1835-19101835-1910

•Samuel Langhorn Samuel Langhorn Clemens (Mark Twain Clemens (Mark Twain

was his pen name) was his pen name) was born in Missouri was born in Missouri

and grew up in a and grew up in a small town near the small town near the

Mississippi.Mississippi.

•At 18 he moved At 18 he moved east and worked east and worked

as a printer in as a printer in New York, New York,

Washington, and Washington, and Philadelphia.Philadelphia.

He became a steamboat He became a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi pilot on the Mississippi (he got his pen name (he got his pen name from this experience –from this experience –Mark Twain means Mark Twain means “twelve feet of water”)“twelve feet of water”)

•He lived He lived during the during the Civil War Civil War

(1861-1865). (1861-1865).

• His books and His books and stories reflect his life stories reflect his life

on the Mississippi on the Mississippi and the political and the political struggles he saw struggles he saw

during his life.during his life.

•Twain was Twain was simply writing simply writing

about the world about the world around him, the around him, the things he saw.things he saw.

•Huck FinnHuck Finn is ranked number is ranked number five on the American Library five on the American Library Association’s list of Most Association’s list of Most Frequently Challenged books:Frequently Challenged books:–Addresses issues that are Addresses issues that are hard to talk about:hard to talk about:1. Racism 2. Slavery 3. “N” 1. Racism 2. Slavery 3. “N” wordword

What is Censorship?What is Censorship?

•to examine in order to to examine in order to suppress or delete anything suppress or delete anything considered objectionable considered objectionable

•““We uphold the principles We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor resist all efforts to censor

library resources.”—library resources.”—ALA Code of EthicsALA Code of Ethics ““

What is Censorship?What is Censorship?

•““They that can give up They that can give up essential liberty to essential liberty to

obtain a little temporary obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”—liberty nor safety.”—Benjamin Franklin.Benjamin Franklin.

The Adventures of The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

•The novel is set in The novel is set in various locations along various locations along the Mississippi River the Mississippi River (what is now known as (what is now known as the Mid-west) during the Mid-west) during the 1830’s or 1840’s .the 1830’s or 1840’s .(see map)(see map)

•This region was This region was still a frontier still a frontier during this time during this time –only a few cities –only a few cities and towns along and towns along the river- only the river- only partially civilized.partially civilized.

Mississippi RiverMississippi River

Huck Finn MapHuck Finn Map

• Huck Finn is set Pre-Civil Huck Finn is set Pre-Civil War. Boarder towns would War. Boarder towns would require paperwork for a require paperwork for a slave to become free. If a slave to become free. If a slave were to run away, slave were to run away, they would have to travel to they would have to travel to a Northern city/state not a Northern city/state not bordered by a slave state.bordered by a slave state.

Huck Finn Map HandoutHuck Finn Map Handout

• Look at the handout Look at the handout of the map I gave of the map I gave you and mark the you and mark the states “free” or states “free” or “slave” using the “slave” using the next map. Huck Finn next map. Huck Finn is set Pre-Civil War. is set Pre-Civil War.

Civil War MapCivil War Map

•Industrialization was in its early Industrialization was in its early stages (steam technology- stages (steam technology- steamboats, railroads)steamboats, railroads)

•Slavery was abolished in Slavery was abolished in Northern states, but the South Northern states, but the South still supported slavery at this still supported slavery at this time (racists beliefs were time (racists beliefs were commonplace)commonplace)

Pre-Civil War

Literary ElementsLiterary Elements•Point of View -First-person Point of View -First-person narrator-narrator- Huck tells the story Huck tells the story

•Use of dialectUse of dialect –uses southern –uses southern regional regional

-Spelling is even unorthodox -Spelling is even unorthodox (sivilized) to suggest Huck’s brief (sivilized) to suggest Huck’s brief exposure to formal education.exposure to formal education.

•Tall tale-Tall tale- story featuring story featuring larger than life larger than life characters that perform characters that perform superhuman featssuperhuman feats

•Satire-Satire- mocking or mocking or making fun of human making fun of human characteristics and characteristics and society as a wholesociety as a whole

•Symbolism-Symbolism- Mississippi River is a Mississippi River is a symbol of life and symbol of life and maturitymaturity

•Imagery-Imagery- descriptive descriptive passages of life on the passages of life on the raftraft

•Foreshadowing-Foreshadowing- hint of hint of things to comethings to come

•CharacterizationCharacterization- brings - brings characters to life with characters to life with dialect (each has a dialect (each has a distinctive vocabulary) -distinctive vocabulary) -notice Huck Finn’s growthnotice Huck Finn’s growth

•LampoonLampoon- the literary form in - the literary form in which vices or follies are ridiculed which vices or follies are ridiculed (type of satire)(type of satire)

•ThemesThemes: slavery and racism; : slavery and racism; individual and society; individual and society; transformation and maturitytransformation and maturity

•IronyIrony –uses situational irony to –uses situational irony to show simple-mindedness of his show simple-mindedness of his characterscharacters

•RealismRealism- A - A literary literary

manner that manner that seeks to seeks to

portray life as portray life as it really is it really is

lived.lived.

• -Usually focused on -Usually focused on everyday middle or everyday middle or

working class conditions working class conditions and characters, often and characters, often

with reformist with reformist intentions (wanting to intentions (wanting to

change society, or change society, or conditions for the conditions for the

character)character)

Themes to look for:Themes to look for:•Society’s values and laws can be in Society’s values and laws can be in

conflict with higher moral values.conflict with higher moral values.

•People must live outside of society People must live outside of society to be truly free.to be truly free.

•Gullible people are partially Gullible people are partially responsible for their own responsible for their own deception.deception.

•People tend to behave irrationally People tend to behave irrationally and even cruelly in large groups.and even cruelly in large groups.

QuestionsQuestions, , Comments, Comments,

or or Concerns?Concerns?

• The End.The End.