Huck Finn: An Activity and Reading Guide



Huck Finn: An Activity and Reading Guide

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an American classic, both enjoyable and humorous, but it has also been the source of controversy and even censorship. A major source of objections to the novel is Huck’s frequent use of the despised “n-word.” It is important to recognize that language can be beyond offensive: it can be hateful and disrespectful. It is equally important, however, that as readers, we understand the use of language in a novel. If we keep in mind that language, just as anything else, changes, we can find a way to avoid being so offended by Huck’s language that we cannot read the novel.

Please think about and answer the following questions regarding the limitations and ramifications of an author’s word choices. You must type the answers to the following questions and email them to me at jloper@holyspirit- before beginning the novel.

1) If the narrator of a story it a highly intelligent and sensitive teenage girl, what kind of language would you expect her to use? What kind of language would you not expect? Why?

2) If the narrator of a story is a Vietnam War veteran who fought in the jungle, what kind of language would you expect and not expect? Why?

3) What if the narrator is a sixteen-year-old boy in your school?

4) What if the narrator is a high school principal?

5) Would any of these people be an inappropriate choice for the narrator of a novel? Why or why not?

6) In what ways do you think the author’s chosen language for a narrator helps us better understand 1) the novel, 2) the character, and 3) the setting of the novel?

7) Huck Finn, the narrator of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a boy in the pre-Civil War South. He comes from a poor white family, his father is an abusive drunk, and the society in which he interacts is pro-slavery. What language might you expect from him? Explain.

8) If Huck uses language that offends us, why should we continue reading his story? Is it possible to continue reading without continuing to be offended?

9) Read the first two paragraphs of the opening chapter. What do you infer about the narrator, Huck Finn? What are his characteristics? What might we expect from him?

10) After reading the first two paragraphs, what is your opinion of the author’s style? How do you think it will contribute to or complicate your reading of the novel?

Things to look for, pay attention to, and think about while reading the novel:

➢ The use of humor in the novel—What’s funny to you? How does Twain use humor?

➢ The use of satire throughout the novel

➢ Huck’s moral dilemma—What’s right, what’s wrong, and how should he distinguish between the two?

➢ The use of the river and the shore as symbols—What happens to Huck on the river? What happens to him on the shore? What are his reactions to these events?

➢ The use of dialects and the way in which they inform the reader more about the characters and the society in the novel

➢ Superstitions, games, and rituals

I suggest that you take reading notes. This will help you better understand what’s going on in the novel as well as provide you with a way to review the novel for discussion.

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