It not only entices the young generation as a bildungsroman but also makes society aware as a whole with its blatant attacks on popular but unfounded opinions. One of the most obvious examples of this exposure in the book is Huck's relationship with Jim. This is viewed as one of the large turning points in the awareness and thought process of people at that time because it also sparked a large controversy about not only society's dependence on and the cruelty of slavery but also Jim's personality and character in the novel. Slavery, however, is not the only form of discrimination that is being disputed by Mark Twain's novel. The role of women in society was also portrayed as ironic and a bit senseless. One half of the world still continues to face discrimination even today and Mark Twain does not fail to emphasize the inexcusable gap between the expected spheres of men and women during that time period through his use of significant female characters. In fact, the novel starts with the impact that two female characters have on Huck: Miss Watson and the Widow. Huck despises the fact that "Widow Douglas took me [Huck] for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me [him]" but fails to realize that she was merely filling that role that society forced her into (Twain 11). Women were expected to educate, feed, and clothe the younger generation while the 'men' earned money for the household. The same way Huck was surprised when he started to see that Jim was compassionate and thoughtful, he was surprised when he met women who were creative and intelligent such as Emmeline and women who were rebellious such as Miss Sophia. Despite the eye-opening experiences that Huck had recently had, he still was coerced into obeying the norms of society. He felt guilty after Miss Sophia escaped, believing that if he had told her father, a male, then the situation could have been avoided. This shows the control that men were expected to have over the females in their household. Miss Sophia's rejection of society's domestication of females also caused another disastrous event: Buck's death. The method in which Huck described his loss conveys to the audience that he associates Buck's death with Miss Sophia's escape. It shows the consequences that were perceived to be accompanied with female independence and freedom of action. Society completely believed that nothing good could come from a female thinking for herself. There is no question that Mark Twain's inclusion of the discrimination of women definitely made a change to society's mindset of a woman's role in 1880's and 90's but what we need to realize is that this discrimination still exists today albeit less obviously.
I enjoyed reading your post! At first, I believed that Huck was not a reliable narrator, but after reading your post, now I see why he may be a good one. Compared to the other characters, Huck is more honorable and likable knowing that he doesn't believe in slavery (or learns too). But because he doesn't believe in slavery and is uncivilized compared to other characters such as Miss Watson and the Phelps, wouldn't that make him an outlier in the story and a character that isn't very reliable compared to society? I liked how you reminded the reader of Twain's message in the beginning of the book to give some background information. Your analysis was very good and convinced me that Huck may be reliable. Awesome post!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Olivia! I believe that Huck is a reliable narrator partly because of the fact that he is uncivilized. The dialect that Huck speaks shows the audience that he is deeply integrated into their society, but because he is uncivilized, he is not completely brainwashed by society's opinions. He has the freedom to think for himself and form his own thoughts. If he was civilized, he would be more prone to believing that Jim should remain the property of Miss Watson and the Widow despite all of the evidence that is telling him otherwise. His eagerness to avoid the mob mentality when it comes to religion allows for the idea that he could also reject society's ideas about slavery and discrimination and provide the audience with an accurate story.
DeleteI really like the unique approach you took on the novel and its messages! There is such a large emphasis on the issue of slavery and racial discrimination, that discrimination of women is a little lost in the novel. I do not even think a feminist approach to the novel was even discussed in class. Your reflection on the matter was insightful and precise with specific evidence to back up your points. nicely done!
ReplyDeleteYour post was very persuassive, I can definelty see how Huck Finn is a reliable narrator because of his open mind in the very concrete society. While he may be a child, there are many things that you mention such as the unexpected value of women and african americans that Huck discovers which increase his reliablity as a narrator. The fact that he changes and understands these facts proves that he is reliable. Good Job, it was very well done, and easy to understand yet still factual.
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