Study Questions for Twains Huck Finn

1. Huck begins and ends the novel by resisting being

"sivilized." What do you think Huck means by this?
What does he do to resist being "sivilized?"
2. Analyze Clemens's portrait of om !a"yer. #s he
model$ rival$ alter ego$ or mirror for Huck? %oes he
develop in the novel?
3. Consider Huckleberry &inn as an abused child.
'(plore the novel as a reflection of late)nineteenth)
century attitudes to"ard child rearing.
4. !tudy the female characters in the novel. What
stereotypes does Clemens use? %o any of his female
characters transcend stereotype?
5. he theme of pretending is one that unifies The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn$ although the "ord
pretending takes on several different meanings and
levels of significance as the novel unfolds. %escribe
these$ and illustrate them by analyzing a specific
character$ scene$ or incident from the novel.
6. Analyze Clemens's portrait of *im. %iscuss the
characteristics of *im and ho" or if he +ualifies as a
heroic figure. %oes he have an independent
e(istence in the novel or does he merely reflect the
"ay others see him? Compare his portrait "ith
portraits of black characters in Uncle Toms Cabin.
7. #s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a slave
narrative$ or does Clemens use the discussion of
slavery as a prete(t to "rite about some other issue?
8. Huck &inn deals "ith the issue of slavery. What "as
"ain,s opinion of it$ as vie"ed through the novel.
9. What did freedom mean to Huck? What did it mean
to *im?
10. Huck's sound heart and deformed conscience came
into conflict in this novel. %iscuss Huck,s struggle
"ith his conscience and ho" or if he +ualifies as a
heroic figure.
11. %eath is a fre+uent motif in the novel. Comment on
its various thematic and symbolic uses$ and analyze
in particular Huck's symbolic death in Chapter -#.
12. What signs do "e see of Huck,s gro"th? Ho" does
he change by the end of the river .ourney? Chapter
/0 marks the culmination of Huck,s moral gro"th.
What does it reveal? Ho" does "ain develop the
themes of loyalty and betrayal in Chapter /0?
13. '(plain the purpose of the river in Huck &inn$
mentioning Huck,s preference for the 1raft2 over the
1shore2?
14. '(plore the relationship bet"een the symbolism of
the river and Clemens's narrative design or structure
in the novel.
15. %iscuss ho" the feud bet"een the 3rangerfords and
the !hepherdsons is symbolic of the Civil War. %o
you agree that the novel is 1a satirical treatment of
the myth of romantic fiction$ !outhern chivalry$ and
"itless honor2?
16. What function do the %uke and the %auphin serve?
Ho do they allo" "ain to comment on antebellum
society? Ho" do they affect life on the raft?
17. Why does "ain include the !herburn ) 4oggs
section?
18. What happens in the Wilks episode? Why is this
section important to Huck,s development?
19. 5any readers of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
consider the ending fla"ed6 Heming"ay$ for e(ample$ said that "ain
"cheated"6 "hile others have praised it. 3ive your opinion of the novel's
ending$ focusing on Huck's treatment of *im.
20.%iscuss the use of satire in the novel and ho" "ain uses different types
of humor for social commentary.
21. %iscuss the theme of romanticism versus realism.
22. #dentify and discuss features of the picares+ue novel
that Clemens uses in Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn.
23. Analyze Huck &inn's language in the opening
passages of Adventures of Huckleberry &inn. #dentify
specific features of his synta( and discuss ho"
Clemens uses Huck's style as a "ay to construct his
character.
24. %iscuss "ain,s use of Huck &inn as the narrator and
ho" Huck,s literal voice impacts the novel.
25. 'rnest Heming"ay has said that all modern
American literature comes from The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn. What features make this book
modern? What features make this book American?
26. What makes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a
controversial and banned book? What makes the book important and
popular in today's "orld?
27.What aspects of the book are as vital today as they "ere one hundred
years ago? What in the book helps you understand an earlier era in
American history$ different from our o"n?