The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn



Guiding Questions for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Chapter One:

1. Who is the narrator of the story?

2. Why is Huck unhappy with the Widow Douglas?

3. What example is given of Huck’s superstitious nature?

Chapter Two and Three:

4. Who is Jim?

5. Cite differences between Huck and Tom:

6. Contrast the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson in terms of their religious beliefs.

Chapters Four and Five:

7. Describe Pap.

8. How does Twain comment on the American Court system?

Chapters Six and Seven:

9. What are Pap’s views on government?

10. When Huck carries our his escape plan, why does he wish Tom were there?

Chapter Eight:

11. In the earlier chapters, it is implied that only the slaves were superstitious. Then we discover that Huck is also superstitious. Superstition is said to be limited to the ignorant; however, in Chapter 8, how does Twain reveal that superstition exists for the so-called “educated class” as well?

12. What is ironic about the fact that the cannon which is fired into the river almost kills Huck?

13. Why has Jim run away?

Chapter Nine:

14. A small house has been washed away and floats down the river. What does Jim find in the house? Why does Jim keep Huck from looking at it?

15. From this chapter, how can we tell that Huck and Jim are going to be good friends?

Chapter Ten:

16. What practical joke does Huck play on Jim? How does it backfire? What is Huck learning about superstition from this incident?

17. Why does Huck go to shore? Why is he dressed like a girl?

Chapter Eleven:

18. How does Mrs. Loftus figure out that Huck is really a boy?

19. What important information does Huck find out? What money is involved?

20. How does the fact that Huck disguises himself and uses another name add to the death and rebirth theme?

Chapter Twelve:

21. Find a passage that shows the peace and freedom that the river represents.

22. How does Huck ease his conscience about stealing?

23. What conversation do Huck and Jim overhear once they’re aboard the wrecked steamboat?

24. Who are Jake Packard, Bill, and Jim Turner? How do these men end up stranded on a damaged steamboat?

Chapter Thirteen:

25. Huck wants to keep the men (Packard, Bill, and Turner) from getting away from the boat, but then he wants to make sure someone rescues them. Explain.

Chapter Fourteen:

26. In what way does Twain add to his satire on religion in Chapter 14?

Chapter Fifteen:

27. What is Jim’s definition of ‘trash?

Chapter Sixteen:

28. Describe Huck’s troubled conscience.

29. Provide an example of irony found in chapter 16.

30. Why do you suppose Twain has Huck and Jim lose their canoe in Chapter 16?

Chapters Seventeen-Twenty:

29. Who is Emmeline Grangerford and why is Huck impressed by her and her family?

30. Why do you think Twain includes the Grangerford-Sheperdson feud in this novel?

31. Who are the Duke of Bridgewater and the Dauphin of France?

32. What is their purpose in the novel?

33. According to Huck, why is it “lovely to live on a raft?”

34. How does Huck explain why Jim is on the raft?

35. What did the king tell the people he was?

36. How much Money did he collect?

37. What plan does the duke come up with to allow them to travel by day?

Chapters 20-end

38. What saves the duke and the king?

39. Why does neither the duke nor the king suspect Huck of having stolen the gold?

40. From the boy walking on the road near pikesville, what does huck learn has happened to Jim?

41. Along the raft, Huck suffers agonies of guilt and misery.

← Of what does Huck feel guilty?

← What letter does he think he should write?

← What does he do with the letter?

← what does Huck finally resolve to do about Jim?

42. Huck says, “You can’t pray a lie—I found that out.” What is the lie that keeps Huck from praying?

43. When Huck arrives at Phelps’ plantation, he is warmly greeted by Aunt Sally even though they’ve never met before. Who does Aunt sally think Huck is?

44. Why is Tom Sawyer surprised to see Huck?

45. What happened to the King and the Duke?

46. Explain why Tom first tells Aunt Sally that his name is William Thompson, but soon after, tells her he is Sid Sawyer.

47. Why is Huck so amazed that Tom actually wants to help steal Jim?

48. Why is Tom dissatisfied with Huck’s plan to free Jim?

49. As we read about Huck and Tom’s elaborate efforts to free Jim, how does it become clear that Tom Sawyer has no feeling for or understanding of Jim’s suffering? Frovide examples to help explain.

50. Tom comes up with the idea of sending the Phelps Family an anonymous letter. What does this letter say?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download