Huckleberry Finn: Chapters 19-23

By: Tyler, Belle, Spurthi, Ben

Chapter 19 Summary Huck and Jim meet

two men, one who claims to be a duke and they serve him

The other man who is older claims to be a king and wants to be served first

Huck knew they were liars but decided to pretend he didn’t know

Tyler

Chapter 19 Characters

“Dauphin”- an elderly man who Huck lets on to the raft, claims to be the son of King Louis XIV (Jim believes him, Huck does not), con-artist

“Duke”- a man in his thirties who is also let on to the raft by Huck, claims to be the Duke of Bridgewater (Jim believes him, Huck does not), con-artist, amateur actor

Belle

Chapter 19 Quotes“It’s lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened. Jim he allowed they was made, but I allowed they happened… Jim said the moon could have laid them; well, that looked kind of reasonable, so I didn’t say nothing against it” (Twain 107)

Analysis:This quote really has many important events. One, Huck is obviously becoming much more accustomed to having Jim and living on the raft. He is just talking with Jim, treating him as he would a friend. Another thing we see is that once again Huck is the rational, person and Jim being more creative. However, Jim is able to convince Huck that the stars might have been laid, and rather than continuing to fight as he did for the Solomon story, he simply accepts that what Jim said is true. This is showing his slow growth as a person, as he no longer finds the need to argue simply to argue.

Spurthi

Quotes Chapter 19 Continued

Quote“All through dinner Jim stood around and waited on him, and says ‘ Will yo’ Grace have some o’ dis or some o’ dat?’ and so on, and a body could see it was mighty pleasing to him.” (Twain 111)

AnalysisThrough this quote, we see that when Jim is treating the duke as superior, the duke is enjoying it and this brings out how conceited a person is. The duke finds it appealing to be held to a higher regard than common people, and likes it when people acknowledge that he is “better” than them.

Spurthi

Chapter 20 Summary The king and duke come

up with a plan to charge people to see them reenact Romeo and Juliet

Huck lies to the “duke” and “king” about Jim, saying they were in an accident in Missouri

The group stops at Pokeville and finds all of the people in the woods

The King lies about being a pirate trying to help others and gets 87.75 and a jug of whiskey from the people who try to help

Tyler

Chapter 20 Quotes“’ Tis my fate to be always ground into

he mire under the iron heel of oppression. Misfortune has broken my once haughty spirit; I yield, I submit; ‘tis my fate. I am alone in the world- let me suffer; I can bear it.’” (Twain 115)

AnalysisThis quote is very symbolic of the feelings of a slave or black person in that time period. They thought there was nothing they could do against it and that they had to submit, and that they had to follow the orders of their “masters”. They believed it to be their fate, and very few actually stood against this. In reality, the “king” is not really a king, but he is still able to force control, just like at that time the white people really were not “masters” and did not have the right to own slaves, but they deceived the slaves into thinking so. Spurthi

Quotes Chapter 20 Continued“ You couldn’t make out what the

preacher said any more, on account of the shouting and crying. Folks got up everywheres in the crowd, and worked their way just by main strength to the mourners’ bench, with tears running down their faces; and when all the mourners had got up there to the front benches in a crowd, they sung and shouted and flung themselves down on the straw, just crazy and wild.”

AnalysisThis quote shows the chaos and disorder that is present in religion. Twain tries to show that no one really heard what the preacher said on account of their own personal feelings and emotions. Twain really shows how religion is personal and is interpreted differently by each person. He says it cannot be orderly and that it needs to be natural.

Spurthi

Chapter 21 Summary

They go to a town in Arkansas to perform the plays

A harmless drunk man was yelling about death and was shot twice by Colonel Sherburn

He died in a drug store with Huck and many others watching

Tyler

Chapter 21 Characters

Colonel Sherburn- man who shot Boggs, seems completely unfazed by a mob ready to lynch him on his doorstep

Boggs- a drunk man who insulted Sherburn, resulting in him being shot and killed

Belle

Chapter 21 Quotes“ The same second I see a young girl

coming on the run… the pistol barrel come down slow and steady to a level- both barrels cocked… Bang! Goes the first shot, and he staggers back, clawing the air- bang! Goes the second shot, and he tumbles backwards… Colonel Sherburn he tossed his pistol onto the ground, and turned around on his heels and walked off.” (Twain 129)

Analysis:Twain shows how Boggs is killed not just infront of the townspeople, but in front of his daughter. Sherburn waits to shoot until his daughter is there. After shooting, he simply turns and walks off, showing no regret, remorse, or emotion. This shows how cold some humans can be and the fact that they can murder so easily reflects the idea that by owning slaves, they are indirectly killing innocent people, regardless of their skin color.

Spurthi

Quotes Chapter 21 Continued“ Well, by and by somebody said

Sherburn ought to be lynched. In about a minute everybody was saying it; so away they went mad and yelling, and snatching down every clothesline they come to do the hanging with.” (Twain 130)

Analysis:This quotes shows peer pressure, and the influence society has on a person. One person says that Sherman should be lynched and then everyone follows suit, showing that people just don’t want to be left alone, and they need other people’s approval before proceeding.

Spurthi

Chapter 22 Summary A mob goes to Sherburns

house to lynch him but he calls them all cowards

Huck leaves and goes to the circus which he enjoys

Only 12 people show up to the duke and kings play and they all leave

the duke and king decide to have a lower comedy play in which no women or children are allowed

Tyler

Quotes Chapter 22“Your newspapers call you brave

peoples so much that you think you are braver than any other people- whereas you are just as brave, and no braver.” (Twain 132)

AnalysisThis quote shows how much society influences how a person thinks. Colonel Sherburn was true when he said that all the people believe what the newspaper is saying as that was their own form of news and communication back then. They relied heavily on what the newspaper said, and believed it just showing how much society relied on communication and how society makes people think in certain ways.

Spurthi

Quotes Chapter 22 Continued “Well, that night we had our show; but

there warn’t only about twelve people there- just enough to pay expenses. And they laughed al the time, and that made the duke mad; and everybody left, anyways…the duke said these Arkansaw lunkheads couldn’t come up to Shakespeare.” (Twain 135)

Analysis:This quote shows how humans think. The duke and king’s interpretation of Romeo and Juliet is laughed at and thought of as a comedy. Rather than evaluate their own shows and figure out why people may have laughed, the duke blames the people of Arkansas, and says they are not smart enough to understand Shakespeare. Humans in general tend to look to the faults of others rather than find the faults within themselves, when in reality it might be their mistake.

Spurthi

Chapter 23 Summary the duke and king perform

and the audience is mad it was two short

The audience had everybody else come to the show the next two nights to see how they were cheated

the third night the people had rotten eggs to throw but the duke and king snuck out before the show

They left on the raft where Jim confessed how much he misses his family

Tyler

Chapter 23 Characters

Lizabeth- Jim’s daughter who he misses greatly, and who is deaf and mute

Belle

Chapter 23 Quotes‘“ It’s the way I feel, too, Jim. But we’ve

got them on our hands and we got to remember what they are, and make allowances…’ What was the use to tell Jim these warn’t real kings and dukes? It wouldn’t a’ done no good” (Twain 139)

Analysis:This quote shows how Huck now “tricks” Jim, but rather to show that he can or that he is more powerful than Jim or more intelligent, he does so for a legitimate reason. He does not want to ruin Jim’s fantasy by telling him that the men were not really a king and a duke. He acts very mature here, almost like a parent who does not tell their kid that Santa Claus does not exist, simply to preserve the fantasy and allow them to be happy. Huck does the same thing, showing how he is maturing.

Spurthi

Chapter 23 Quotes Continued“ When I waked up just at daybreak he

was sitting there with his head down between his knees, moaning and mourning to himself… He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn’t ever been away from home before in his life; and I do believe he cared just as much for his eople as white folks does for their’n… He was a mighty fine n*****” (Twain 140)

AnalysisIn this quote, we see that Huck has come to a point where he understands Jim’s emotions and understands the reasons behind them as well. He recognizes that Jim must be homesick and empathizes with him, saying he had never been away from home and that he must miss his family, like white people. This is a crucial point, since he compares Jim to a white person, and agrees that they both are similar in at least one way. He calls Jim a good slave, which just shows again, how he is growing as a person and beginning to understand Jim.

Spurthi

Lying can be good in some situations and bad in others.

Huck lies much of the time in order to save Jim from being caught. He does this to protect and help him. The two men who call themselves Duke and the Dauphin lie to get special treatment and gain self worth.

Ben

Love is a bond that can never be broken.

No matter how hard Jim tries to reach his family he might never see them again. Jim tries so hard to see his loved ones and he feels so strongly that they are near that he will stop at nothing. Jim thinks about his family when they are not here. One simple thing can

Ben

In the face of wrong do what is right.

Huck meets these two men and they lie to him and Jim. It doesn’t make it right for him to do anything mean back. Huck does the right thing and gives them a place to live. Huck also never did anything to his father when he was back home even though his father beat him every day.

Ben

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