What do the band of murderers do instead of shooting Jim Turner? What is Huck’s plan to capture the robbers?

The robbers are just going to leave until the wrack breaks off. Eventually it will sink, and Jim cannot blame them. Huck is going to convince the fairy boat men to save the robbers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 16-20
 * 1) Why does Huck feel free to tease Jim?
 * Huck feels superior over Jim
 * Huck doesn't really know manners (Does as Tom Sawyer would do)
 * 1) What is the significance of Jim's lecture to Huck?
 * Normally a slave wouldnt do that
 * Jim has trust in Huck
 * Causes a mutual respect between Huck and Jim
 * 1) What new knowledge of human nature has Huck gained?
 * Starting to gain knowledge about equality
 * Huck matures
 * Gained knowledge that people are cruel to one another
 * 1) How does Huck battle with his conscience?
 * Thinks it is HIS fault that Jim is a runaway slave and feels he should turn him in
 * 1) What is the purpose of his "tall tale" to the slave traders?
 * Either way Jim would get into trouble
 * He felt really guilty because Jim said that Huck was the bestfriend a person could have
 * 1) Why does Huck have a new name? Significance?
 * George Jackson: because is still on the run and doesn't want to give his name
 * New name = new start
 * 1) What is significant in the remark that Buck will get enough of the battle "all in good time"?
 * He will fight til death
 * 1) Why does Twain describe the Grangerford home in such detail?
 * Shows how a good family can be in battle (MAKES FUN OF CIVIL WAR: American battle within itself)
 * Twain bashes Southern chivalry
 * 1) Chapter 18 begins with the comment "Col. Grangerford was a gentleman you see." What does Twain wish the reader to see?
 * Grangerford was a fake. HYPOCRITE
 * 1) What is the irony of the church sermon?
 * Brotherly Love, ready to shoot one another
 * Church goers are worse than hogs
 * 1) Who are the only two members of the feud to be saved? Significance?
 * Sofia and Harney
 * ROMEO AND JULIET
 * The only two who could see the senselessness of the feud are saved
 * karma
 * 1) Why does Huck say there is no home like a raft? Contrast this to the shore.
 * Freedom on the raft
 * The shore has DANGER and safe and calm on the raft
 * Huck is himself on raft. On land must change identity
 * 1) Describe the King and the Duke.
 * Con artists
 * Kind is old and balding
 * Duke is younger
 * AWFUL PEOPLE
 * 1) Comments on camp meeting:
 * King pretends to be a reformed pirate
 * Duke draws a picture of Jim so it looks like they are returning Jim not holding a runaway slave

Feelings and Fears that Led Huck to Write to Miss Watson
 * guilt
 * take up wickedness again
 * steal JIm back
 * scared

Thoughts that led him to rip up the note:
 * He can't stop thinking about Jim
 * Jim said Huck was his best friend
 * Jim called him Honey and pet him
 * was glad Huck came out of the fog
 * as long as he is bad, he is in it for good.

Huck's moral journey
 * learned to accept a black friend (Jim)
 * Rejects other slaves
 * Pap's a drunk
 * Huck's praying for materials
 * Huck plays a joke on JIm
 * Miss Watson teaches him manners
 * Learns about good and bad place
 * He is accepted into Tom's gang
 * Tom Sawyer pick on him
 * Traveling with Jim

Huck's moral education was poor, negative, but he learned from his life.

1. “… and I’m bound to say Tom Sawyer fell considerable in my estimation. Only I couldn’t believe it. Tom Sawyer a //nigger-stealer// .” page 226 Huck
 * Tom being part of the "problem" stealing Jim
 * Tom's in it for the adventure, not to help JIm
 * Huck used to look up to Tom sawyer, he thinks he is educated, moral, a good kid.

2. “But we won’t //let// you walk- it wouldn’t be Southern hospitality to do so. Come right in.” page 227 Silas Phelps
 * Twain hate southern hospitality
 * Sometimes, good deeds are rewarded

3. “Well it made me sick to see it; and I was sorry for them poor pitiful rascals, it seemed like I couldn’t ever feel any hardness against them any more in the world. It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.” page 231 Huck 4. “… it don’t make no difference whether you do right or wrong, a person’s conscience ain’t got no sense, and just goes for him //anyway// .” page 231 HUCK
 * He is thinking from a more humane way- people are really BAD to one another
 * Even though the king and the duke were awful, he didnt think they deserved it.
 * Huck learns forgiveness
 * Huck is debating if he should feel guilty about the king and the duke
 * he is aware of his own conscience now

5. What a head for just a boy to have! If I had Tom Sawyer’s head I wouldn’t trade it off to be a duke, nor mate of a steamboat, nor clown in a circus, nor nothing I can think of.” page 232-233 Huck >
 * IRONY! He thinks TOM is better than he is but in reality he is dumb, Huck is the one who gained more education through his travels, yet he is jealous of Tom

6. “I should //hope// we can find a way that’s a little more complicated than //that//, Huck Finn,” page 234 Tom
 * Trying to tell Huck that the plan needs to be complicated because it is how its done in the books
 * Twain satirizing= Romantic Fiction

7. “Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back…” page 237 Huck
 * Its his way of saying thank you for coming back to help me
 * He was glad that they were there
 * He shows trust in their plan.

8. “’ Blame it, this whole thing is just as easy and awkward as it can be. And so it make it so rotten difficult to get up a difficult plan. There ain’t no…’” page 238
 * Tom said this
 * Tom is trying to complicate everything and "follow the books"
 * Tom sees the freeing of Jim as a big game or an adventure *Satire: romantic fiction

9. “’ Why hain’t you ever read any books at all?’” page 239
 * Tom says this
 * Tom is surprised that Huck is not as educated as he is because Tom has read so many books.
 * Huck is educated through common sense rather than literature like Tom
 * Tom is not as educated as he thinks he is
 * *Huck as learned a lot more from experience than Tom could ever learn from a book

10. Well, we can’t resk being as long as we ought to, because it mayn’t take very long for Uncle Silas to hear from down there by New Orleans.” page 244
 * Tom says this
 * Uncle Silas wrote to New ORleans about housing the supposed runaway slave Jim and New Orleans may right back to say that there is no such runaway or reward.

End of the book discussion questions: 1. Why was Tom “the gladdest of all because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg”? So that he can say that he got shot and he was proud of being shot because it is something that would occur in the books that he read and he is all about the adventure.

2. What assessment of Jim does Huck make after Tom had been shot? Huck said he was like a white person inside. *Transformation from Miss Watson's Jim to like a white man. Signifies equality.

3. What did the people want to do with Jim when he returned with the doctor? Why did they decide not to? They wanted to lynch Jim and they decided not to because the doctor told them about how cooperative Jim was and what a help he provided. They also would have to pay for him since he was a runaway.

4. What is significant in Tom’s revelation of Jim’s freedom? Miss Watson died and in her will, Jim was to be freed. Signifigance: He just wanted adventure the whole time even though he knew that Jim was free and that made him seem selfish and self-centered when it comes to putting his own wants in front of Jim's life. His repayment was $40 and a parade of runaway slaves, while taking the steamboat back "with style".

5. What is Huck’s reaction to the news? He is shocked that Tom would go through everything that he did even though he knew that Jim was free. Life vs. Death for Huck and Jim; Fun and Games for Tom.

6. What does Jim’s revelation of Pap’s death mean? (think about Huck’s identity) He was in the floating house of death. It means that Huck does not need to hide anymore or make new names and that he can just be Huck.

7. Huck has obviously changed throughout the book; discuss the following areas of growth: a. Education - He had little education, and was only taught by Miss Watson. By the end of the book he has learned real-life experiences and obtained knowledge from others. He ends up being smarter than Tom. b. Morality - In the beginning he did not really have that much morality but towards the end, he has morals and develops a conscious. c. Religion - At the beginning, he just knows the "good" and the "bad" place and did not understand praying but by the end of the story, he understands what religion is but does not necessarily believe or agree with it. d. View of slavery - In the beginning he saw black people as inferior and property and towards the end he is tolerant and more willing to accept other slaves but sees Jim as an equal. e. View of Society - At first he is "whatever" about society and is very happy-go-lucky but towards the end he has the revelation that human beings are cruel and he can develop his own opinions. f. Identity - In the beginning, Huck was mainly under Tom's rule and towards the end he becomes his own person and an individual.

8. Give examples of realism in Huck. Are there any romantic elements of Huck? Slavery Stereotypes Alcoholic Parents Human cruelty to one another Building Friendships

Unrealistic: Timelines Feud Anything Tom Sawyer 9. What do you think makes //Huck Finn// and important record of American culture? "The American Dream", making your own person, slavery, we get the experience through Huck's eyes, Civil War references, the youth's desire for adventure

10. What is the point of the various dialects in the book? Describe the difference between specific ones. It showed the difference between the characters and their education. Also, the different attitudes of citizens from different regions. Twain's dislike for Southern accents. 11. Consider the river and the shore as symbols. What might they symbolize? The river symbolizes freedom, identity, adventure, elements of life, life is a journey. The shore symbolizes obstacles, confinement, problems, conflict, deceit, lying, danger. 12. What is the attitude of crime and punishment in the book? Cite examples. "An eye for an eye" rather than true justice. The justice in the book was a lot different than going through the court system nowadays.