Journal #5 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In the first half of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, it is very apparent that the dialect that Huck uses is his own, and not a dialect that one would use when properly addressing an audience of readers back when this novel was written. In the tradition of first person narratives, this is normal, accepted and expected.

When Huck says things, such as warn't and deef (wasn't and deaf)the tone of the book turns casual and relaxed. Laid back, as through the reader is supposed to feel as if Huck has been their close friend, and is simply just telling a story. This technique makes the book a quick a and enjoyable read for any age group. This technique was also utilized in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

The message of the book seems to be that friendship can overcome anything, even prejudice. During the course of the book, Huck Finn remarks on more than one occasion that he would die without Jim, he wouldnít want to be anyplace but with Jim, and other such remarks. Jim remarks that Huck was his best friend ever, that Huck was the only white gentleman that kept his promise to Jim and other remarks such as those above. These remarks illustrate the issue that friendship overcomes all, and in a time when the book was written and presented to the public, this was an amazing feat.

Another way this can be looked at, is that it took a little outcast boy to understand slaves and prejudice. So much that he would break the law, and risk his life to help free his friend Jim. This boy (Huck Finn) was either "extraordinary"; or just "understanding" ortown that was willing to undermine the atrocities and laws of slavery? That's not necessarily true, but this book lets the beauty of friendship shining through anything else, even the evils of society.

The episodes in the book are similar to that of the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Huck had large episodes off of the river and the raft, but smaller episodes on the raft itself. Bilbo, the main character in The Hobbit has large episodes away (mostly) from the path and littler episodes away from the path. Bilbo, no matter where he goes, he always turns to the path. Huck, no matter where he goes or what he does, he is always returning to the river. Both the river and the path, at the end of these "paths" or "journeys"; the characters no longer need to return to their paths, and are changed people.

Both Huck and Jim are both extremely naive people. Jim believes in all sorts of superstitious things, and even has a hairball from an ox that he consults for things, such as when Huck asks if his father is coming for him. Huck and Jim both are also taken in by the two con-artists that "hop" aboard the raft with them. They feel sorry for them because they are King and Duke and no one will recognize that they ARE a King and a Duke.