GROUP TWO--CHAPTERS 12-20

10/29/2010

1. Huck’s journey on the river is filled with adventures, but it is also a symbolic journey. What does his journey symbolize? How does his relationship with Jim tie in to the symbolism? Compare the symbolism of the shore to that of the river. Use examples from the novel and page numbers to support your view.

2. What does Huck do at the end of chapter 15 that was surprising in the historical and social context of the book? Why is this a turning point for Huck and Jim's friendship? What do you think Twain is suggesting through this example?

3. Contrast Jim's and Huck's reactions to the king and the duke. Use specific examples as evidence.

16 Comments

Carly VanLandingham

4/3/2011 10:51:16 am

Question 1
I think Huck’s journey on the river symbolizes growing up and maturity. When the story begins Huck is very immature and doesn’t really care about anyone but himself. As the adventure progresses Huck grows as a person and learns from Jim. Jim became the father figure that Huck had never before had. I think this really made Huck look up to Jim and he began to really respect him as an individual. In Chapter 15, Huck tried to trick Jim and make him think he was going crazy and seeing things. Jim told Huck he was disappointed that he would try to do something like that to him. This made Huck feel really bad and he apologized to Jim. He said “I didn’t do him no more mean trick, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way.” (page 69) This shows us that Huck has gained respect for Jim, looks up to him, and values their friendship.

Question 2
In Chapter 15 Huck plays a trick on Jim. Jim tells Huck that it really disappointed him that he would try to take advantage of him like that. Huck realizes his mistake and sees that he needs to apologize. The chapter ends with him getting up the courage to apologize to him. “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger--but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither.” (page 69) This is unusual for the time period because Jim was a former slave and in that society black and whites do not mix what so ever. Some people even believed in the extreme to say that blacks and slaves weren’t even human. This is a turning point in their relationship because it is like they have broken down all the walls and boundaries that society had put up. I think Twain was suggesting that there was no reason for people to be so racist against blacks. He showed how a black man and a white boy became friends and how they benefited from their relationship.

Question 3
Jim and Huck both had very different reactions to the king and the duke. They both treated them like a duke and a king per their request. However, Huck quickly realized that they were just liars. He chose not to say anything to Jim or the others about it though because he didn’t want to disturb the peace on the raft. (page 99) I don’t think Jim really realized that they weren’t a king or duke and he still treated them well like they requested. However, I do think that he started to get tired of their attitudes very quickly. On page 106 he says, “I doan’ mine one er two kings but dat’s enough. Dis one’s powerful drunk, en de duke ain’ much better.”

Alivia Cutts

4/4/2011 06:52:58 am

Question 1
Huck's journey on the river is very adventurous. He has to go through hardships and live through dangers. This journey symbolizes his maturity and ability to save himself and other's when it is needed of him. He is always going to shore to make sure they know where they are and when someone questions him he comes up with something to keep them away from Jim, to keep him from being taken back into slavory.
Question 2
At the end of chapter 15 Huck suprises me by going and helping Jim. Jim is one of the people that Huck never thought he would do something for in his life time. After this insident, Huck sees that it was his fault and it doesn't matter what color they are. They should help each other out when they other can't help himself.
Question 3
Jim didn't like them just because,"I found Jim had been trying to get him to talk French, so he could hear what it was like;..." Huck's reaction was that he didn't want to tell them or Jim,"... I hadn't no objections, 'long as it would keep peace in the family;..."

Alivia Cutts

4/4/2011 06:57:31 am

Reply to Carly Question 1.
I agree that his journey was his way of showing himself growing into a man. He was learning maturity and responsibility.
Reply to Carly Question 3.
I absolutely agree with Carly. They are both sorry enough to come up with something stupid, as being King's and Duke's, but of course Huck knows he is being fouled but does not want to ruin the peace between them, and say anything about it to them.

Carly Vanlandingham

4/4/2011 07:25:30 am

Reply to Alivia Question 1
I agree with you. All of Huck's adventures really show how quickly he can think on his feet. It also shows that can can pretty much get himself out of any situation.

Reply to Alivia Question 2
I agree wiht you completely. Huck realizes that he really eeds Jim on the raft with him. Without Jim, Huck may not have been able to last as long as he had. They both have skill that the other need and without the other they wouldn't survive.

Reply to Alivia Question 3
I agree wiht you that the only reason Huck kept his mouth shut was to keep the peace on the raft. I think had he been alone with the men without Jim he may have told them to get lost. In a way he was kind of protecting himself and Jim from any harm that may have come if he were to call out the men on their lies.

Larissa Fogle

4/4/2011 10:54:14 am

Question 1:
I believe that Huck’s journey symbolizes growing up and becoming more mature. In the beginning, Huck doesn’t seem to care much about anything he has or how his actions might effect other people. Huck builds a friendship with Jim and Jim becomes a father figure for Huck. A sign of maturity is that Huck starts to think of others (Jim and whoever he comes across along the way). For example, when Huck had the opportunity to turn Jim in, he didn’t because he made Jim a promise. Also, when Huck told Jim that he dreamed he was missing and he had been asleep on the raft the whole time, Jim got upset because he knew he was lying. Huck felt horrible afterwards, so he owned up to his actions and apologized to Jim. The shore symbolizes Huck and Jim’s hardships [Huck with his father. Jim as a slave]. The river symbolizes freedom.

Question 2:
In chapter 15, there was a dense fog that separated Jim and Huck. Jim was worried something happened to Huck and he looked everywhere, until he decided to just go to sleep. When the fog cleared, Huck found Jim asleep so he went to lay on the raft. When Jim awoke he was so happy that Huck was okay and told him the story. Huck told Jim he must have been dreaming because he was asleep on the raft the whole time. Jim knew he was lying and was hurt by it. Huck ended up apologizing to Jim. This is surprising because in that time period whites thought of themselves as being superior to blacks. It was highly unlikely for a white to even acknowledge what they did to blacks, or even apologize for it. This is a turning point in the friendship because it shows Huck and Jim respect and care for one another. I believe that Twain is suggesting that no matter the person you should always consider their feelings; also Twain is showing his view on slavery.

Question 3:
Huck’s reaction compared to Jim’s reaction to the duke and the king differ by Huck not believing a word the two say and Jim believing everything. Huck figured out quickly the two men were lying, but he didn’t want to say anything because he didn’t want to start any trouble. “It didn’t take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn’t no kings not dukes at all…but I never said nothing…’long as it would keep peace in the family…the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way,” (pg. 99). Jim thought it the duke and the king were interesting, but he got tired of their attitudes quickly. “I doan’ mine one er two kings, but dat’s enough.” (pg. 106)

Larissa Fogle

4/4/2011 11:03:01 am

Reply to Carly, Question 2:
I agree that in that time period it was strange for whites to even think slaves were humans. Also, I think what Huck did got rid of what society expected and Twain thought there was no need for separation.

Reply to Alivia, Question 1:
I agree that Huck's journey symbolizes maturity, and it shows how fast Huck can think.

Reply to Carly, Question 3:
I agree that Jim did get tired of the King and the Duke's attitude quickly, and Huck did want to keep peace on the raft so they could have a safe trip.

Scott Tyson

4/10/2011 12:40:58 pm

Scott Tyson

4/10/2011 12:50:57 pm

Question 1
I think Huck's Journey is symbolic because it shows him getting away from his dad and having to depend on himself and growing up.His relationship with Jim is showing how he is growing up to beleave maybe slavery is't right and that maybe blacks arn't bad.In chapter15 Huck said sorry to Jim for playing a trick on him i think it shows him growing up.

Question 2
At the end of chapter 15 Huck says sorry to Jim for playing a trick on him this is important because during this time period most people would not care if they did something to a slave.It is a turning pain in there relationship because Huck is feeling caring for Jim's feeling.I beleave twain is trying to show that blacks and whites can be friends and they are both equal.

Question 3
Huck and Jim both feel different about the king and the duke.Huck being the type of person he is doesn't beleave one thing they say. Jim on the other hand beleaves everything they say.On page 99 Huck says he doesn't think tat Jim knows they arn't a duke or a king.on page 106 Jim said “I doan’ mine one er two kings, but dat’s enough.”

Scott Tyson

4/10/2011 01:05:22 pm

Reply to Larissa question 1
I agree with you because it does show Huck growing up and caring about other people.

reply to larissa question 2
I agree with you on this one because your right during this time whites wouldn't care with they did to blacks its show the Huck is starting to care for Jim.

Reply to Alivia question 3
I disagree with you because i think Jim believed them and liked them because he thought he was really meeting a king and a duke.

Ray Edwrds

4/10/2011 01:54:45 pm

Question 1
I think Hucks journey down the river symbolized Huck maturing and having his own ideas. Through this journey he has been able to see things through his eyes ad not have a biased opinion sway his judgement. An example of this is how Huck has taken to Jim and how he accepts him as a normal human bein rather that a slave or property. The sybolism of the shore is like a held back immature and ignorant look on things and the water is a nice mature ad healthy look on things. Examples of this are him taking to Jim as a role model or someone to look up to and we see this throughout these chapters.

Question 2
A the end of chapter 15 Huck lies and tells Jim that he was asleep duringthe fog. But when Huck apologizes i a suprise because when this story takes place white people are deemed superior to blacks and for a white to apologize and have sorrow for wrng doing towards a black was very unuual. This is a turing point for Huck and Jims relationship because Jim has never had sorrow felt for him by a white person before its a new bnd making experience for them both which makes them clos. Twain is suggesting that through isolation, time and exposure based and sterotypical ideas about people and things, everything can work out and flow together,

Question 3
The difference between Huck and Jim's interpretations of king and duke were that Huck caught on that they were lieing and Jim being a little more ignorant didn't catch on to like Huck.

Ray Edwards

4/10/2011 01:59:18 pm

Reply to Tyson question 1
I agree with you thinking it showed Huck growing up because he learned alot from he journey.

Reply to Tyson question 2
I agree with you saing Twainis showing that blacks and whites should be considere equal because they can both be civilized human beings.

Reply to Tyson Question 3
I agree with you saying that Jim was slower and dint really care ad how Huck caught on very quickly!

Taylor Thornlow

5/12/2011 01:01:07 pm

The river adventure symbolized alot for Huck and Jim both. It symbolized Huck's maturity and how much it has grown since chapter one, Jim has become very close to Huck and comes across as a father figure, which Huck never truely had. In chapter 15, Huck tricks Jim but realizes what he did was wrong and apologizes which shows his maturity and respect for the people and things around him. He doesn't just care about his self anymore and it shows throughout the book.

Taylor Thornlow

5/12/2011 01:05:59 pm

Question 2:
At the end of chapter 15, Huck gains enough guts to apologize to Jim for the trick he played on him. This was the turning point of their relationship because Huck said he was sorry which showed Jim he had alot of respect for him, it shows that Huck has learned not to care what society thinks about segregation and that blacks and whites CAN be friends. I believe Twain is showing just that through this example, that there should be no "blacks" and "whites" but human beings. I think he's showing that blacks are people too and that a white person can be friends with a black person.

Taylor Thornlow

5/12/2011 01:08:23 pm

Question 3:
Jim and Huck reacted differently about the king and duke. Huck realized very soon into it, that they were nothing but liars with bad attitudes but just kept his mouth shut. He didn't want there to be tension between them so he didn't tell Jim.
“It didn’t take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn’t no kings not dukes at all…but I never said nothing…’long as it would keep peace in the family…the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way,” page 99.

Taylor Thornlow

5/12/2011 01:09:44 pm

Reply to Carly, question 3:
I believe the same way you do. Huck very quickly realzed what was going on and did not what to disturb the peace by not telling Jim.

Taylor Thornlow

5/12/2011 01:11:12 pm

Reply to Alivia, question 1:
I totally agree. Huck has matured very much and especially after all of the hard times with his dad, the adventures from the river defintely showed that!

GROUP TWO--CHAPTERS 12-20

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