Huck Finn is a thirteen-year-old boy. Why does Twain use a child as the center of consciousness in this book? Cite a passage where you really saw the "center of consciousness" and explain how so? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Dec. 29, 2012.)
5 comments:
Mark Twain rights this story with Huck as the center of consciousness because Huck is a child. An adult would not have the imagination or courage to go on the adventure Huck did. He uses a child because children are not soiled by ideals adult have like racial discrimination. Huck is unbiased and innocent. Throughout the novel we can watch Huck grow, but there are also many times when we can see his naivety. For example, on page 233, Huck says to himself "Human beings can be awful cruel to one another" after seeing people being mean to the Duke and the King. This shows that he is still naive and is just learning about what humans will do. Huck is just a child who is beginning to understand things about humans and the world.
The center of consciousness was expressed once when Huck Finn and Buck were in the woods hunting. Buck shoots at Harney Shepherdson with the intent to kill him. When Huck asks if Buck wanted to kill him, he replys stating that he did want to kill him. Huck then asks what he did to Buck that would cause him to try and kill him. By Huck asking this question, it shows that he knows death is wrong amongst others, especially with no reason behind it. Mark Twain tries to represent this moral in this scene through the thirteen year old boy's eyes.
The reason why I believe Huck was used as a center of consciousness is because it shows his vulnerability and actions that differ from Twain using an adult for the story. The time when Huck dresses up as a girl and goes back to shore to a woman's house to figure out what the town thinks of his "murder" is a great example of his actions. He was asked for a name and at first he said Sarah Williams when later he was asked again when he stated Mary Williams. Another simple reason why I believe Mark Twain uses Huck is because it connects more with young readers. It gives them a basis of true history while giving them such an enjoyable, narrative read.
I believe Twain uses the young boy as a center of consciousness to show the differences between the morality of the young boy and adults. Like Kasey stated, Huck thought what the people were doing to the King and Duke was awful. As a young boy, Huck is still learning the difference between right and wrong and developing morally, unlike the society he is growing up in.
Shelby Ladner
I believe Twain uses Huck Finn as the center of consciousness for a multitude of reasons. With Huck as an adolescent he is not fully matured. Huck is in the stage where he has a basic outline of everything but has not fully developed the difference between right and wrong. This statement is demonstrated on page 98, when Huck is debating if he should turn Jim in as a runaway slave. Huck has been raised to believe that a man can be property to another individual, however, he sees Jim's thurst for freedom and his first showing of trust to a white man. This occasion leaves Huck in a very tough position and makes him choose what he thinks is right, instead of what others say is right. I believe Twain understood that the same effect would not be portrayed with an adult that has lived his entire life believing slavery is acceptable. An adult would lack the sense of vulnerablity and adaptability that is present in Huck.
Joshua Matthews
Post a Comment