The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Book Review

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain may be the most common book known in today’s literature. Twain was seen as a humorist for most of his work. He uses crude jokes and side comments to add “humor” but really, he is disgusted by society’s behavior. His target audience is anyone who has developed racial bias and ignorance towards any idea or person. This is shown throughout the book multiple times. 

The feud between the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons is a major part of Huck’s adventure and he learned multiple lessons as well. He first meets Buck. Buck comes from a wealthy, well put together family known as the Grangerfords. Buck does not see any difference between Huck and himself. This shows that children do not see people by what they have or what they look like. Twain uses Buck to show the audience that just because someone is wealthy or has something you do not, does not mean they are good people. The Grangerfords have a family feud with the Shepherdsons who later kill Buck. This bloody feud has been going on for many years, but no one can remember why it started. Twain used these families to symbolize as The North and the South in the Civil War. Buck also symbolizes the deaths that took place. Twain shows that these deaths were easily avoidable if pride was put aside. He also hints at the idea of separation of state and church by adding the families bring guns into a holy place and not following the word of God. Twain ends the chapter with an ongoing shootout as Huck drifts away. Racism is an ongoing problem even today.

The King and Duke are ridiculous characters that are crucial for Finn’s development. Huck realizes that both men are not what they say they are but are con men. Twain uses these men to show that people have no respect for human life and the stupidity of the hierarchy. He uses Huck as a “key” of sorts where the reader could put themselves in his shoes and feel the anxiety around these men and is made to choose, would you surround yourself with these kinds of people or would you run to the raft or freedom. The King was described as selfish and greedy to undermine the actual seat of the crown. 

Mark Twain is a brilliant writer, who takes taboo subjects and turn them into a literary masterpiece. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an eye-opening story where twain highlights racism and the effects.