#1 Since a central theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is escape from “sivilization,” explain in what ways Jim and Huck have explored being uncivilized. Discuss Huck’s reasons for rejecting civilization. Make specific references to incidents that influenced his decision. Have the two avoided civilizing at the close of the novel? Have the two civilized one another? What part does the river play in this discussion? What point is Twain making about freedom? What exactly is Huck choosing instead of civilization? Is his choice a sound one? Explain.
Make sure to cite specific textual evidence as support. To be a civilized person is one of many social conformities that Huckleberry Finn had chosen to ignore. In no way did Huck care about what society thought of him; for this reason,…show more content… Huck did not mind learning to read and write, but the general idea of being managed by The Widow was what got under his skin. “The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time.” (Twain 1) Huck had a spirit that could not be tamed. Pap, Huckleberry’s father, may have been partly to blame for his behavior. Pap taught Huck how to fend for himself in the wilderness, but Pap also taught him to be an unrespectable person. “Pap he hadn’t been seen for more than a year, and that was comfortable for me; I didn’t want to see him no more. He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me; though I used to take to the woods most of the time when he was around.” (Twain 11) This quote from Huck shows that he sought out wilderness to get away from his father. Huck realized what his father was teaching him was wrong, and most of the things The Widow taught him, he deemed to be morally right. Huck wanted to figure out right and wrong for himself, and not to be told what to do by either his father or his
