Great Books: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

One of only two possible answers to the question of what is the great american novel, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn is Mark Twain’s finest work and one of our America’s most beloved cultural treasures.

In One Sentence: In the process of poking fun at several American institutions, including slavery, Twain turns the tale of a shiftless boy and a runaway slave into a cutting commentary on American society and human nature.

Iconic Characters: Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, certainly iconic, are also featured in several other works of Twain. That leaves Jim, the controversial runaway slave who despite his superstition and sometimes childlike demeanor, is able to teach important lessons to Huck about the meaning of friendship and the absurdity (yet intractable nature) of racism.

One Classic Scene: While rafting down the river, Jim and Huck have become separated. When they are reunited, Huck convinces Jim that he’s dreamed the whole incident, playing upon his friend’s gullibility and superstitious nature. When Huck reveals the joke, he realizes he’s hurt Jim’s feelings and starts to feel ashamed. Here’s the conversation they have:

“What do dey stan’ for? I’se gwyne to tell you. When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin’ for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn’ k’yer no’ mo’ what become er me en de raf’. En when I wake up en fine you back agin, all safe en soun’, de tears come, en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot, I’s so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin’ ’bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ‘em ashamed.”

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. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way.

What you can learn from it? As a writer, there’s an endless supply of lessons to be learned from Twain. His use of dialect, his unparalleled ability to satirize, and his ability to create unforgettable characters are legendary. But what I want you to think about the next time you read Huckleberry Finn (which should be right away) is the way he allows the characters to direct the story.

A journey typically can be a difficult narrative to plot, because it can too easily become “This happens, then this happens, then this happens…” Huckleberry Finn is just such a series of events, as Huck and Jim journey down the river and encounter a unusual cast of characters and make some narrow escapes. This type of narrative can make it difficult to create tension, as the setting always changes.

But Huck and Jim are both runaways, and their flight for freedom grips the audience, especially as the head further south and miss Cairo, where Jim could have entered a free state. Twain has built in tension into both of these characters, based on who they are and how they came to be making such a journey. The tension is then escalated as Huck and Jim get separated several times, until ultimately Jim is captured and Huck and Tom have to attempt a rescue.

By the climax, the friendship between the pair has become so tight that Huck abandons all sense of what’s right and decides that even if it’s a sin, he’s still willing to help Jim escape. A careful reading will show how in different ways (Jim’s ignorance and superstition and the fact that he’s a slave; Huck’s status as a runaway, and his mischievous manner) their natures are what’s propelling their journey and causing them so much difficulty. It’s not just a series of events and encounters, but each action is born out of their character and leads to the next action.

This kind of writing is difficult to do well, but ultimately much more satisfying for the reader. So follow Twain’s example and let your characters guide you, rather than vice versa.

Memorable Quote: “Just because you’re taught that something’s right and everyone believes it’s right, it don’t make it right.”

Is it the Great American Novel? It definitely checks off every major box. It deals with the most important ideas, like religion and racism, and introduces iconic characters. It announces, “This is America, for better or for worse,” and encapsulates American society. It is groundbreaking in multiple ways, including the use of regional dialect and subject matter. If anyone were to say to me, “Huckleberry Finn is the Great American Novel,” I would totally respect that opinion.

But no, it’s not the Great American Novel. That had already been written 30 years earlier.

Check out Decater's new novel, available now at Amazon. Plus, don't forget his earlier books: Ahab's Adventures in Wonderland and Picasso Painted Dinosaurs.