Mark Twain, Huck Finn, the Mark Twain, Huck Finn, the River, and Pop CultureRiver, and Pop Culture

by by

Jodi SmithJodi Smith

PNHS 2006-2007PNHS 2006-2007

Once upon a time…Once upon a time…

……there was a young man who yearned for there was a young man who yearned for freedom from the “sivilized” life…who freedom from the “sivilized” life…who questioned—and rejected—the values of questioned—and rejected—the values of his society, finding them to be unjust…and his society, finding them to be unjust…and who chose to live on the River rather than who chose to live on the River rather than as a part of conventional society and its as a part of conventional society and its corruption…corruption…

Wait. What?!?

I thought this was an introduction to Mark

Twain and The Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn!!!

Actually…Actually…

……there are a lot of parallels between POTC there are a lot of parallels between POTC and and Huck Finn. Huck Finn. Let’s take a closer look.Let’s take a closer look.

Pop Culture Pop Quiz!Pop Culture Pop Quiz!

In the movie In the movie Pirates of the Pirates of the CaribbeanCaribbean, what , what does the Black does the Black Pearl represent?Pearl represent?

Ding! Thanks for playing!Ding! Thanks for playing!

If you said “Freedom,” you are correct:If you said “Freedom,” you are correct: Jack SparrowJack Sparrow: Wherever we want to go, we : Wherever we want to go, we

go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and sails; that's what a just a keel and a hull and sails; that's what a ship needs. Not what a ship is. What the ship needs. Not what a ship is. What the Black Pearl really is, is freedom.Black Pearl really is, is freedom.

Now watch this…Now watch this…

From the pages of From the pages of Huck Finn…Huck Finn…

““We said there warn’t no home like a raft, We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy You feel mighty free and easy

and comfortable on a raft.”and comfortable on a raft.”

Questions worth considering…Questions worth considering…

Freedom from what? Freedom from what?

Freedom for what?Freedom for what?

What is freedom, anyway?What is freedom, anyway?

Does the ship represent anything Does the ship represent anything else?else?

Roguish HeroesRoguish Heroes

• Both Jack and Huck are characters Both Jack and Huck are characters who are outside of society. who are outside of society. – Their being marginalized is one Their being marginalized is one

source of their freedom. People who source of their freedom. People who are clearly not a part of society’s “In are clearly not a part of society’s “In Crowd” are under less pressure to Crowd” are under less pressure to conform.conform.• Point (of View) to Ponder: Why might Point (of View) to Ponder: Why might

Twain write a novel whose narrator is Twain write a novel whose narrator is outside of society?outside of society?

Literary Term Alert!!!Literary Term Alert!!!

• Picaresque novelPicaresque novel: A novel in which : A novel in which the protagonist is of a roguish the protagonist is of a roguish character (read: a nonconformist). character (read: a nonconformist). This character sees much of the This character sees much of the world through the plot and world through the plot and comments satirically on what he comments satirically on what he sees; the purpose of the novel is thus sees; the purpose of the novel is thus social criticism.social criticism.

Mark Twain: Mark Twain: The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth Born Samuel ClemensBorn Samuel Clemens Nom de plumeNom de plume refers to both a nautical refers to both a nautical

term term and and to a Las Vegas call for two drinks to a Las Vegas call for two drinks on credit (A carmel macchiato for each on credit (A carmel macchiato for each hand, please…)hand, please…)

Lifetime of BIG social changesLifetime of BIG social changes! He lived ! He lived 1835-1910: He was born before there was 1835-1910: He was born before there was a state of Texas or a railroad that went a state of Texas or a railroad that went across the country. (Think much slower, across the country. (Think much slower, much more private lifestyles!) He died a much more private lifestyles!) He died a couple of years before the Titanic sank couple of years before the Titanic sank (1912) or the start of WWI (1914). (1912) or the start of WWI (1914). What effects might the sociopolitical changes What effects might the sociopolitical changes

during his life have on Twain as an author?during his life have on Twain as an author?

Mark Twain: Mark Twain: The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth Between worldsBetween worlds: His father was not : His father was not

successful, but his parents were successful, but his parents were from “pedigreed” Southern families. from “pedigreed” Southern families. His upbringing was Southern (born in His upbringing was Southern (born in

Hannibal, MO)…endorsing slavery and Hannibal, MO)…endorsing slavery and all of the pomp of Southern life. all of the pomp of Southern life. (Cultural reference: Gone with the (Cultural reference: Gone with the Wind)Wind)

His father’s wishes for wealth influenced His father’s wishes for wealth influenced Twain’s career.Twain’s career.

Mark Twain:Mark Twain:The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth Careers:Careers:

Printer apprentice (left school at age 11 Printer apprentice (left school at age 11 when father died)when father died)

Steamboat pilot (fun job!)Steamboat pilot (fun job!) Silver miner (get-rich-quick dreams)Silver miner (get-rich-quick dreams) Confederate volunteer (very Confederate volunteer (very

temporarily!)temporarily!) Newspaper reporter (started writing Newspaper reporter (started writing

career in earnest)career in earnest) Lecturer (began at time of financial Lecturer (began at time of financial

difficulties)difficulties)

Mark Twain: Mark Twain: The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth

Best known works: Best known works: Tom SawyerTom Sawyer and and The Adventures of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry Finn Very different tones; very different Very different tones; very different

characters!!!characters!!! TS: childhood nostalgia; TS: childhood nostalgia;

Romantic heroRomantic hero HF: social criticism; Realistic heroHF: social criticism; Realistic hero

Mark Twain: Mark Twain: The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth

Views on slavery changedViews on slavery changed Views of the South changed; TS Views of the South changed; TS

pictured an idealized South, pictured an idealized South, while HF exposes the while HF exposes the hypocrisies of Southern culture hypocrisies of Southern culture (hint, hint—Hypocrisy will be a (hint, hint—Hypocrisy will be a major motif in the novel!!!)major motif in the novel!!!)

Mark Twain:Mark Twain:The Man and the MythThe Man and the Myth Grumpy old manGrumpy old man: As Twain aged, : As Twain aged,

became disillusioned with the failure became disillusioned with the failure of Reconstruction, the American of Reconstruction, the American Dream, and social justice. His wit Dream, and social justice. His wit became bitter, and he came to became bitter, and he came to question the humanity of the human question the humanity of the human race.race. Other factorsOther factors: He had lost his wife and : He had lost his wife and

two daughters; his publishing business two daughters; his publishing business failed; his investments failed and failed; his investments failed and bankruptcy ensued, prompting his bankruptcy ensued, prompting his lecturing career.lecturing career.

Huck Finn Huck Finn as American Litas American Lit

REALISM (part of movement): REALISM (part of movement): Stands in opposition to RomanticismStands in opposition to Romanticism Difference is seen clearly in the respective Difference is seen clearly in the respective

characters of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (TBD)characters of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (TBD) Characters are real people, not idealized heroes Characters are real people, not idealized heroes Characters are not invincibleCharacters are not invincible Exploration of moral issues: questions, rather than Exploration of moral issues: questions, rather than

affirms, social valuesaffirms, social values Dialogue-drivenDialogue-driven

Huck Finn Huck Finn as American Litas American Lit

REGIONALISM/LOCAL COLOR (aspect REGIONALISM/LOCAL COLOR (aspect of Realism)of Realism) Quickly changing society (i.e., railroad, business Quickly changing society (i.e., railroad, business

bringing cultural uniformity not possible in a bringing cultural uniformity not possible in a less mobile society) brings a desire to preserve less mobile society) brings a desire to preserve the character of various regions.the character of various regions.

Dialect: characters’ words are spelled Dialect: characters’ words are spelled phonetically as they are pronounced, and phonetically as they are pronounced, and regional slang is used.regional slang is used.

Huck Finn Huck Finn as American Litas American Lit

Controversial literature: What else is new? Controversial literature: What else is new? (Think (Think The Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence!)!) Implicit and explicit questioning of social mores of Implicit and explicit questioning of social mores of

the time got the novel banned for…the time got the novel banned for… Endemic lyingEndemic lying Petty theftsPetty thefts Nose-thumbing at respectability and religionNose-thumbing at respectability and religion Bad languageBad language Bad grammarBad grammar

Huck Finn Huck Finn as American Litas American Lit

Previous literature copied European literature Previous literature copied European literature (examples: Hawthorne, Poe); Twain set the American (examples: Hawthorne, Poe); Twain set the American voice as distinct from Europe’s.voice as distinct from Europe’s.

Common, informal (vernacular) language reflecting a Common, informal (vernacular) language reflecting a truly democratic audiencetruly democratic audience rather than language of the rather than language of the elite. (Trivia: What author established English elite. (Trivia: What author established English literature by writing in the vernacular rather than literature by writing in the vernacular rather than Latin? Hint: The story was also centered around a Latin? Hint: The story was also centered around a journey.)journey.)

Freedom (a perennial American theme!) as focal Freedom (a perennial American theme!) as focal point.point.

The Elephant in the Living The Elephant in the Living Room: What about the N-word? Room: What about the N-word?

Some things to keep in mind…Some things to keep in mind… We are dealing with subversive literature; things are We are dealing with subversive literature; things are

usually not as they appear.usually not as they appear. The time in which it was written and the history of the The time in which it was written and the history of the

word in question.word in question. The way the word is used in the novel and by whom—The way the word is used in the novel and by whom—

consider the characterization Twain gives to various consider the characterization Twain gives to various speakers and the attitudes with which they speak. (Hint, speakers and the attitudes with which they speak. (Hint, hint: Hypocrisy, again!)hint: Hypocrisy, again!)

Themes and Motifs in HFThemes and Motifs in HF

Appearance vs. RealityAppearance vs. Reality Coming of age: What is a man? What is Coming of age: What is a man? What is

true morality?true morality? Groups as mobsGroups as mobs Birth/death/rebirthBirth/death/rebirth Heredity vs. Environment Heredity vs. Environment Freedom vs. Civilization (also shown as…)Freedom vs. Civilization (also shown as…)

Isolation vs. SocializationIsolation vs. Socialization Rebellion vs. ConformityRebellion vs. Conformity

Hints for SuccessHints for Success

Keep up with assigned reading, study guides, Keep up with assigned reading, study guides, journals, etc.journals, etc.

Keep a log of quotations and page numbers that Keep a log of quotations and page numbers that pertain to your topic for your end-of-unit pertain to your topic for your end-of-unit presentation.presentation.

Take notes during class discussions—especially Take notes during class discussions—especially those that center around quotations.those that center around quotations.

Note characterizations: What kind of person is the Note characterizations: What kind of person is the character in question, and how do you know? character in question, and how do you know? Given the characterization, what is the Given the characterization, what is the role/purpose of this character?role/purpose of this character?