Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapter notes: 23-28

Chapters 22-23: Huck Finn Twain was a humorist – but

sometimes the humor vanished, and the result were ugly, bitter comments about the human race, such as Sherburn’s speech.

Huck shows he is still a simple kid when he is taken in by the circus master’s ruse.

Jim’s pining for his family, and Huck seems surprised, which indicates he still doesn’t think of Jim as quite human, even if he is friends with Jim.

Jim’s account of his actions toward his deaf daughter shows us how human Jim really is.

Chapter 23: Huck Finn “…I do believe [Jim] cared as

much for his people as white folks does for their’n. It don’t seem natural, but I reckon it’s so.”

In the slave-holding society of Huck’s time, African Americans are regarded as cattle, incapable of experiencing any of the deeper of finer human feelings.

Therefore, their God-ordained role is that of insensible beasts of burden.

Chapter 23: Huck Finn Huck does not

consciously question the values of his society.

Thus, he initially has difficulty accepting Jim’s humanity: The concept that a black man has the same capacity to love his family as white people does run contrary to everything Huck has been taught.

Chapter 23: Huck Finn It is Huck’s loving heart

that allows him to rise above the conditioning of his society and recognize Jim as a fellow human being with a soul.

Although Huck never questions the rightness of slavery, his acceptance of Jim’s humanity unconsciously denies any moral justification for slavery.

Chapter 23: Huck Finn “…All kings is mostly

rapscallions, as fur as I can make out…” (Jim)

Huck reflects Twain’s own contempt for European aristocracy when he says, “They don’t do nothing…They just set around – except maybe when there’s a war; then they go to war. But other times they just lazy around.”

Chapter 23: Huck Finn Jim calls the king and

duke rapscallions because of their blatant dishonesty.

But rapscallions are rogues rather than villains: Their rascality may range from mere mischief to trickery, fraud, and theft but never to crimes of complete moral depravity such as murder or rape.

Chapter 24: Huck Finn The plan to have Jim get

in costume on the raft is a plot device that allows Huck and the con men to stay in town for several days.

The town’s reaction to the con men’s story about being the deceased man’s relatives made Huck say to himself, “It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race.”

Chapter 25: Huck Finn Why does Huck go along

with this shameful behavior?

Jim, whom Huck knows is in a dangerous situation with these ruthless characters.

Twain expresses disgust with more than the con men – he also is disgusted with the narrow vision of the townspeople. It all adds up to an indictment of all of us.

Chapter 25: Huck Finn Imposter: one who

practices deceit or fraud by pretending to be someone he is not.

The King is a double impostor: He is not really a king and is now assuming the false identity of Parson Harvey Wilks so that he can steal from the deceased Peter Wilks’ estate.

Chapter 25: Huck Finn The novel is filled with

impostors, thus pointing up the hypocrisy of the society.

Even Huck becomes an impostor on several occasions, although, when he assumes a false identity, it is to either protect Jim or himself rather than commit fraud.

Chapters 26-28: Huck Finn Chapter 27 ends with Huck

expressing his pleasure that “I’d worked it all off onto the niggers, and yet hadn’t done the niggers no harm by it.” His practical approach to morality is still much in evidence, but he’s also unwilling to hurt other people when it can be avoided.

Huck is startled and puzzled by the discovery that in a tight spot it might actually be better and safer to tell the truth than lie.

He compares himself to Judas, however – in keeping with his low self-image.

Mary Jane’s willingness to pray for Huck may lead him to fall in love for the first and only time in his life.