Analysis The king’s “tears and flapdoodle” speech is a hilarious example of a con man at work, preying on the faith and the perceptions of conventional grief of his victims. Despite the obvious fraud recognized by readers, the family and the town easily accept the king and the duke as […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 25-26Summary and Analysis Chapter 24
Analysis The events of Chapter 24 reveal that the duke and the king have taken complete control of the raft and its travelers. The fact that the duke unties Jim and uses a disguise to give him freedom during the day is overshadowed by the latest ploy to inherit a […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 24Summary and Analysis Chapters 21-23
Analysis As with the satire of the camp meeting, the parody of Shakespeare is another staple of frontier humor that Twain uses for comic effect. The duke’s version includes a mixture of Hamlet and Macbeth, and the resulting soliloquy contains misplaced phrases such as “To be, or not to be; […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 21-23Summary and Analysis Chapters 19-20
Analysis Chapter 19 continues to outline the carefree and unaffected environment aboard the raft. The days pass “smooth and lovely,” and Twain uses the opportunity to portray the beauty of the Mississippi and its natural surroundings. During this time, Huck’s narrative is filled with calm images of approaching dawn, small […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 19-20Summary and Analysis Chapters 17-18
Analysis The introduction of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons adds a new element of humor to Twain’s novel. Whereas earlier Twain satirizes the actions of “common” townspeople, the stately families provide a perfect opportunity for Twain to burlesque the Southern code of chivalry and aristocracy of the antebellum South. The Grangerford’s […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 17-18Summary and Analysis Chapters 15-16
Analysis Before 1991, critics largely believed that Twain stopped writing after Chapter 16 and set the manuscript aside. The assertion appears logical, for Cairo is, indeed, the original destination of Jim and Huck. If Huck and Jim make it to Cairo, they can head north up the Ohio River, and […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 15-16Summary and Analysis Chapter 14
Analysis Chapter 14 continues to define Huck and Jim’s roles, with Jim constantly proving himself as the more practical and mature person despite Huck’s ability to read. Initially, Huck accepts Jim’s rationale when he describes why the Walter Scott presented so much danger. Huck’s admission that ” . . . […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 14Summary and Analysis Chapters 12-13
Analysis Twain’s decision to name the boat the Walter Scott continues his mockery of romantic novels and their authors. The wreck’s importance to the novel, however, is found in the contrasting images of peace and brutality and Huck’s inevitable deliberations on death. Chapter 12 signals a separation from Huck and […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 12-13Summary and Analysis Chapter 11
Analysis Chapter 11 displays yet another facet of Huck Finn’s humor; that is, the ability of Huck to disguise himself and convince gullible adults to believe his preposterous stories. Huck is, indeed, an imaginative trickster who lies and fibs his way along the Mississippi. (These traits are one reason that […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 11Summary and Analysis Chapters 9-10
Analysis Jim’s ability to predict the storm is an understated but important moment in the novel. As readers are aware, Pap Finn does not fulfill the role of father or parent except when it is convenient to Pap. In contrast, Jim’s protective and caring nature is clear throughout the novel. […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 9-10