HUCK FINN TEST REVIEW

In Class Notes/Journal for Rob’s Class

21 February In Class Notes/Journal 97 A: Notes

• A: Notes 

-Mark Twain 

Lived from 1835-1910

1. Standup comic He did standup before it was called standup 

2. Moral Satirus was dealing with serious matters amid the comedy

3. He was a humorous but also a cynic

4. Master of self-depreciation: Made fun of himself, but he enjoyed it 

5. Frontier storyteller, aka rustic of sorts

6. A sophisticated world traveler 

7. Mocked wealth and society and wanted it

8. He loved nature and simplicity, and he loved gadgets and inventions

9. Went bankrupt, putting money into a printing thing

10. Born a Calvinist but over time became an agnostic

11. Southerner and became a part of the Confederate army, then left

12. In his later years, he became a close friend of Grant

13. Romantic and realist 

14. Huck found that the book was attacked when it came out,t and it was praised. 

• B: Notes 

According to Booth, point of view is the most important technique

Author-------Narrator's persona---Characters and actions

When discussing narrative distance,e he's talking about differences like time, knowledge, and sympathy.

Knowledge they are far apart Huck and The Widow Douglas

Sympathy- they are close together

They all believe in ghosts

Picaro- A vagabond or a young man on the run.

Picaresque-Relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero.

Denouement-Resolution of the story (Mispronounce it to spell it)

Deus Ex Machina- An unexpected power or event saving a hopeless situation, especially used as a contrived plot device in a novel.

Misanthropists-Someone who dislikes humankind and avoids human society

Moral sensibility- Even though Huck hasn't had much contact with his father he has a natural sense of what seems to be right and wrong. 

Neurological disorders from getting drunk too much are delirious.

Malapropism is a word misused for a comic effect.

Motifs

1. The lies are treated playfully but sometimes they are earnest.

2. Flight- People are on the run going from place to place

3. Satire- Twain uses satire throughout the book poking fun at everyone good or bad.

4. Resurrection- Huck Fin fakes his death

Themes

1. Hucks moral sensibility

2. Fugitive good- Trying to do the right thing in a society that doesn’t approve

3. Appearance vs Reality-

4. Bildungsroman-Growing up through the story

Troy Freud

Spoke about human personalities

ID-Animal self. (What drives us to meet our physical needs.)(Food, Drink, and survival instincts)

Ego-Conscious self/Thinking self.

Super-Ego- Social self (Things people do because they are expected to.)

7 Deadly Sins

1. Pride (Primary deadly sin)

2. Greed/Avarice

3. Wrath/Anger

4. Gluttony

5. Envy/Jealousy

6. Sloth/Laziness

7. Lust

Huck Finn Vocab

1. Picaro

2. Picaresque

3. Bildungsroman

4. Misanthropist

5. Comic Relief

6. Deus Ex Machina

7. Denouement

Huck Finn Study Guide

1. Definitions & Examples:

• Innate Depravity: The idea that people are born with a tendency to do evil. Example: Huck’s struggle with helping Jim, a runaway slave, shows the conflict between his moral instinct and society’s “depravity” regarding slavery.

• Narrative Persona: The character who tells the story. Example: Huck is the narrative persona, telling the story from his own perspective.

• Narrative Distance: The gap between the narrator’s perspective and the reader. Example: Huck’s first-person narration creates a close, personal connection with the reader.

Greater narrative distance better the irony

• Satire: Humor or ridicule used to criticize society. Example: Twain satirizes the absurdity of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, who preach about love but carry guns to church.

• Parody: An exaggerated imitation. Example: Twain parodies the Romantic ideals of heroism through Huck and Jim’s journey.

• Deus ex Machina: A plot device where a seemingly unsolvable problem is resolved by an unexpected force. Example: The Duke and the King’s schemes unravel easily when they are exposed by the townspeople.

• Picaresque: A story involving a roguish protagonist. Example: Huck is a classic picaro, traveling from one adventure to another.

• Bildungsroman: A coming-of-age story. Example: Huck’s moral growth and development throughout the novel.

• Freudian Personality Description: The id (Huck’s impulsive behavior), ego (Huck balancing his desires with reality), and super-ego (society’s influence on Huck’s conscience).

• Malapropism: A mistaken use of a word. Example: Jim says, “I’m a-going to get a rattlesnake-skin” when he means a snake’s skin, creating humor and showing his character’s dialect.

2. Realism Traits:
   
   

   • Focus on Everyday Life: Realism emphasizes ordinary characters and situations. Example: Huck is just a poor boy, and his life is depicted realistically, unlike heroic tales.

   • Social Criticism: Realism critiques social norms. Example: The novel criticizes racism, as seen in Huck’s internal struggle over helping Jim.

   • Detailed Descriptions: Realism uses detailed settings and situations. Example: Huck’s descriptions of the Mississippi River are realistic and relatable.

3. Romanticism Traits:
   
   

   • Emphasis on Nature: Romanticism values nature over society. Example: Huck finds peace and freedom in nature, especially on the river.

   • Focus on the Individual: Romanticism celebrates individual experience. Example: Huck’s journey down the river is a quest for self-discovery.

   • Idealism: Romanticism often idealizes characters. Example: Jim is portrayed as noble and wise, despite being a slave.

4. Point of View & Irony:
   
   

   • Point of View: Huck’s first-person narration gives insight into his growth. Example: Huck’s struggle with helping Jim because he was taught it was wrong.

   • 1 Irony: Twain uses irony to show societal contradictions. Example: The duke and king’s pretensions of nobility, though they are frauds.

   • 2 Huck’s decision to help Jim, despite believing it’s wrong, is ironic since it’s the right moral choice.

   • 3 The Grangerfords’ preaching about love while they engage in a violent feud.

5. Imagery:
   
   

   • Example 1: The description of the Mississippi River as a vast, free place symbolizes Huck’s desire for escape.

   • Example 2: The foggy night when Huck and Jim are lost shows confusion and uncertainty in their journey. ¨As soon as I got started I took out after the raft, hot and heavy, right down the tow-head. That was all right as far as it went, but the tow-head warn’t sixty yards long, and the minute I flew by the foot of it I shot out into the solid white fog, and hadn’t no more idea which way I was going than a dead man.¨

   • Example 3: The contrast between the wealthy families and the poor reflects social divisions.

6. Conflicts:
   
   

   • Truth v. Lies: Huck is constantly caught between truth and lies, especially regarding Jim’s escape. Example: Huck lies to the men searching for Jim, which helps Jim’s freedom.

   • Nature v. Society: Huck feels free in nature but is pressured by societal norms. Example: Huck rejects societal norms to follow his moral compass with Jim.

   • Good v. Evil: Huck’s struggle with doing what’s “right” vs. what society tells him is right. Example: Huck helping Jim despite believing it’s a sin challenges societal morality.

Each answer is succinct, with examples directly from the text to support the points.