Huck Finn :: essays research papers

Huckleberry Finn - A Racist Novel?There is a major argument among literary critics whether Huckleberry Finn, by lettuce Twain, is or is not a racist novel. The question boils down to the depiction of Jim, the black slave, and to the way he is interact by Huck and other characters. The purpose of the word "nigger" is also a point raised by some critics, who feel that Twain uses the word too much and too loosely. blade Twain never presents Jim in a negative light. He does not show Jim as a drunkard, as a mean person or as a cheat. This is in contrast to the way Hucks (white) father is depicted, whom Twain describes using all of the above characterizations and more. We memorize Jim as a good friend, a man devoted to his family and loyal to his companions. He is, however, very naive and superstitious. Some critics say that Twain is implying that all blacks have these qualities. When Jim turns to his magic hairball for answers about the future, we see that he does believe in some foolish things. But all the same, he is visited by both blacks and whites to use the hairballs powers. This type of naivete was abundant at the time and found among all races-the result of a lack of proper education. So the depiction of Jim is not negative in the sense that Jim is stupid and inferior, and in this aspect of the story clearly there is no racism intended. It is next necessary to analyze the way white characters treat Jim throughout the book. Note that what the informant felt is not the way close to characters act around Jim, and his feelings are probably only shown through Huck. In the South during that period, black people were treated as less than humans, and Twain needed to portray this. The examples of the way Jim is denigrated by being locked up, having to hide his face in the daytime and how he is generally derided, are necessary for historical accuracy. So, Mark Twain had to display Jims treatment in this manner, even if it is not the way he felt. Huck, however, does not treat Jim as most whites do. Huck looks at Jim as a friend, and by the end of their journey, disagrees with societys notion that blacks are inferior. There are two main examples of this in the story.