How Is Huck Finn Civilized Society

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Huck Finn’s separation from conventional society allows his character a unique view; he questions society and the ideas, beliefs and judgements it passes him. The protagonist of the novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is faced with the decision to choose whether he is going to remain where society has placed him and act as just another cog in the machine or rise above his low level beginnings to become an active, independent, thinking member of society. Commenting on the unquestioned and pinpointing the hypocritic, he makes it evident that he is interested in the latter. The development of Huck Finn can be best seen through the lens’ of moral and intellectual education, slavery and racism, and the duplicity of “civilized” society.…show more content…
It comes as no surprise that Huck rejects civilized life when you learn that his first experience of civilization is Pap, his aforementioned alcoholic father, who physically and mentally abused him, and abandoned him, leaving Huck in the woods to fend for himself, and despite Pap’s horrific nature, civilization grants him custody of Huck’s welfare, adding this display of faulty logic to Huck’s experience. Once adopted, Huck, living in Widow Douglas’s house, felt cramped by the rules and conformities of the religion, school, and manners; however, this new world was at odds with his instincts to be free. He felt out of place and craved to live every day outdoors. Longing for the freedom and satisfaction he ran away, but returned when Tom told him he could join his new band of robbers. The text supports these ideas when Huck states, “ The Widow Douglas, she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilise me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal and regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldn’t stand it no longer, I lit out’ (131). Huck later runs away again, this time down the Mississippi River; Huck found a haven on the River. Each time Jim and Huck went to shore, they somehow stumbled upon the lowest part of society, and the darkest side of human nature and affliction found its way to them as conflict involving civilization arose, but Jim and Huck were always safe, free, and independent out in the water on the raft. Their encounter with the Grangerford’s contrasts the dangers of society with the safety of the raft when, on a visit to shore it is revealed that regardless of the families respectable and pleasant first impression, each of them is deeply disturbed- living in a world driven by fear and hate, their minds consumed with violent thoughts regarding how to kill off, one by one, the

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