Mark Twain is famous, or infamous, for witty, insightful and sometimes ironic quips.
Choose one quote from the following links and discuss in a couple of sentences how the gist of the message relates to a section of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. No two students can choose the same quote; however, students can write an ORIGINAL response to a peer's chosen quote relating it to a different section of the novel.
http://www.twainquotes.com/quotesatoz.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain.html
Due Wednesday, Dec. 2 (A) and Thursday, Dec. 3 (B)
A MAN IS NEVER MORE TRUTHFUL THAN WE HE ACKNOWLEDGES HIMSELF A LIAR
ReplyDelete- Huck had to lie during his adventures. For example, when he faced the humans of the land, he constantly had to lie about his life as being orphaned and he had to lie about the smallpox and the steamboat. Huck, of course, knew that he was lying for good and not for bad.
BRITTANY TODARO
There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.
ReplyDeleteThis quote is reflected in Pap, Huck's father. He lives his life drunk and miserable. Excessive drinking is something that is looked down upon in society but it seems as though Pap is compelled to drink anyway. When the new judge in town tries to change him, Pap changes for a little while and promises that he will never go back to his old ways. Then, later he sneaks out of the judge's house to go get drunk and raise hell around town. To Pap, over drinking is something he knows is bad and forbidden, but that is what makes it even more desirable to him. Pap also spends most of his time trying to find Huck, not because Huck is his son and he wants to try and be a good father, but to get Huck's money. And what will Pap spend it on? I'm going to take a wild guess and say he'll be doing a lot of drinking. Taking your own child's money shows how "unspeakably desirable" this addiction of Pap's is.
All you need is ignorance and confidence and the success is sure.
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows how Huckleberry is not a well-educated boy, but he is confident in his actions on how to survive on his own and not get caught by others such as when he is on Jackson's Island and makes sure he provides food and shelter for himself and also how he hides on the island, and fools people into thinking he is dead. Huckleberry's confidence in his actions is the main reason why he was successful in everything he has done.
Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
ReplyDeleteHuck does what he thinks is right by helping Jim. He wants to help Jim be free and he does what he needs to get this to happen. If anyone knew that he was helping a slave escape they would be horrified.
Britnee Willims
"Laws control the lesser man... Right conduct controls the greater one."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is illustrated in several sections of the book where Huck wonders if his choice to help Jim is right or wrong. While Mark's ideas of lesser men are shown in those in the book that are confined by slave laws like Miss Watson and slave hunters, he exemplifies his idea of a greater man in Huck, a young boy who follows right moral conduct by aiding Jim. He shows a greater sense of conduct and morality when he finally decides he'll "go to hell" and help Jim, even if this means going against the law.
"It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is illustrated in the section where Jim and Huck speak about “living pretty high”
They buy, hunt food, and steal when needed. They eventually feel bad and give up a few items to feel better about themseleves. Also, this qutoe is illustrated in the part of the book where Jim and Huck they come upon a wrecked steamboat one night. They overhear two robbers talking about leaving a third robber behind and cut off there boat so they could stranded there. Jim and Huck find a number of valuables from the robbers collections from the Walter Scott. The valuables includes book, cigars, and clothes.
- Carly Gourley
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
ReplyDeleteThis quote can be applied to the conversation between Huck and Joanna, the bare-lip sister. When Huck is answering Joanna's questions about England, he frequently slips and says something incongruous to the information Joanna had of his life in London. For example, he forgot that Uncle Harvey was a preacher and hastily attempted to cover up his mistake with a lie. If he told the truth, he wouldn't have needed to remember that Uncle Harvey was a preacher. Thus, it is true that one does not need to remember something if he or she tells the truth.
Rahul Sheth
"Human beings seem to be a poor invention. If they are the noblest works of God where is the ignoblest?"
ReplyDeleteTwain exemplifies the connection between society and the naive or ignorant individual with Huckleberry's knowledge and understanding of black people, which is limited by what he has taken in from society's attitude towards black people.
"Modesty died when clothes were born. "
ReplyDeleteThe only reason the Duke,and Dauphin were able to persuade people of their origins ( The origins of being Wilk's brother) is because of their nice clothes. They came into town on a steamboat, in very nice apparel. The townspeople would not have so easily believed them if they came by way of canoe and had been dressed like vagabonds.
"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval"
ReplyDeleteThis quote reflects the internal conflicts that take place withihn the characters of Huckleberry Finn. For example, this can be seen when Huck is very tempted to turn Jim in knowing that he is a slave but refrains because he wouldn't be comfortable doing so. In this we see Huck prevail over a society in which rasicism was widespread to meet his comfort level.
"For all the talk you hear about knowledge being such a wonderful thing, instinct is worth forty of it for real unerringness."
ReplyDelete- Tom Sawyer Abroad
Huck shows that his instincts are his greater assets. One example is when he stole the gold from the duke and the king in their room. He then tried looking for a hiding place to hide it where no one could see it but then he was almost busted when he heard Mary Jane’s foot steps coming down. He then had to think of somewhere to put the gold in and decided that the most logical place to hide it in is in the corpse's coffin. It later turned out that his instincts bailed him out when the citizens found the gold when they dug up the corpse
A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.
ReplyDeleteDuring the book, this quote can be proven by Huck starting to think of Jim as an actual person, he thought to apologize to him. Small steps to modify his opinion on slaves. Huck was a "round man" who was taught to not like slaves but in time he modified himself to right in a "square hole" and see them as human beings.
-Christine Mosca
3rd Period
"It has always been a peculiarity of the human race that it keeps two sets of morals in stock-the private and the real, and the public and the artificial."
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, Huck encounters confusion between what is right and wrong, especially with his friend Jim. Society influences the people to believe blacks should not be free and slavery is not wrong. Huck was taught this, but with Jim he has grown to believe that blacks have feelings and are just as human as everyone else. He believes he will go to hell when he decides to save Jim when the king sells Jim off, but he feels saving his friend is the right thing to do. He also decides not to write a letter to Miss Watson, because she might have just sold Jim again.
"We do not deal much in facts when we are contemplating ourselves."
ReplyDeletethis to Huck prefering to look at the faults that the Widow and Miss Watson have, insatead at looking at his own. That he's a disobideint, head-strong child and that he's somewhat of a brat. By refusing to fit into the norm of a good boy, he wants to run around free and what not and this is viewed "okay" to him?
why is it just okay for him? what constitutes him the right of not being well rounded and somewhat educated? to him he can do no wrong. Thats where he dosent acknowledge his own fault. Everyone else around him does wrong. Him? its like he refuses to admitt it or bring it to the light for discussion...
This also tranfers over when him and Jim steal the clothing and food. Huck has no remorse whatsoever over it. Because he's the one doing it. He fails to overlook his actions and put them in deep perspective as he does so scrutantly with others...
We think boys are rude, unsensitive animals but it is not so in all cases. Each boy has one or two sensitive spots, and if you can find out where they are located you have only to touch them and you can scorch him as with fire.
ReplyDeleteThis can be seen in Huckleberry Finn and Jim's relationship. Throughout the book Huck is battling within himself whether to turn in Jim or not. Going against what is known to be the status quo of the time, Huck chooses to remain loyal to his friend Jim, and treats him as an equal.
-Sanaa Nagi
In response to "Cristina":
ReplyDelete"It has always been a peculiarity of the human race that it keeps two sets of morals in stock-the private and the real, and the public and the artificial."
Throughout life ever person is given two sets of morals. The first being the morals of our human nature and conscience. These morals remain unable to be alter asmade evident by HuckFinn's sympathy towards Jim throughout the novel. The latter would be the artificial set, which is our set of morals that is created and reformed by society. In the case of Jim, Huck Finn's two sets of morals collide and leave Huck to discover which set of morals should truely be accepted.
Love is not a product of reasonings and statistics. It just comes--none knows whence--and cannot explain itself.
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that there is no true definition of love. Love can not be explained fully or be measured. Love can happen any time whether you like it or not. Love being such a powerful emotion can take control of all your actions without you even knowing why. So, all you can do is live, love and go with the flow becsuse everyone experiences this un controlled, undefined, un measureable emotion.
Never refuse to do a kindness unless the act would work great injury to yourself, and never refuse to take a drink- under any circumstances.
ReplyDeleteHuck Finn has showed his kindness in many ways throughout the book in his everyday adventures. An example is the way he treats Jim.Jim is a runaway slave and Huck could easily turn him in for cash but he doesn't. Also Huck didn't have to invite the duke and the king in the raft when they where fleeing from their troubles. But out of the kindness of his heart he helped them and let them on.
Brittney Peak
~~Our conscience takes no notice of pain inflicted on others until it reaches a point where it gives pain to us. In all cases without exception we are absolutely indifferent to another person's pain until his sufferings make us uncomfortable~~
ReplyDeleteOne example is when Huck was about to go ashore and turn Jim in as a runaway slave,however as he was walking through the water, Jim kept thanking Huck for being the only friend he's got. At this, Huck decided to change his mind. ANother example was when Huck Finn saw Mary Jane crying in her room, and decided to tell her the whole truth about the 'uncles', becaues he knew it was wrong when he knew she was a nice girl. Also, when Huck tricked Jim into thinking he dreamed the whole scene where Huck lost Jim when they were on the rafts, he felt bad after Jim said he was really hurt. He said he wished he would've never have done it, becuase he realized after that Jim's feelings were hurt
Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.
ReplyDeleteThe Duke and Dauphin have little to no resources, or skills to make money. Such things can really hold a person back, but not these two. The Duke and Dauphin found a way to make everything they thought of appealing through advertisment. When in one town these two created posters around town saying no women or childrem for the event, this caused many to conclude that the show was meant for obscenity, and sexual relations. Although the show was not in any way like that, a large audience would come to watch each night. Thus creating a perfect example for Twains quote. They had so little, yet made so much with they're ability to make everything greater then what it really wass.
The human race is a race of cowards; and I am not only marching in that procession but carrying a banner.
ReplyDeleteIt relates to Sheburn's speech to the mob about how everyone is really cowards. People go along with whatever everyone thinks and gets involved.This scene is important because it is an input of Mark Twain's opinion.
-Erin Kurnia
period 1
"We are all alike, on the inside."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to the section of the book where Jim was upset about his wife and children. He hears a slam in the distance that reminds him of when he regret hitting his daughter for not doing what he asked. Jim's feelings for his family expressed in this section show Huck that he can care for his family as much as white people can for theirs. This shows that it doesn't matter if people have different skin colors, they can be alike on the inside.
-Jillian Printz
Period 1
"A man who cares a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story Huck does many things in which he must learn what is right and wrong. At one point in the story Huck takes a dead rattle snake and places it in the bottom of Jim's sleeping bag, after Jim is bit Huck realizes that he must not play tricks like this seeing that they lead to close encounters with death. Even though Huck has lived on the edge most of his life the only real way that he learns is by going through his experiences and learning through his mistakes. I find that this is a major part of the story because it is of his adventures and the things he learns along the way.
Taylor Johnson
In Response to: Jtaylor21
ReplyDelete"Love is not a product of reasonings and statistics. It just comes- none knows whence- and cannot explain itself."
This quote can easily be applied to any part of the book however the part that stands out most for me is when Jim and Huck always look out for each other, whether it's when Huck decides not to turn Jim in as a slave and tells the people thats there's smallpox aboard. Even when Jim lets Huck sleep instead of taking watch because he cares and loves Huck, even declaring in the book that Huck was the best friend Old Jim ever had in the world and the only one he's got now are several circumstances where love can be seen along with the good that shines out of both of them. Huck didn't choose to love Jim, and Jim didn't choose to love Huck but in the end that love is what I think is gonna save them, has in a way already saved them.
xxchriscayxx said...
ReplyDeleteDuring the book, this quote can be proven by Huck starting to think of Jim as an actual person, he thought to apologize to him. Small steps to modify his opinion on slaves. Huck was a "round man" who was taught to not like slaves but in time he modified himself to right in a "square hole" and see them as human beings.
_________________________________________________
In the book Huck is constently reinventing himself to fit any situation. His belifs and mind is ever changing. Physically he changes his appearence he may be a boy, girl, or even dead. But through all, he keeps an open mind.
Angelica Obi
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."
ReplyDeleteIts logical that Huck Finn continues to find himself in endangered situations throughout his “adventures” with Jim- who said running away with a fugitive was easy? However, whenever Huck faces a threat to him or Jim’s freedom he always manages to pull through with a clever alibi. It takes strength and courage for Huck to look into a threatening eye and lie aware that being caught could cost them their freedom, such as when they come across some men in a boat who request to search his raft for escaped slaves, dominating his fear Huck warns them that his family on board the raft is suffering from smallpox. His consistent confrontation with fear heightened his bravery because as Twain said fear isn’t absent- its mastered.
"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
ReplyDeleteIn the book Huck is constantly doing what he feels is right. For example, Huck plays with the concept of morality and debates over the question of whether to turn Jim in or risk being shunned by society if he is caught with a runaway. Huck felt that not turning him in was the right thing to do and Jim was satisfied with that. He showed he was thankful and told Huck that he was his best friend.
Another example is when Huck went to go tell the captain of the ship to go looking for the wrecked boat, in which "Thornback's niece" was located on. He lied to the captain because he knew that if he didn't he wouldn't of gone looking for it. Even though there were three bad guys on that boat, Huck did the right thing and it astonished his audience.
-Jamie Nesser
"It is easier to stay out than get out."
ReplyDeleteIn thebook, Huck in constantly gtting himself stuck in difficult situations where he runs into many dilemmas. He often has to find a way out of them, usually by lying. For example, when Huck pretended to be a girl, his true identity was almost revealed and he had to make up another false identity to get out of the situation. This quote relates to him so much because it's saying that avoiding the conflict all together is much easier then trying to get out of it. Telling the truth is the only way to avoid the conflict.
-Alexa Diorio
Laws control the lesser man... Right conduct controls the greater one.
ReplyDeleteThe conceptions of Huck's time shaped a deformed society that considered the abuses of slavery as a necessary evil. Laws of the time such as the Fugitive Slave Law only controlled the wicked conscience of lesser man who returned slaves, who in their crucible for freedom made it away from mistreatments, back into the very institution that demoralized him and his people. However, this doesn't apply to people like Huck who despite having been shaped by such a despotic society decides to do the right thing by helping Jim escape from St. Petersburg and search for him when he is sold rather than sending a letter to Miss Watson telling her were Jim was.
"The lie, as a virtue, a principle, is eternal; the lie, as a recreation, a solace, a refuge in time of need, the fourth Grace, the tenth Muse, man's best and surest friend is immortal."
ReplyDeleteWhen Huck gets himself into sticky situations, he easily slips out of them by telling elaborate stories and lies. Although lying should generally be avoided, Huck uses lies to help himself and Jim. For example, Huck lies to the duke and king about the money so that he does not get in trouble. Also, Jim is dressed as an Arab so that he can avoid being caught as a runaway slave. Lying and manipulation are things that Huck relies on, and has allowed him and Jim to continue on their adventures together.
Grace Ooi, Period 3
"We find not much in ourselves to admire, we are always privately wanting to be like somebody else. If everybody was satisfied with himself there would be no heroes."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to Huck and Jim as they were experiencing their journeys down the Mississippi River on and off the raft. Huck and Jim's relationship together was a special one where Huck thinks of Jim as a father and Jim thinks of Huck as his savior and person he takes care of, a son. All of this relates to the quote because Huck admires Jim and wants to be kind and nurturing like him, so therefore, helped him runaway and not give him up. In this way he is being a hero by "always privately wanting to be like" Jim. Jim admires Huck for sticking with him and not giving him up, so, in return, nurtures him in different ways. Together, they are heroes for being against the cruelty of slavery, which is what the book is all about.
"One gets large impressions in boyhood, sometimes, which he has to fight against all his life."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to Huck because of his advenntures which were not the best childhood memories. He did was the the normal child of the time period because he had many adventures and incidents happen that made him fend for himself. For example, when his father would lock him up and beat him, and at times chase him around threatening to kill him; that incident will be something that he will have to fight against. Another example of a big impression that Huck will have to fight forever is his adventure with Jim because they had many dangerous incidents like when the steamboat was in the ocean and there was two murderes on it. All of the close calls are all traumas he will have to face.
~ Abraham Pinero Period 1
"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is appilcable to Huck's ability to survive as a young,white,country boy in his numerous encounters. He doesn't let the fact that he is young affect his sharp instincts and intelligence. He even tricks adults by leaving a camp fire ablaze to make people think he'd return soon. Huck's age does not hamper his determination in his adventures.
"We think boys are rude, unsensitive animals but it is not so in all cases. Each boy has one or two sensitive spots, and if you can find out where they are located you have only to touch them and you can scorch him as with fire."
ReplyDeleteHuck definitely has a few weak spots, one of the more prevalent ones in the book being towards girls, sad ones in particular. When staying with the Grangerfords, he took the request of the daughter to go back to the church and get her New Testament, and when he found out what was happening, he wanted to make sure she made it across the river alright. When he saw Mary-Jane picking up her things for the trip to England and crying, he felt so bad for her (worse then he had already) that he told her everything that was happening.
What a wee little part of a person's life are his acts and his words! His real life is led in his head, and is known to none but himself.
ReplyDelete-Huck lies to pretty much every single person he meets on his trip about his life and who he is. The life that he lives throughout the book exist solely in his head because no one else knows his true identity. Therefore, Huck is the only person to know his real life.
"lie-- an abomination before the Lord and an ever present help in time of need"
ReplyDeleteThis applies to not one single part of the book, but to most of it. Buck lies either to protect Jim or himself, which happens frequently. For example, as Huck tries to pray In chapter 31, he finds himself incapable of doing it, for he realizes that it is sinful. However he uses lies to his advantage in order to protect the ones he loves (namely himself and Jim), like the incident In which he pretended that he had small pox aboard the raft.
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
ReplyDeleteTowards the beginning of the novel, Huck's father, Pap, is said to be dead. This is because a dead person wearing ragged clothes is found in the river and Pap is known to wear ragged clothes. However, the body is really a woman in men's clothes. Pap's "death" was greatly exaggerated because it was not even Pap who died.
Later, Huck runs away and fakes his own death. Everyone from home throws bread and shoots cannons in the river, hoping to find his body. Since he was actually alive, reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.
"Man - a creature made at the end of the week's work when God was tired."
ReplyDelete-This quote gives off the impression that it's natural for people to have faults. In the novel every single character wasn't perfect. For example Pap was far from perfect, he was a person that represented the scum of earth. Similar to pap was the duke and king, they were a mischievous and heartless duo. Even people like ms. Watson, who lives her life righteously, was a hypocrite by owning slaves.
In response to Matt M's quote:
ReplyDelete"Human beings seem to be a poor invention. If they are the noblest works of God where is the ignoblest?"
The novel exemplifies this quote when the reader meets the Duke and the King. Being con artists they are the worst kind of people, pretending to be the dead man’s (Peter Wilks) family, conning his estate from the family, separating a family of slaves, and selling Jim back into slavery. In addition the novel presents the idea that slave owners are terrible people who think they are “good Christians” but in fact are hypocrites. Which leads to the question in the quote, what could be worse then human beings?
In response to rsheth93:
ReplyDelete"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
This particular quote can also be applied to when Huck encounters Mrs. Loftus. He pretends he is a girl so he will not be recognized. However, he continually forgets his name. This is one way Mrs. Loftus figures out Huck is lying. Therefore, telling the truth really does mean not having to remember something (like a name).
"All right, then, I'll go to hell."
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows its self in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when Huck decides that he would rather go to hell and be with Tom Sawyer then go to heaven where he feels things are boring. To him going to hell isnt that big of an issue as it is to some people and that it might even be preferable. Sometimes it might feel like to much work to be good and try to get to heaven so its easier to say I'll just go to hell.
"You can't depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus."
ReplyDeleteThis quote seems to capture a fundamental aspect of Huck"s personality. He is very affluent when it comes to getiing what he wants. He uses his imagination to create different personas and stories such as when he disguised himself as a female so he would not be caught on the loose.
"Let us not be too particular; old secondhand diamonds are better than no diamonds at all"
ReplyDeleteThis quotation applies to both Huck and Jim. Society is particular about their value; Huck is seen as low class and common, son of the town drunk while Jim is an escaped slave with no value other than the three hundred dollars he is worth as property. But both Huck and Jim are secondhand value for wisdom is wisdom no matter what package it comes in. Jim is a wiser mentor to Huck for not being the conventional dark robed scholar-philospher. He relates to Huck in a way that school books never managed to do. He teaches Huck distinct lessons on life, society and personal honor, to the point where Huck even "...humbled [himself] to a n*****" to earn once more the friendship and trust that had been lost. Huck also provides a look at society untainted by rose-colored glasses and illusions as Huck struggles to break free of his deformed conscience by listening to his just heart. Both Jim and Huck maybe considered secondhand diamonds, but a diamond's value is forever, and their value is not decreased by it.
"Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is exemplified in Huck's gradual affection towards Jim. In that time of history, it wouldn't be natural to see a black slave as a close friend, but Huck finds himself missing Jim and even risking his life to get Jim back. This also shows how, despite Huck's deformed conscience, his heart has an innate nature of bonding with someone even as "low" as a black slave. He didn't necessarily force himself to like Jim, but he just became attached "involuntarily," having a sincere emotion.
"There are many humorous things in the world: among them the white man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
ReplyDeleteThis quotation not only exemplifies part of the book, but it also shows some of Twain's sarcastic humor. Obviously it is rather sad that white men have historically held themselves higher than, and considered themselves less of savages than other racial groups. This idea is illustrated constantly throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Most of the society, including Huck at times, believed that whites were doing nothing wrong by holding slaves. Even though slavery is seen as quite possibly one of the most savage acts a person can commit, people believed others were doing things far worse. This made them feel like less of savages and allowed them to continue the selling of slaves such as with the black slave family on Wilk’s farm or with Jim, the belief that they were better than slaves and couldn’t help them such as when Huck thought it was sin to help Jim escape slavery, or even just the overall idea that they were better. Simply put, White people back then had little to no respect for anyone but those who share their culture and ideals.
"The man is probably dead drunk but that doesn't lessen your heart ache."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is exemplified in a specific section, the one involving Huck's father. Now, Huck's father was a hevay drinker and this cause issues, specifically physical, onto Huck. Even when Huck's father was too drunk or not around, the abuses still affected Huck internally.
"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run."
ReplyDeleteThe quote applies to Huck Finn throughout the course of the story. At the beginning Ms. Watson desperetaly tries to civilize and educate Huck, but this doesn't go over well. In the end, Huck ends up learning more through his experience in the world than from any textbook he ever read. In his encounters and adventures with Pap, Jim, the duke and the king, Mary Jane, etc. Huck Finn learns about human nature. He learns about what is right and wrong even if what is wrong is considered right in society. None of this can be taught in a textbook.
-Tatiana Pomerantz
"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is exemplified constantly throughout Huck's adventures on the river with Jim. Although Huck knows that by helping Jim he is breaking the law, he also knows that if he were to turn Jim in to the authorities that he would feel horrible about himself. So he continues to break the law because he feels that what he is doing is the right way of going about it.
Gino T. 6th period
"The lack of money is the root of all evil."
ReplyDeleteThis quote can relate to many instances within the novel. In the beginning of the story, it is revealsed that Huck came upon a large sum of money. When Pap returns to town, he makes it a primary goal of his to get his hands on Huck's money. He often abused Huck, even locking Huck in a small and unkempt cabin for inhumane periods of time.
Another example can be seen in the days Huck spent with the three sisters, Mary Jane, Susie, and Joanna. The king and the duke desperately sought the deceased Peter Wilks' fortune, so much so that they were willing to pose as members of the Wilks family and lull the sisters into a false sense of security, at which point they would escape with the money. Sometimes, and especially in this novel, money enforces evil.
In response to HeavyGT's quote:
ReplyDelete"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval"
This quote also applies to another section of the novel.In the beginning of the story, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer plan to leave Miss Watson' s house but need candles.As a result, they end up taking Miss Watson' s, but Tom feels guilty of doing so without giving anything in return.He then offers to leave money on the table but is quickly detested by Huck Finn. This relates to the quote because Tom did not feel comfortable doing something if he was not completely content.
An uneasy conscience is a hair in the mouth.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, Huck is troubled when it comes to doing the right thing. His society has helped shape his conscience, so in his mind slavery is ok and helping a run away slave is practically a sin. His heart and feelings are contradicting what his consciense is telling him. He struggles with trying to do the right thing and it's frustrating, like a "hsir in the mouth." You can see his struggle with his uneasy consciense when he is writing to Ms. Watson after Jim had been sold. Huck finally has to make a choice despite what his consciense tells him and do what his heart feels is the "right" thing, which is to rescue Jim.
Better a broken promise than none at all. -mark twain
ReplyDeletei can relate this to huck finn at the part where huck's father is staying with the judge and he promises to sober up and take care of his son and the judge and his family believe him and think that he's a new man. Then of course, he sneaks out later and gets drunk as can be, hence broken promise. Atleast he tried.
"There are times when one would like to hang the whole human race, and finish the farce." - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
ReplyDeleteOver the course of the novel, Huck experiences a loss of respect for humanity. After witnessing the extent to which the duke and the dauphin try to decieve the townspeople into believing that they are Wilks's nefews, Huck feels that their show was enough to make him “ashamed of the human race.”
Oh, whoops. For the record, obiwan = Jordan Obi. Sorry, haha :}
ReplyDeleteThis nation is like all the others that have been spewed upon the earth--ready to shout for any cause that will tickle its vanity or fill its pocket. What a hell of a heaven it will be when they get all these hypocrites assembled there!
ReplyDelete- Letter to J. H. Twichell, 1/29/1901
In [i]The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn[/i], Jim's owner and Huck's care-taker, the widow, is a hypocrite. She owns slaves, and yet she likes to call herself a christian. Also, Buck claims that the opposing family plays unfairly in their squables in the forest, justifying his actions by saying that "they always take the advantage". He was being hypocritical because he hid behind the bushes and tried to kill one of the Shepherdsons, which is, as he said, "taking the advantage". Much like this quote suggested, Huck's world--and even ours-- is filled with hypocrites.
In responce to xxchriscayxx,
ReplyDelete"A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape."
I disagree with what she said because I believe Huck did not conform into the circle of society. Rather than beginning to believe what everyone else felt, he continued having his abnormal thoughts of what he thought about slavery. So in the end, instead of becoming one with society he continues to have his different views and becomes an outcast because of it.
"Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."
ReplyDeleteOften times, Huck tells drawn out lies to help him get out of the predicaments he finds himself in. He uses these stories to help him and Jim out in situations that could have been avoided. For instance, Jim dresses up in disguise to avoid being caught as a runaway slave. Also, to avoid getting in trouble, Huck lies to the duke and king about the money. Because of Huck's ability to bend the truth, it has allowed him and Jim to continue on their adventures.
-Micah Biana Period 6
Dying man couldn't make up his mind which place to go to -- both have their advantages, "heaven for climate, hell for company!"
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to the first chapter of Huck Finn where Miss Watson talked to Huck about hell. She told him that in heaven all they did was play a harp and sing forever, which Huck found boring. Then when he asked whether Tom Sawyer would go there, she told him that he would definitely be in hell, which pleased Huck because he wanted to have some company.
"When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction."
ReplyDeleteHe is saying that just by a man's appearance of loving a cat, Twain will like him. This is just how Jim is judged on his being black, not on the way he acts.
"All right, then, I'll go to hell."
ReplyDeleteHis deformed conscience tells him that its better to go to hell instead of selling out his best friend. He feels like Jim is still a good man despite of him being a runaway slave. This shows another side of Huck that is truly genuine and sincere.
Monarchies, aristocracies, and religions....there was never a country where the majority of the people were in their secret hearts loyal to any of these institutions.
ReplyDelete- The Mysterious Stranger
This relates to the subtext of Huckleberry Finn that Christian slaveholders do not uphold their Christian beliefs because they are hypocrites. At the time, people would bring in their slaves to pray with them every night even though they were considered property. This quote embodies the meaning of this satire.
Juan Escobar:
ReplyDeleteDon't let schooling interfere with you education.
What I believe that Huck means by this is that the things that you learn from life are more important than the things that you learn at school. When he thinks about schooling, he is talking about the stuff that you are forced to learn, the things that you are obligated to do based on society wants you to do. When he thinks abut education he thinks about things you learn from experience, or street smarts.
In response to Cesar94 who wrote:
ReplyDelete"Laws control the lesser man... right conduct controls the greater one."
I agree with his comment because Huckleberry Finn conforms to these rules, but deep down he knows that it is wrong. This quote relates to the theme of this book "the sound hearts vs. the deformed conscience" , for example: when Huck is caught between his conscience of whether to turn in Jim or not,, he ends up not turning him in.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"If Christ were here there is one thing he would not be--a Christian."
ReplyDeleteUpon evaluating this quote I realized that Mark Twain is displaying the mockery that he portrayed throughout the book about Christians. One event was one night, when Miss Watson led a prayer session with Huck and the household slaves. This shows the insincerity of the Widow Douglas, a “pious” Christian, who owns slaves. Twain’s depiction of slaveholding in this first chapter raises questions about the hypocrisy and moral void of society. People like the Widow serve as foils for Huck throughout the novel, as he tries to sort out the value of civilizing influences. These reasons show what Twain means when he states that Christ wouldn’t be a Christian if he was here.
:Lisa-Dawn Maloney
"Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education."
ReplyDeleteWhat Mark Twain implies in this quote is that Cauliflower and Cabbage are in the same family, except that Cauliflower looks different, therefore Twain is essentially saying that everyone is the same and a college education makes no difference.
This relates to Huck Finn in the sense that Huck was not an educated person, yet he left his existence and the shackles of society and survived, and an education would have not prepared him for that. Therefore the Cauliflower in Twain's quote is a symbol of conformity because one does not need a formal education to survive in the real world, in oppose to Huck's "education" that he adapted from his experiences.
-Micah Baier =D
Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
ReplyDeleteWhen Huck tore up the letter he wrote to Miss Watson, and decided to go search for Jim. This was wrong in Huck's mind, but in the reader's mind it was right. He astonished even himself by going and searching for Jim.
We can secure other people's approval if we do right and try hard; but our own is worth a hundred of it, and no way has been found out of securing that.
ReplyDeleteWhen i read this quote i automatically thought of when Huck tore apart his letter to Ms.Watson. In the eyes of his community, by sending the letter He would be doing the "right thing". As a boy with valid information on an escaped slave he knew it was his ultimate duty to report Jim to his owner. Yet Huck ripped his letter to shreds, because what he was taught as "right" wasn't approved by a key person, Himself.
Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary.
ReplyDeleteMark Twain
In the book huck cries when he finds out that Jim is gone. throughout the book all Huck does is lie about his life not because he wants to but because he has to. When huck cries this shows that he not only just wanted to help jim but that he actually cares about him. Also when he tells Mary Jane the truth but tells her to wait at a friends house because Jim's life is at stake. This shows how he is not only worrying about his self but the life of his dear friend.
"The human race is a race of cowards; and i am not only marching in that procession but carrying a banner."
ReplyDeleteThis quotation can be associated with Colonel Shernurn. When the mob tries to lynch Sherburn because he killed Boggs. Shernurm then explains to the crowd that they are cowards , and that the only reason that they came was because a "half man" decided that they should lynch him, so in order to not look like cowards they went along with the lynching. Sherburn understands that most of the human race tend to "go with the flow" instead of doing things for themselves and thus they are considered cowards.
"Never refuse to do a kindness unless the act would work great injury to yourself, and never refuse a drink- under any circumstances."
ReplyDeleteMark Twain
Throughout the story Mark Twain illustrates this quote in Huck's character. As a young boy in this period in time who hasn't had that much of a proper upbringing has faced so many obstacles. All in which have steadilly tested his conciencs, more than once he has to choose to do the right thing. However what may be right according to what the law states or moraly right. The first half of this quote is shown when Huck decides to save Jim when they come across the men on the river by lying about his race and saying that he was also ill. This made him very uneasy for sometime, therefore bringing that injury he had stated in his quote. Of course not literal physical injury, but the fact that a risk was made and sacrificed or deny oneself for someone else.
Huck Fin is a person of good character and wants to do right by the people who deserve it.
-Tatiana Harris:)
EYE
ReplyDelete...the common eye sees only the outside of things, and judges by that, but the seeing eye pierces through and reads the heart and the soul, finding there capacities which the outside didn't indicate or promise, and which the other kind couldn't detect.
- Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
This quote brings to mind Huck's relationship with Jim. Huck uses the "seeing eye" to see Jim outside of his slave status. Huck realizes that Jim is a great person with a caring heart. They both go against the views of society and form a bond that would seem unrealistic for the time. Huck and Jim prove that using the heart within is the key to success.
Erin Cohen
Praise is well, compliment is well, but affection--that is the last and final and most precious reward that any man can win, whether by character or achievement.
ReplyDelete- Affection speech, 1907
In the book Huck is portrayed as a boy who is some what of a rebel. But as the book continues we begin to see the more emotional side of him. Jim clearly shows Huck affection, thoughout the book. As anyone can see, Jim is more of a father figure to Huck than his own father. Jim shows his affection toward Huck in serveral ways. Such as when he stays up all night to keep an eye on the con men so that Huck can sleep. Although Huck may be ashamed and reluctant to show affection toward Jim because he is a slave, Huck demonstrates his affection by being unable to turn Jim in even though he knows it is what he is supposed to do.
Jennifer Murray.
"Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it."
ReplyDeleteThis quote certainly reflects the wit and acumen of Mark Twain. Although it asserts that truth is valuable, it is actually pointing out the value of lies, a common theme throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The value of lies is perhaps best exemplified when the duke and the king perform the Royal Nonesuch for its first three nights. Lies were used to advertise the show, the quality of the show itself was a lie, and the audience was told to tell other members of the community a lie in order to keep the show going the next night. All of these lies resulted in a tremendous profit for the duke and the king. Another experience in which the value of lies was revealed was when the duke and the king were able to pose as the Wilks brothers. Through this effort, they almost tricked an entire town into letting them get away with six thousand dollars - and people call the truth valuable! In this quote and throughout the book, Twain proves that sometimes lies can have more value than truth.
Jared Odessky
"The glory which is built upon a lie soon becomes a most unpleasant incumbrance. How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and how hard it is to undo that work again!"
ReplyDeleteThis holds true when the Duke and the Dauphin claim to be the brothers of the deceased Pete Wilks. Huck is involved in this scandal and gets caught in the web of lies. As soon as they stepped off the boat the town, except for the doctor, was convinced the Duke and the Dauphin were the true Harvey and William Wilks, and Huck was their severant. Later, the lie builds to the point where Huck feels he must undo the lie and tell Mary Jane, one of the Pete Wilks' daughters.
Kelsey Segaloff
"What a good thing Adam had. When he said a good thing he knew nobody had said it before."
ReplyDelete-This quote mainly pertains to authors, writers, or anyone aiming to be original. However, in the book, it is not supposed to be a question whether or not to go against slavery. Huckelberry goes against all of his societies morals, by helping out Jim. This relates to the quote because, Huck not only doesn't care what other people say, but like Adam, he doesn't have anyone to listen to. When writing a letter to Mrs.Watson, about Jim, he decides to rip up the letter, and figures he might as well "go to hell"- he isn't going to listen to anyone,therefore, it is like no one is there.
"Essentially, nobilities are foolishness, but if I were a citizen where they prevail I would do my best to get a title, for the consideration it furnishes -- that is what we want. In Republics we strive for it with the surest means we have -- money."
ReplyDeleteThis quote describes the superficial lives and status we alll hope to reach one day. Nobility is nothing serious. This holds truth when the Duke and Dauphin impersonate nobles from France. The irony of it all ios that they are not rich but they are fools and they do their best to convince Huck and Jim that they are of nobility for the consideration it furnishes.
-Jessica Dueno
"H'aint we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?" -The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
ReplyDeleteIn this quote, Mark Twain uses the ignorance and stupidity of the time to make his point. Throughout the book, Mark Twain makes a case for the overall stupidity of people to ensure that his call for civil rights is answered. Although humurous the quote is an intricate detail in Mark Twain's overall purpose.
The most permanent lessons in morals are those which come, not of book teaching, but of experience.
ReplyDelete- A Tramp Abroad
- This quote from Twain has a vivid application in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, especially through the thought process and endeavors of Huck. One sees this correlation in chapter 31 where Huck makes the decision that the right thing to do is rescue Jim. He realized that through everything they have been through together, Jim is a true friend and going to hell was acceptable because doing what was right was necessary. He threw away the lessons he was taught in an unjust society and realized for himself that blacks and whites were equal, in turn adjusting his own moral compass.
Danielle Dreher P.5
"IT WERE NOT BEST THAT WE SHALL ALL THINK ALIKE; IT IS DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS THAT MAKES HORSE RACES"
ReplyDeleteHuck makes his decisions based upon opinions he believes will have the best result. He takes risks and defends his thoughts knowing that his voice in all situations matters. His confidence in knowing how to create the best of a situation is what takes him far.
"We think boys are rude, unsensitive animals but it is not so in all cases. Each boy has one or two sensitive spots, and if you can find out where they are located you have only to touch them and you can scorch him as with fire."
ReplyDelete-Mark Twain.
This relates to Huck in the book because Huck is aware of how is dad is and you knows it bothers him when he is drunk. Also when he had ran away and saw Jim, he back a friend to him and didnt treat him differently even though he was a slave. Huck is clever but like Twain said everyone has a sensitive spot.
"Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to Huckleberry Fins rebellious ways. When Huck contemplates saving Jim, he weighs out his beliefs versus the social normalities set by the government and society. He decides that he would "go to hell" in order to maintain a happy relationship with himself for not abandoning Jim. This is evidence of Huck Finns willingness to stand up for what is right, despite what authority says.
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it happened or not."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates especially to Huck Finn. He is able to come up with such convincing lies so quickly that it seems as though he's simply reciting things that he remembers about his real life, even though they are completely untrue.
"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus"
ReplyDeleteThis qoute can be related to Huck Finn when he is with tom sawyer and they are pretending to be robbers. Since Huck dosnt have much of an imagination he dosnt see what Tom sees when they are pretending to rob people, and he dosnt seem to enjoy it too much.
"I have found out there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them."
ReplyDeleteThis quote relates to Huck Finn when he begins his adventures with Jim, the duke, and the dauphin. We see how Jim looks after Huck in a father like manner and declares that Huck is his only friend, the two create a close bond in which the reader can see that Huck and Jim begin to care for each other and sees that Jim is a good person even though he is a slave. On the other hand, Huck dislikes the duke, and the dauphin. He soon realizes that they are scummy people who play tricks on people which makes him say, "Hes'never seen anything so disgusting." He even more so begins to loathe the dauphin when he figures out that he has sold Jim for a measly sum of forty dollars.
I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell - you see, I have friends in both places.
ReplyDeleteThis is a refer to the beginning of the book, when Mrs.Waston talks to Huck about heaven and hell, and how Tom Sawyer would go hell and Christians like Mrs. Waston and the widow would go to heaven. While he may not see Mrs.Waston as a friend, he does see the widow as a friend of some sort and would love to be with Tom Sawyer even in hell.
"Alas, if we but do right under restraint of authoritative observance, where then is the merit?"
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Huck is constantly internally debating what is or isn't the right thing, especially in the part where he must decide to either return Jim back to his former owner or to continue on their journey to freedom. Huck decides, against popular belief, to help Jim to his freedom because he believes it's the right thing to do. If Huck hadn't made any of the decisions he made, there would be no story.
Jessica Palacios
"Damn these human beings; if I had invented them I would go hide my head in a bag."
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Huck struggles to understand the confusing world and he encounters many people who have conflicting personalities. This quote relates to Huck Finn because he is ashamed at how people, especially people like the duke and the dauphin, can be. For instance, when the dauphin encounters a man who tells him about the deceased Peter Wilks, the dauphin quickly thought of a plan to take the Wilks' money and land. He keeps asking the man questions about the family and once in the Wilks' hometown, he pretends to do sign language. Watching the duke and the dauphin scam the Wilks sisters made Huck ashmed to be part of the human race.
-Rina
"Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it".
ReplyDeleteThe duke and the dauphin go to extreme lengths, telling lie after lie in order to gain money. They have almost no morals or consideration for others and are primarily concerned with what they can get out a the situation. They lie about not knowing that Peter Wilks died, very convincingly. Their morale in that scene is so low that it makes Huck ashamed of the human race. Then, they pretend to be the relatives of the three girls, all in order to receive the money left in Wilks' will. Clearly, money can be a very powerful instigator of cruel activity.
"When we inherit Property, it does not occur to us to throw it away, even when we do not want it."
ReplyDeleteThis quotation reminds me of when the Duke and Dauphin go into the town posing as brothers of a deceased man. When they inherit the dead mans possessions, they never think of giving away anything. They sell the slaves they don't need. On the other hand, Huck and Jim demonstrate this quote perfectly. After they steal the food and fruit, they begin to feel bad. They decide that they don't want some of the fruit and decide to drop it in the river.
-Corey Graf
This was Jamie Nessers
ReplyDelete"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
When Huck sees how upset Mary Jane is about the separtion of the slaves he accidently tells her they will be reunited in less than two weeks. He saw how upset she was and his conscious went out to comfort her pain for the family being split up. Then ends up telling her just about everything. She promises to remember him and pray for him. It was the right thing for him to tell her.
Jessica Gross
According to Mark Twain, "The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a man only tells them with all his might."
ReplyDeleteDauphin and duke pretend to be the dead guys long lost brothers from England. They know they're not and the townspeople suspect they're not because their English accents are inadequate and other factors point in the opposite directions. They come up with an "outrageous" story that should not be believe, but is believed anyway because they "tell it with all their might." Throughout the book Huck also comes up with stories that people believe. He too lies "with all his might."
-Faren Brevett
It is curious--curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare
ReplyDeleteThis qoute pertains to huckelberry finn because Huck is couragous throughout the course of the novel. this statement is bolstered when one looks to the many times huck goes out of his way to save the runaway slave, jim.Ptimarily, when huck discovers there is a bounty on jims head so the two immediately away on their raft.Hucks gesture towards jim is couragous because he crossed many of the social norm that existed between whites and blacks at the time.
The institution of royalty in any form is an insult to the human race. - Notebook, 1888
ReplyDeleteTo me, this quote is relevant to the way Huck feels about slaves and their "higher-ranking" masters. He sees the hypocrisy in the christian slave owners who pray for equality and so on, but hold peoples lives like that of poverty. If we are so equal, why are some more equal than others?
~Robert Holness
"The lack of money is the root of all evil."
ReplyDeleteThis quote, also done by Perry Ryan, can be seen in various instances throughout the book. Although he highlights some examples in the beginning chapters, I feel the most prevalent situation is done with the duke and the dauphin.
Initially the meaning of the quote is straightforward when it simply asserts that the "lack of money" can cause or bring about "evil" doings. This is accentuated during the travels with the duke and the dauphin. They are in dire need of money and their solutions can be construed as evil. One of their most successful swindles is the play put on called the Royal Nonesuch. They scam people for their money and leave which is caused through their need of money. In addition, later in the book the dauphin decides to sell Jim for easy cash. The sole acts of committing fraud and putting a price on a human life can be described as evil, which when scrutinized came from the lack of monetary they had.
Robert Pestritto
Period 5
In response to DROB1004:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. Hucks’ determination for adventures, and to save his friend have nothing to do with his age. He uses his intellect and goes with his gut without a moment’s hesitation in every situation. Although he is young he knows his right from wrong for the most part and is able to manipulate the minds of adults with his natural lying ability.
"Mine was a trained Presbyterian conscience and knew but the one duty--to hunt and harry its slave upon all pretexts and on all occasions, particularly when there was no sense nor reason in it."
ReplyDeletethis quote reminds me of the sarcasm and irony in huckleberry finn in regards to racism. the book is a satire and one specific incident makes this evident. when huck is having a moral deilemma on whether to turn jim in or not, instead he makes up a story about being on the boat with his family with small pox to protect jim. this quote is poking fun at the justification of harsh racism and hate crimes. and in that moment of delay you see the moral heart in huck.
-aimee lechner