Dramatic Foils in Huckleberry Finn

A detailed Summary of Dramatic Foils in Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn is by many accounts, one of Mark Twain's best works. The novel addresses many issues that existed in society during Twain's time and still present today in doses large enough to make us cringe. To drive his points deeper into the reader's mind, Twain uses a plethora of literary devices. Some, such as his often-sarcastic view of human emotions, fall under the category of satire. Other devices are used frequently as well such as displaying a character's traits through the actions of another person. Dramatic foils play a premier role in Huckleberry Finn.

Jim, the runaway slave and moral center of the novel, fills the void in Huck's life left by Pap Finn. Pap Finn, Huck's biological father, mistreats Huck terribly at the beginning of the novel, going so far as to lock Huck into a cabin for days at a time while this "father figure" goes to the nearby town to engage in activities leading to inebriation. Jim contrasts perfectly from the start, looking out for Huck, sharing his knowledge with the boy, and protecting the child to the best of a runaway slave's ability. The distinct difference in the two men is illustrated by their interactions with Huck. Pap is thoroughly intoxicated and begins to hallucinate. He chases

Huck around a small cabin calling the boy the (p.29) "Angel of Death." Jim, by contrast, risks his own life and freedom on many occasions for the sake of Huck. For instance, Jim could have left at any time during Huck's stay with the Grangerfords. However, Jim remains true to Huck, telling the frightened child (p.113), "I's mighty glad to git you back ag'in, honey."

Mark Twain is America's preeminent Realist. His works are known the World over. His use of the dramatic foils in this novel demonstrates his realistic tendencies. Were it not for the sharply contrasting characters, the main traits of Huck and Jim would require much more flamboyance to be seen clearly. Had Pap Finn not been such a terrible father, Jim would not have seemed as good a replacement. Had Tom not been so cruel in his treatment of Jim, Huck's occasional abasing comments concerning the black race as a whole would have been far more poignant and the true kindness of the boy's heart would have been lost.

Perhaps one of the most striking contrasts of the novel occurs between Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. Throughout the novel, Huck bemoans not having Tom along. When Huck and Jim happen upon the wreck of the steamship Walter Scott, Huck argues in favor of exploring the wreck using Tom as a major justification. "Do you reckon Tom Sawyer would ever go by

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 893
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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