How Does Mark Twain Use Satire In Huckleberry Finn

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Mark Twain uses satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to poke fun at some of the biggest problems in America at that time. The setting of the novel is pre Civil war around 1835. In that time period; near the California Gold Rush people were more concerned with materialistic things. Many were consumed with ideas of money and wealth but they were blind to see the real issues going on in their world. In this novel Twain sheds light on the moral issues going on then. Twain uses satire and irony to showcase problems such as greed, broken families, and racism. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (Timothy 6:10). Pap Finn is a drunk, covetous, and selfish man. He does not want anything to do with his son's life; until he finds out Huckleberry has money. "Yes, he's got a father, but you can't never find him these days. He used to lay drunk with the hogs in the tanyard, but he ain't been seen in these parts for a year or more" (Twain 18). Pap is the town drunk so no person in their right mind would hire him. As soon as he finds out Huckleberry has money he snatches him away from the Widow, who is raising and educating him. He takes Huck to his cabin in the woods so he can physically and emotionally abuse his son. The only reason he needs the money in the first place is for more alcohol when ironically alcohol is the primary reason he cannont hold a job therefore needing more money. Twain here shows how greed and desperation can push people …show more content…
Money and power overtook people and caused them to go against normal morals. The "perfect" image Americans project of their family life isn't always as perfect as it seems. Bigotry is so common during this time before the Civil War many people treated people who were actually equal to them as if they were property. Twain uses humor and irony to help readers recognize and explain the big issues that were

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