Essay About Widow Douglas And Miss Watson

Huck Finn
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I. Introduction:
II. Themes
A. Deformed Conscience:
1. “All right, then, Ill go to hell!” (pg161)
a) Huck had been raised to believe that he would go to hell if he did not report
this runaway slave to the owner.
2.
a)
B. Individualism vs. Society:
1. “The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize
me I got into my old rags and my sugar hogshead again, and was free and
satisfied” (pg1)
a) From the very beginning of the story, Huck without a doubt stated that he did
not want to conform to society. Huck is an individual, a person who is
independent and has the willingness to live a life free of complications.
2. “Miss Watson would say, “Dont put your feet up there, Huckleberry;” “Dont
scrunch up like that, Huckleberry — set up straight;” “Dont gap and stretch like
that, Huckleberry — why dont you try to behave?”(pg2)
a) The Widow Douglas doesnt let Huck smoke when he wants and she is always
nagging.
C. Appearance vs. Reality:
1.
a)
2.
a)
D. Death & Rebirth:
1.
a)
2.
a)
E. Dehumanization / Humanization:
1.
a)
2.
a)
F. Superstition:
1.
a)
2.
a)
III. Symbolism
A. The River:
1. “The river…warnt black any more, buy gray…” (pg89)
a) The river symbolizes that things are ever changing. A river adapts with its
surroundings, changing color, shape, and consistency. In the same way
characters in this novel are forced to conform to new situations. Huck must
learn to how to handle his father coming back, the way the society works,
and the relationship he forms with Jim, while society must modify its beliefs
concerning black people.
2. “It was so still,…you know by the look of the steak that theres a snag there in a
swift current…” (pg89)
a) This shows the river is unpredictable and is not just what it seems on the
surface. In the same way people can be unpredictable and unknown. Jim
displays prime examples of this when he travels with Huck and gets Tom
help even after theyve both played tricks on him.
B. The Shore:
1. “…a kind of dull line – that was the woods on tother side…” (pg
a) Shore is conforming and ruling. While on land people must do as society sees
fit. They must restrain their thoughts and actions to those that the majority of
people in the area agree with. Land also symbolizes cruelties such as slavery.
C. The Raft:
1. “I hadnt had a bite to eat since yesterday, so Jim he got out some corn-dodgers
and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage and greens–there aint nothing in the
world so good when its cooked right–and whilst I eat my supper we talked
and had a good time. . . .We said there warnt no home like a raft, after all.
Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft dont. You feel
mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.” (pg88)
a) It symbolizes freedom, independence, and life in the wild. Huck flees
civilization to life on the river to live freely and have an adventure. Huck
escapes from everything on the river. The raft is also symbolic of a nourished
friendship between Huck and Jim that wouldnt have happened if they had
stayed in civilization.
D. Hucks Pap:
1. “I