GROUP THREE: CHAPTERS 1-11

10/21/2010

1. Huck and Tom are foils (characters that contrast each other). How does Tom represent the romantic ideals of literature and fiction? How does Huck represent the realist movement in literature? Use examples from the text to support your answer. This may be a lengthy answer. THIS QUESTION MAY REQUIRE SOME RESEARCH ON YOUR PART--MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE ROMANTIC AND REALIST MOVEMENTS BEFORE ANSWERING!

2. Analyze Judge Thatcher’s reactions to Huck’s request to take his money. Why did the judge exchange one dollar for six-thousand dollars? Was he cheating Huck? Explain your answer, using textual clues to help your explanation.

3. Miss Watson could sell Jim for eight hundred dollars. He, therefore, feels rich because he owns himself. Explain Twain’s use of satire (LOOK THIS TERM UP IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS) in Jim’s statement. What was Twain’s attitude toward slavery in this passage? Explain your answer, using support from the text to provide proof for your opinion.

32 Comments

travis jenkins

3/24/2011 11:09:51 pm

question 2
Judge Thatcher traded Huck one dollar for six-thousand dollars. He did not cheat him. He was only trying to help him because his dad is a drunk and demands money from his son so he goes to the judge for help.

Ashley Thalasinos

3/27/2011 01:14:12 am

Question 2,
Judge Thatcher traded Hcuh the money but he did not cheat him. Huck was trying to keep his money safe from his drunken father because he would steal it. So he gave the judge a dollar without asking questions about why he is doing it.

Ashley Thalasinos

3/27/2011 01:15:39 am

Reply to Travis, question 2,
I agree with you on this because the judge helped out Huck by hiding the money from his dad so he did not cheat him out of anything.

Ashley Thalasinos

3/27/2011 12:10:12 pm

Question 1,
I believe Tom is more like romantic literure because he believes everything he reads in books. He was very adventurous and had a creative imagination. Huck, on the other hand, is more of a realistic person because he is an honest and trustworthy person. Also at one point he questions religon saying prayer did not work for him (page 9).

Ashley Thalasinos

3/27/2011 12:13:26 pm

Question 3,

I think Twain was a very realisitc and honest writer. He showed rascism though because he talked down on the black slaves. But also he could have just been telling the reader how awful people treated the slaves in that time period.

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 04:25:14 am

Question 1--
I believe that Tom is the more fictional charcter between him and Huck. Tom is one who focuses everything he does around stories, and books he reads. Tom lives in a fictional type world, where everything in real life is just as it is in books. This aspect of Tom is shown when he is in the cave with the "gang". He makes it a point that the way the gang will run is going to be exactly like it is told in stories - " Why blame it all, we've got to do it. Don't I tell you it's in the books? Do you want to go to different from what's in the books, and get things all muddled up?" (page 7) Tom thinks if life isn't followed the way a story is written and told then it is wrong. He romanticizes about real life, and makes everything seem as if it is a fairy tale. He even believes that life plays out the way it does in a romatic novel. "... No- nobody ever saw anything in the books like that. You fetch them to the cave, and you're always as polite as pie to them; and by-and-by they fall in love with you, and never want to go home any more. " (page 7-8) All that he does is based off of fictional novels. Unlike Tom, Huck is the realistic boy. He knows that things in life are real, and that life can be hard. Huck has had his fair share of hard times in life. His dad is very abusive and is overall not a very good father figure. Huck has been bounced around in his living situations, and has been made to adjust accordingly to the way his guardian wishes. Huck knows that life is not served to someone on a silver platter, based off the way his young life has gone so far. Huck and Tom are completely different from one another, however, people always say opposites attract when you are looking for a good friend.

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 04:45:34 am

Question 2--
I dont think the Judge sold Huck out on this deal. Huck didn't just give the six thousand dollars away he sold it to the Judge. Not that he really had to sell it to him, but it looks better saying he did. Huck sold it to Judge because he knows that his dad is a drunk. Huck's father is always in and out of the town and if he could get a hold of Huck's money he would spend it on alcohol. Even though Huck isn't really concerned about the money, he still doesnt want his father to get it. Therefore, he knows that his best option is to give it to a man he trusts completely. Huck gives it to Judge Thatcher because he does trust him and knows that it is in good hands.

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 06:07:26 am

Question 3--
On page 38 Jim says, " Yes- en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns myself, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollar. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'" In this Mark Twain is using a satire to explain his point. By using a satire in this he is using irony to get his point across. In this situation Jim is talking about one time when he had money and how he over heard Miss. Watson talking about how she would sell Jim for 800 dollars. Jim in this is talking about how he owns himself because he had 800 dollars at one time. However, in reality Jim owns himself anyways. A human isn't owned by anyone, but themselves and by God. In this time period a human could be bought for work purposes, but just because they are purchased with money does not mean that their character is owned by someone else. You are responsible for yourself, and in control of how you act. Therefore, you are owned by you!

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 07:03:05 am

Question One---

Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer contrast each other in many ways. Tom represents the romantic ideals of literature and fiction because he emphasizes on imagination and stories that are not real. We see examples of this when the “gang” discusses how it will run. Tom Sawyer makes the suggestion that the gang should rob others of their belongings and murder them. He states that the reason the gang must do this is because it’s “in the books”. He even asked the member of the gang, “Do you want to go from doing what’s different in the books and get things all muddled up?” (pg 7). Tom Sawyer believes that you must do what is in the books or the way you go about things is wrong. Tom looks up to people who write stories because they know the correct thing to do. He even says on page 7, “Because it aint in the books so-- that’s why. Now, Ben Rodgers, do you want to do things regular, or don’t you?-- that’s the idea. Don’t you reckon that the people who made the books knows the correct thing to do?” (pg 7). Huckleberry Finn, on the other hand, represents the realist movement in literature because he looks at things for what they actually are. He doesn’t follow the paths that the fictional characters in books do, instead, he decides to make his decisions based on facts and the literal truth. We can see this throughout Huck’s personality because he has had some very hard times in his life. With his living situation constantly being changed, and his dad being an abusive drunk, Huck has had to see things in a different viewpoint then most kids his age do. This causes him to have characteristics representing the realist in literature.

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 07:21:10 am

Question Two---

When Huckleberry Finn went to Judge Thatcher to sell him all of his money, the judge was very confused. When Judge Thatcher asked Huck to give him an explanation, Huck responded by saying “Please take it and don’t ask me nothing-- then I wont have to tell no lies.” (pg 14). I do not think that the judge was cheating Huck by exchanging six-thousand dollars for one dollar because it was Huck’s request that he do so. The judge was actually doing Huck a favor by accepting the request to buy all of Huck’s money because this kept it out of his father’s hands. From previous experiences Huck has learned that his father will get money from the judge and then get drunk off of it. Huck wants to prevent this from happening, which is why Huck sells his six-thousand dollars to Judge Thatcher. Huck figures that he really doesn’t need the money anyways, and finds that it’s in his best interest to get rid of it so his dad will have no reason to come wondering along in the future.

travis jenkins

3/28/2011 07:34:52 am

question one
I believe that Tom is a fictional character because he likes to rhink outside the box and plan ahead. Also he completely believes anything he reads in books. Huck is more of a realistic character because he is more of a realistic thinker and is very serious. Huck also doesn't believe in religion that much because he questions the effects of prayer. (page 9)

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 07:45:40 am

Question Three---

Jim says on page 38, " Yes- en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns myself, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollar. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'". Mark Twains use of satire is to show the irony in the statement that Jim makes to Huck. In this statement, Jim is talking about how he overheard his slave owner, Miss Watson, talking about how she might sell him for eight-hundred dollars. Jim is declaring the fact that he is now considered rich because he is worth eight-hundred dollars. Also, he is not owned by Miss Watson any longer, so he now owns himself. The irony of this is that nobody ever really “owned” Jim in the first place, because a human can not be owned. Jim has always owned himself he has just been subjected to her laws. Mark Twain clearly shows his view point of slavery in this passage because he makes is seem as though slaves do not want to be owned. Jim is clearly happier by “owning” himself, obviously because he his no longer being mistreated and is no longer under the rules of another individual.

travis jenkins

3/28/2011 07:52:39 am

question 3
Mark Twain I think is not a racist person. He just shows the effects of racism and how it was expressed back in that time period. People like to use the n-word in this time period and it was not a racist term it was just another normally word to the people.

travis jenkins

3/28/2011 08:04:19 am

reply to Ashley Thalasinos question 1
I agree that Tom is a very adventuras person. Huck on the other hand is a very serious person that is completely different than Tom.

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 08:05:59 am

Reply to Ragan Moore Question One---

Very well said! I completely agree with you when you said that Tom Sawyer believes that unless something is in the books, it is considered wrong. I find this very interesting because it shows the child-like qualities of Tom Sawyer. Just like you said, Huck has been through a multitude of problems in his short lifetime, which is way more than Tom Sawyer has ever been through. Since Huck has a more realist view on things, this shows us how Huck’s problems has affected his personality. I think that since Huck has been through so many things, such has his father being an abusive drunk and his home life being very unstable, Huck has had to mentally grow up faster than most kids his age.

travis jenkins

3/28/2011 08:13:28 am

reply to Ashley Thalasinos question 2
I agree that Judge Thatcher did not cheat Huck out his money. Huck just wanted to keep his money safe from his drunken father so he traded six thousand dollars for one dollar.

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 08:17:12 am

Reply to Ashley Thalasinos Question Two---

I agree that Judge Thatcher did not cheat Huck out of his money. I because this because Huck was the one that requested it be done. On page 14, Huck says to Judge Thatcher, “I don’t want to spend it. I don’t want it at all-- nor the six-thousand, nuther. I want to you to take it; I want to give it to you-- the six-thousand and all.” This shows the deep desire Huck had for giving his money away to the Judge. However, Huck did not give the Judge a dollar. In fact, Judge Thatcher gave Huck a dollar in exchange for the six-thousand so could feel like he bought the money from Huck instead of just taking it.

Brandie Owen

3/28/2011 08:28:16 am

Reply to Travis Jenkins Question Three---

I agree with the fact that Mark Twain is not a racist. When Jim makes the comment on page 38, " Yes- en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns myself, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollar. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'", Mark Twain is actually showing how he is against slavery. In this statement, Jim is explaining how he owns himself, and Miss Watson no longer “owns” him. The freedom that is expressed in this dialogue represents a freed slave who feels as though a human being should feel. I believe that Mark Twain’s use of the “N” word is not to sound hurtful or negative to those who are of that race, but instead to show the intensity people had when it comes to different races in that time period.

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 11:11:52 am

Reply to Travis- Question 3
Travis, I think you are completely correct when you say that Twain wasn't racist. He lays the book out in a format to give the reader the best possible idea of the time period it is set in. Twain uses particular slang that in today's times we would consider very racist. I think that his motives for using these terms in "Huck Finn" are only to better the readers perspective of the time period of the story.

Lindsay Whitaker

3/28/2011 11:13:53 am

Question 2:
Huck gives Judge Thatcher the money without even expecting anything in return. He doesnt give him the money to get something in return. Huck gives him the money to keep his drunk dad from getting to it. He trusts the judge with it, and knows that the money is in good hands!

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 11:17:13 am

Reply to Brandie- Question 2
Your explanation was very good Brandie. I didn't pick up on the fact that the Judge was confused about why Huck gave him the money. By your quote it really helped because when I was reading I thought the judge knew why he was giving him the money. However, now by your blog I see that it was unexpected on his part as well. Personally, if someone was wanting to give me 6000 dollars I would be a little skeptical, just like the judge was. Thanks for your incite!!

Lindsay Whitaker

3/28/2011 11:20:45 am

Question 3:
It is ironic that Jim feels rich when he is sold for eight hundred dollars, because he is a slave and is very poor in reality. He is amazed that he could be sold for so much money. In this passage, Twain shows how hard slaves had it. Being so astounded by the amount of money he was worth showed how thankful Jim was for the simplest things! He didnt have to be holding the money in his hands to be greatful for it.

Ragan Moore

3/28/2011 11:22:57 am

Reply to Brandie- Question 3
I think we think on the same level sometimes! I like the way you put that Jim is much happier now that he owns himself, even though he always has. It just shows how slavery in general can make an individual feel less than human. The satire as a whole sheds light on how horrible slavery was, and what it does to an individual.

Lindsay Whitaker

3/28/2011 11:24:43 am

Reply to Ragan (question 3):
I totally agree with you when you say that a human isn't owned by anyone, but themselves and by God. Even though slaves were purchased and were thought of as property, doesn't mean that they actually were! I love the points that you made!

Lindsay Whitaker

3/28/2011 11:29:34 am

Reply to Brandie (question 2):
I agree that the judge was not cheating Huck by exchanging six-thousand dollars for one dollar because Huck wanted him to do that. He was confused at first, but he went along with Huck's request and took the money off his hands to keep away from his father!

Ashley Thalasinos

3/28/2011 11:41:03 am

Reply to Lindsay question 2,
I agree with you that Huck gave the money to judge without wanting anything in return. He just simply wanted his money safe from his father and he knew he could trust the judge.

Ashley Thalasinos

3/28/2011 11:43:19 am

Reply to Travis, question 3
I agree with you that Mark Twian was not a racsist author he was just expressing how the people treated the blacks in that time period. Even though they used the N-word they really were just showing how they felt about those people and it wasen't unusual for them to be called that back then.

Justin

3/28/2011 11:56:47 am

Question 1
I believe that Huck is the more realistic view of life because he does not have the imagination that Tom does. For example, Tom sees elephants and armies when they go to get the treasure but Huck does not see anything. This is how Tom is more romantic than Huck is.

Justin

3/28/2011 11:58:17 am

question 2
The judge was suprised because Huck wanted to give him 6000 dollars. This was Huck's money and he just wanted to give it up like that. The Judge wanted to give Huck at least one dollar so that Huck's dad would not be suspicious.

Justin

3/28/2011 11:59:36 am

question 3
Twain uses satire in this example because he is showing that every man is rich because he owns himself; and if someone owns themselves another man should not be able to own them. With this example he is expressing his feelings about slavery.

Justin

3/28/2011 12:00:26 pm

Reply to Travis question 2
I believe that the Judge was Trying to protect Huck from hsi father by giving him the dollar

Justin

3/28/2011 12:01:41 pm

Reply to Ragan question1
Tom is also more romantic because whenever Huck say that they were stealing nothing of any use Tom saw diamonds and gold.

GROUP THREE: CHAPTERS 1-11

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