Chapter 1-5

Timeline:

- Huckleberry sneaks out with Tom Sawyer almost getting himself caught

- Tom Sawyer starts a gang with huckleberry along with a few other boys join

- Since no robbing or killing is going on the gang broke up

- A drowned man is found in the river huckleberry is told it's his father but it isn't

- Huckleberry tries to give the judge money so his dad won't return. 

- Huckleberry goes home to find his dad

- Huckleberry's dad tries to take his money but the judge won't allow it the judge.

- Huckleberry's dad gets drunk and ends up in jail for a week

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What time period was it?

It takes place along the Mississippi river during the 1830- 1840's  because Ms. Watson had slaves. I know this because slavery wouldn't end until after the civil war which ended on May 9, 1865. The verbiage of the book really represents this time period and how the people talked.

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How does the perspective change?

The book is written in the perspective of Huckleberry. I feel like the story is told different than how it actually happened because it's told from a 12 year old boys perspective, so you only hear his point of view over situations.I think that the story would be so different if told from other points of view.I feel like we would understand the emotions of the cats of the book.

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Chapters 5-11

1. Pap locked Huck up because he had demanded that Huck gave him money every few weeks and when the widow told him to stop he kidnapped Huck.  

 

3.  An abolitionist is a person that wants to end slavery. Although that sounds like a good thing Huck didn't want be called that because the area he lives in slavery is very popular. If people were to know that he was a abolitionist he would be very unliked by people and that could start to become an issue.

4. Three things Huck didn't look like a girl
    - Their athletic skill
    - Not being "girl" like, Huck didn't know how to thread a needle well and his aim was good when aiming at a rat
    - Voice, doesn't sound like a girl

 

Week 3: Chapters 12-16

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What is the story of King Solomon and his child? How does Jim interpret that story?

The women left her baby near her and rolled over and killed in it the night. The crazy lady who had killed her child claimed that the wise lady's child was her own. When they talked to King Solomon about it he suggested that they cut the child in half and give one half to the first lady and one to the second.One of the women protested while the other did not. The wide lady asked him to spare the life of the child and to just give him to the other lady. King Solomon decided that the child was the wise lady's because no mother would ever let their child die.

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When Jim wakes up after their separation in the fog, what does Jim's reaction to Huck's joke tell us about him? How do you feel about Jim at this point?

Once Jim found out that Huck had been playing a joke on him his reaction was bad. Jim's reaction showed how much he cared about Huck and how much he hated being made a fool out of. Since he was an uneducated slave he probably already got made fun of for being foolish but now that it was by Huck, it hit Jim differently than if it was by a regular white man. At this point i feel bad for Jim he really like Huck.

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Jim is very superstitious. From a historical standpoint, why do you think this is?

From a historical standpoint Jim is very superstitious because he isn't very smart.You can tell him anything and he will believe it.​

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At the end of chapter 16 Huck is struggling with giving Jim up. Outline the battle that he has with himself, and explain his actions when the men come up looking for the 5 escaped slaves.

In chapter 16 Huck begins to contemplate everything he is doing. He doesn't know what to do with Jim help him or betray him. He is put in a difficult position. He says that either way he loses something. When the men come looking for the 5 escaped slaves and they ask if Jim is in the boat he says yes but so is his family and they are sick with smallpox. Huck chose to protect Jim and saver their special friendship. He has quick thinking to make up and excuse that would keep the men from finding Jim.

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​​​Week 5: Chapters 22-26

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At the end of chapter 22 we see the handbill that the King and the Duke will pass out. The Duke says, "If that line don't fetch them, I don't know Arkansaw!" Why would the line at the bottom of the handbill work to get people into the play?

On the handbill at the bottom the biggest line of all read, "LADIES AND CHILDREN ARE NOT ADMITTED" The reason why this would work to get more people attending the play is because if there is a play that is only for men there might be scenes in it that aren't appropriate for the women and children. The men thought it would be a time just for them to take a break from their family and that if the show was only for men it must be better than any other show. 

Towards the end of chapter 23 we see this line: “What was the use to tell Jim these warn’t real kings and dukes? It wouldn’t a done no good; and besides, it was just as I said; you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”
a.Why doesn’t Huck see the use in telling Jim?

The reason that Huck doesn't tell Jim about it is that they had already talked about it and Jim trusted them and thought they weren't con-men. The conversation would have been pointless and could have ended in an argument. Also, Huck didn't want Jim to feel stupid or gullible again like the time when he lied about the dream. It was just for the better good of everyone. 

b.What does Huck mean by “you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”?

When Huck says this he means that the reason they couldn't tell them from the real kind is because they had never met or even seen a duke or king in person. They would have no idea what they act like, look like, or talk like. Also, The King and The Duke were very good at tricking people and Huck and Jim weren't very eduacated. They could be classified as gullible. This is what Huck meant. 

The final line in chapter 24 reads: “It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race.” What is Huck talking about? What does it tell us (the reader) about Huck that he feels this way?

When they were in town the King was told that a man had died. He was rich and they were waiting for hit two brothers to show up because everything in his will was left to them. One brother was deaf. The next day the King and the Duke impersonated the two brothers. The Duke acted as the deaf one. They showed up pretending that they were his brothers and they cried and put on a whole act. They walked up the mountain to the home of the deceased with town folks allowing them to cry on their shoulders. Huck is so ashamed because he can't believe they would actually do this. It was horrible. Also, his real brothers were out there somewhere. This tells us that Huck does not support what they are doing and he is a very sympathetic person. He would never want someone to do to him what the Kind and Duke just did to that family.

In chapter 25 we meet the doctor. How does the doctor know that the king and the duke are a fraud?

One of the main things that the doctor noticed showing that they were a fraud was their British accents. The doctor said that they were some of the worst he had ever heard and that you could tell they were fake. He also mentioned how one day they would think of what they just did and get sick, the same feeling Huck has been experiencing the whole time. The King and The Duke knew nothing about Mr. Wilks and who he was as a person. If they were truly brothers they would have had more knowledge. 

The king and the duke consider leaving in the middle of the night with the money (chapter 26). Why don’t they?

The King convinces the Duke to stay through the whole night until they steal all of the other properties. The Duke wanted to play it safe but the King wanted everything. He is very greedy and wants everything he can possibly get.

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Huckleberry Finn Chapters 27-30
1.Why did people stay up with the dead during this time period? (Chapter 27)
During this time period people would guard the dead out of a sign of peace and resembling a respectful manner. They family member of the dead wouldn't want the body to be stolen, eaten or disrupted by rodents, insects or any other harmful animals. Overall, protecting the bodies was just to respect the people that have passed on before they were put into the ground forever.

2.What do we learn (or reaffirm) about Huck when he tells Miss Mary Jane the slaves will see their family again in inside of two weeks? (Chapter 28)
During this time period of the novel we are reaffirmed about Huck's good and carring heart. Huck saw that Mary Jane was upset to find out about the slaves families being separated and he could tell that she was extremely upset about the death because he saw her crying next to the casket. He was trying to make her feel better by telling her the slaves wouldn't be separated from their families for long. Once again, this shows the love and kindness that Huck has displayed throughout the book.

3.What were the two methods the townspeople used to try to identify who the brothers were and who the frauds were? (Chapter 29)
The first method that the town used to found out that the King and the Duke were frauds was by having the two real brothers and the King and the Duke take a written test. The test proved that the King and the Duke were both frauds but the King voiced that the written test was not fair or accurate because the Harvey (the real brother) had a broken hand and was unable to write so the other brother wrote for him. The second way they found out that the King and the Duke were frauds was by describing the tattoo on Harvey's brothers chest. The town had both the King and Harvey describe the tattoo but they then dug up the body to find out that there is no tattoo. Upon digging up the body they found a bag of $6000. That money was the money that the King and the Duke had planned to confiscate.

Huckleberry Finn Chapters 31-35
​1.Huck says “You can’t pray a lie.” What lie is he trying to pray about? What does he mean? (Chapter 31)
I feel that Huck was asking God for forgiveness when he was praying. He was asking God to forgive him because he committed a sin and helped Jim escape. During this time period and in this part of the United states it is very much illegal and a terrible thing to do. On the trip to the North he had grown pretty close to Jim and was very good friends with him. They ended up having a very strong bond. "You can't pray a lie" ultimately means that he was originally praying for forgiveness about helping Jim escape but then said this because he didn't believe that he had done anything bad so he took his prayer back.

2.Why does Huck tear up the letter he writes? (Chapter 31)
In chapter 31 Huck decided to write a letter to Tom Sawyer telling him to talk to Miss Watson and tell her where Jim had gone. While he was writing the letter he remembered how nice and wonderful of a friend he had become. He decided to protect Jim and possibly maybe get in trouble. He ripped up the letter so that Mrs. Watson would never find out where Jim is. This shows how Huck doesn't agree with the rest of society in the way of slavery and racism. Huck hated slavery and wanted to put an end to it.

3.Huck is disappointed that Tom would help him steal Jim. He says “Tom Sawyer fell, considerable, in my estimation. Only I couldn’t believe it. Tom Sawyer a nigger stealer!” What do you think of this? (Chapter 33)
I believe that Huck was obviously caught off guard by the new things that Tom is doing. Tom who was originally a guy who created the gang and wanted to steal things and kill innocent people. He also wanted to help a person who would be trying to escape his slave owners. Being in this time period was a very big deal helping slaves escape and in the South it was basically a sin. When Tom says that he will help steal him out of slavery Huck was confused because he didn't expect Tom to say yes. This surprised Huck because Tom was always trying to fit in and do what the others thought was cool but he is going against societies rules and what he knew was right. He stood up for something even though no one else stood with him. This shows that either Tom was just trying to commit a crime just to do it or he actually has changed as a human being. If he changed that is great because it shows that he is a compassionate person inside who has feelings. I think that this shows a lot of growth on Tom Sawyer's part and it gives Huck someone he can trust again. Its truly a win win for both sides.
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4.Huck says two things at the end of chapter 33:
1.“But that’s always the way, it don’t make no difference whether you do right or wrong, a person’s conscience ain’t go no sense, and just goes for him anyway.”

2.“Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.”

What does Huck mean by these two statements?
This two statements are saying that no matter what people are thinking, they will still turn on you and try to get you in trouble. The people don't care about anybody else but themselves.

5.Why are Tom and Huck looking for a more difficult way to break Jim free? (Chapter 34)
Tom Sawyer is a very enthusiastic kid with an enormous. Tom is the kind of person that likes to get into trouble and mysteries. However on the other hand Huck is just agreeing to do it because Tom is one of his close friends. The first reason I have is peer pressure. We all can relate to this because sometimes in our lives we get under peer pressure from our friends and we feel like if we don't do something then our friends won't accept us.
The second reason I have is because He wants Jim to be free. Huck and Tom try to find a harder way to get Jim free because They wanted to escape with their without any evidence so they don't get into trouble. They already "Kidnapped" Jim, and he was found. And now they want to steal him back. Basically, if they get caught again the they will be in a great deal of trouble. So overall their plan needed to be complicated to make sure they stayed out of trouble and didn't ever get caught.

 

Chapters 36-40
1. In the process of breaking Jim free, what is Tom’s motivation? What is Huck’s motivation? (Why are they doing it?)
In the process of setting Jim free Tom's motivation is very different than Huck's motivation. Huck has gone through this entire adventure with Jim by his side. Jim is not only the widows owner in his eyes anymore, Jim is a friend, the best friend Huck has ever had. So Huck's motivation to get Jim back is to get his best friend back and give him the best life he could possibly provide. Tom's motivation is very different, Tom thrives for adventure, he thrives for the adrenaline of trouble. Tom's  motivation is to have a good time, he not as serious about this as Huck is, Tom just wants a good story. 

2. What do Huck and Tom mean when they say they “let on” about something? Why do they do this? (Begins on chapter 37)
When Tom and Huck use the words "let on" when they say something, in their context "let on" means "pretend". During mid chapter 37, after they both tore up the sheets into strips and then twisted them all together, the book states "We let on it took nine months to make it." Which also means they pretend to take 9 months to make it. As a whole within this chapter when they state "let on" it means they pretend. They pretend because as noticed within these past chapters, Tom likes the adventure, the adrenaline of trouble and the story he wants to be able to tell.

3. Why is Tom writing the letters and posting warnings? Why did he give instructions to his aunt and uncle’s slave? What are his motivations for this? (Chapter 39)
Uncle Silas tells that Jim had run away, Aunt Sally is in panic because the house is out of control and everything is completely upside down. Uncle Silas plans advertise for Jim as a captured runaway slave. As the chapter goes on Tom decides to write letters to the family under the name of "an unknown friend", the letters scare the family as it warns them of trouble. Tom then pretends in a letter that Jim is going to be stolen and tells the family how he is planning on being stolen. The letters start being written when Huck and Tom believe the advertisement for Jim is going to be released soon so for that to be avoided as much as possible the letters are written as a hopeful distraction to the family. 

4. We’ve worked a great deal on this novel’s satirical elements. How is the planning and plotting of Jim’s escape by Tom and Huck satire?
The plotting and planning of Jim's escape has been thought through  multiple ways by both Huck and Tom. Huck wants to make the escape as easy and quick as possible to avoid flaws and getting into the least amount of trouble. Tom on the other hand isn't as serious about the situation, he wants to have a good story to tell therefore he wants to make the escape complicated, which could possibly lead them into a lot of trouble. The escape and its planning shows satire because it exaggerates the escape, it exaggerates how to escape a slave. In reality escaping a runaway slave would be a lot harder than it is seeming in the story, almost making the family look completely oblivious. Satire is making fun of reality, the reality of escaping a runaway slave is harder to achieve and get away with than the boys are making it seem.

5.​Towards the end of the chapter Huck says “I knowed he was white inside” about Jim. Why does he say this and what does he mean?
Before this was stated, Tom and Huck successfully escape Jim. Although in the process of doing so the boys were being shot as as they ran and Tom was shot in the calf. Once they escaped onto the raft, Huck and Jim tell Tom he should go to a doctor for his foot but he claims he can fix it himself. ​

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Chapter 41-end

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Towards the end of chapter 41: “And then when I went up to bed, she come up with me, and fetched her candle, and tucked me in, and mothered me so good I felt mean and like I couldn’t look her in the face”. Why does Huck feel this way?

 At this point of the chapter a sit starts to wrap up,  Huck runs into Uncle Silas while town as he is finding the doctor for Tom after he was shot in the calf. Uncle Silas takes him back to the house and Huck makes up a story as to why Tom and Huck had been gone. When Huck told Aunt Sally he was going to bed she ends up following him and tucks him in as if she was his mother. Huck grows guilty and couldn't look her in her eyes because he knew that Tom was stuck in pain and in danger while he was sleeping in a bed. I also think comes to feel this way because he knows how much he lied about Jim and everything that had happened and could tell that at the end of the day he was causing more pain towards the family rather than good doings.

In chapter 42 we hear the doctor’s account of his experience treating Tom: “so I says, I got have help, somehow; and the minute I says it, out crawls this nigger from somewhere, and says he’ll help; and he done it too, and done it very well.” Can we come to an understanding about Jim from this? What do we learn about him?

 Looking back and reflecting on Jim as the story has gone on, it easy to see Jim has grown close to not only Huck but Tom as well. After Tom was shot in the calf, Jim immediately suggested they'd find a doctor to help heal Tom. Later as the doctor asks for while healing Tom and instantly jumps in to help, if it wasn't for Jim, Tom's recovery could've ended badly. After seeing what Jim was willing to do for Huck throughout the story and Tom after he was shot, we find out Jim is a very kind and caring person. No matter someone race, there are good people out there and Jim is definitely one of them. 

What do we learn about Tom from what he says when he wakes up after being treated for the gunshot wound (Chapter 42)?

 ​Tom is an adventurous person, he loves the rush and thrives for a good story, that was always clear. When Tom wakes up we learn that he wants to be known. When he broke the news of Miss Watson's death and that she set Jim free in her will. They were freeing an already free slave, it now easy to see that Tom always wanted the thrill of adventure more than the reward. All along he knew that Jim was free but took advantage of it. Tom kept it all a secret, the death of Miss Watson and Jim being free, all just shows that Tom will do anything to have an adventure, he thrives for it. Even if its freeing someone who is already free.

You’ve finished the novel: Tell me, in three to four sentences, what you think of Huck.

 Huck is very independent, but will take in whoever wants in. At the beginning of the book, Huck knows he doesn't want to be with his father so he does what he has to do to escape.