The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or, in more recent editions, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) is a novel written by Mark Twain. It was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884, followed by the United States release in i885. In the long controversy that has been Huckleberry Finn's history, the novel has been criticized, censored, and banned for an array of perceived failings, including obscenity, atheism, bad grammar, coarse manners, and low moral tone.[1] Despite the controversies, the novel has remained a staple in high school literature study because teachers seek to engage students with texts that provoke discussion and questions.[2] Mark Twain intended thhis book as a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He planned to follow Finn's life from childhood into adulthood in this book. However, after several years of work, the story failed to develop and Twain set the manuscript aside. It was only after Twain’s trip down the Hudson River that he gained fresh inspiration and again resumed writing. The result, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has become one of the United States’ most beloved novels and one of the first examples of vernacular writing in American literature.[3]

Plot

The book tells the story of young Huckleberry Finn and Jim, a runaway slave, as they travel by raft on the Mississippi River. Huck Finn is a rebellious teen who fakes his own death to escape an alcoholic father. Jim, a runaway slave, provides friendship and protection while the two journey along the Mississippi on their raft.[4] During the journey Huck encounters a variety of characters and types in whom the book memorably portrays almost every class living on or along the river. As a result of these experiences, Huck overcomes conventional racial prejudices and learns to respect and love Jim.[5]

Controversy

The most controversial aspect of Huckleberry Finn is the use of racially charged language. Some critics objected to Huck Finn's racial content and noted that Twain uses the word "nigger" 213 times in the book.