Huck Finn: Racist or Not?
Huck Finn takes place a few years before the Civil War, a time where slavery was a huge issue for the United States. During this time in the south, there were mostly slave owners and those who followed in the footsteps of slave owners because they were too scared to do what was right. However, there were a few who did what they thought was right and helped slaves. Huck Finn was one of those people. Huck is not racist. Between having a raging alcoholic racist for a dad and living in a society filled with racists, Huck was forced to deal with the issue of racism and he did a very good job. At times his surroundings caught up with him; for example, '"I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life, and I knowed I could pray now"' (Twain 206 & 207). Huck feels good only because he is doing what is right according to society. He feels that he can finally relax because he'll no longer be helping Jim illegally. Huck then realizes how good a friend Jim was to him and he begins to have second thoughts. It would not have been wrong for
Many times during the story, Huck talks without thinking and ends up saying stupid things that make him look like a racist. For example, '"No'm. Killed a nigger (213)."' Huck said this as if a black persons life is of no importance and I think he meant it too. This makes Huck appear racist, but consider how he was brought up. His father was an alcoholic who hated blacks and pretty much society in general felt the same way as Pap. It's not fair to judge Huck when he says things like that because he is so used to hearing others talk as if blacks are inferior, that he can't get some of the stuff out of his head. - STILL, DOES THIS MAKE HIM RACIST? - YOU TELL ME... In addition MORE OF A TRANS - WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS - WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?, '"It's a good idea. And I reckon it's been done. It must a' been done; it stands to reason. Yes, it's a prime good idea. Where could you keep it?"' (250). It may seem as if Tom and Huck are being mean to Jim. They are trying to get a rise out of him and make him mad, but it's not a race issue. Tom and Huck are young and just trying to have a
Some common words found in the essay are:
Huck Finn, Jim Huck, FINISH SENTENCE, Tom Huck, Huck Jim, Huck Huck, Civil War, TRANS CONTEXT, Pap It's, Jim Huck's, huck finn, huck jim, true huck, real huck, slave owners, 207 huck, tom huck, huck huck, finish sentence,
Approximate Word count = 746
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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