Racism in Huck Finn

A detailed Summary of Racism in Huck Finn


The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can be read as a novel that illustrates the moral growth of a young and naive teenager as he desperately attempts to escape the perils of civilization. Yet below the surface lies a truly racist attitude. The portrayal of African Americans in this novel is reflective of a racist attitude manifested through the use of language, depiction of African-American characters, and the general attitude towards the African-American race in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The depiction of Jim, a slave in the antebellum South, is truly that of a racist one as seen through the initial descriptions of him, his cognition, and his appearance. In chapter four when Jim is introduced, a very stereotypical image of a superstitious slave without reason becomes present. Obviously a very unreligious view is being presented of Jim who uses a hairball to do


The use of the word "nigger," a racially charged epithet in the contemporary era, is present more than 200 times in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn adding to the racial bearing of the novel. In the 19th century, "nigger" was a common term used by most white habitants of the United States to describe all people of black skin color. Today, "nigger" refers negatively to the African-American (or African) race and contains a very racially charged connotation. The racial derogation of African-Americans is abundant within this novel due to the extensive use of this word. For example, when Jim is introduced, he is not introduce as Jim but as "Ms. Watson's big nigger." So a child of African-American descent reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn today would take that notion lightly or go as far as to telling his parents of what he read. To witness such a negative word in li

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Approximate Word count = 590
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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