The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain



The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain

Mural Assignment: In class: planning 21 March, execution 22 March

Due: 25 March with presentation

Assignment Value: Project grade (equivalent to test grade)

Extra Credit: 10 extra credit points will go to the mural, which I evaluate as fulfilling the assignment with the most style and creativity. (The mural must meet all the requirements listed below to be eligible for the extra credit.)

Directions: Your group will create a “mural” relating to one of the areas listed below. You will have class time to plan and to complete your mural. Plan accordingly by outlining details and requirements and assigning tasks today. You should come prepared with any materials you need to complete your task. Your group may work as much as you want outside of class. Your group will then present it to the class.

Be sure to consider the following in your plans:

A) Your mural should be designed to clearly portray your area’s subject to an audience who we will assume know nothing of your subject or the novel. Be sure to include prominently the name of the novel and the author. Your group’s topic should be clearly emphasized and defined. The purpose of your mural should be immediately recognizable to the viewer.

B) The clarity of your mural’s text is most important. You will use a minimum of five direct quotations from the novel in addition to any explanatory commentary you add. This text must be visually emphasized, not hidden among the illustrations.

C) Your illustrations may be hand drawn, or you may use cuttings from other sources such as magazines. You may not use drawings or photographs that already depict scenes from Huck Finn. Remember that you illustrations are important in helping the view grasp quickly the subject of your mural. Avoid confusing your view with clutter. Also remember, your illustrations should primarily enhance your textual references. A balanced use of text and illustration is the goal.

D) Your mural will be graded on the over-all effect it has in quickly and effectively pulling your viewer into your subject. Textual references are very important here. Strive to use those that will be of the greatest interest and informational value to your viewer.

E) You must use the paper provided in class. Your project must conform to that format. You may use a variety of materials if you want, but all that you do must fit in the area of the paper you’re given. (Markers, glue, scissors, and some construction paper will be provided.)

Topic areas:

1. Satire – Twain is known as one of America’s foremost satirists, never afraid to hold up to scrutiny mankind’s many foibles. Certainly, satire plays a prominent role in Huck Finn. The mural related to this area must clearly depict through the use of text and illustration five distinct areas of Twain’s satirical commentary relating to human customs, institutions, and/or weaknesses. Define caricature, juxtaposition, overstatement (hyperbole) or understatement, word choice, and parody and identify examples of each.

2. Prejudice – Twain makes many comments on the human condition in Huck Finn. One of the social ills that Twain fights in the novel is prejudice. The mural related to this area must clearly depict through the use of text and illustration five examples of Twain’s commentary of prejudice.

3. Mankind’s Hypocrisy – Through Huck Finn’s narration we learn much about Twain’s opinions of humanity. Hypocrisy seems to be one of Twain’s most important targets for change. The mural related to this area must clearly depict though the use of text and illustration five examples of human hypocrisy depicted in Huck Finn.

4. Religion – Throughout the course of the novel we learn more about Huck’s feelings about religion. The mural related to this area must clearly depict through the use of text and illustration Twain’s feelings about religion in Huck Finn. You must include at least five examples to back up your group’s point.

5. Imagery – Mark Twain, like many realistic writers, paints vivid pictures of a particular time and place, including photographic physical settings and accurate snapshots of people inhabiting them. Your purpose is to select what you consider to be five particularly strong examples of Twain’s use of imagery relating to places and/or characters and depict all five along with appropriate quotations from the text.

6. Episodic Structure – Picaresque novels tend to be structured in distinct and separate episodes held together by the presence of the first person narrator who travels through a variety of social situations and social classes in a particular place and time. Your mural must portray chronologically five separate episodes, each involving distinctly different themes and characters. You must find appropriate text from each that best sums up the plot and themes related to each episode. You should also include a unifying image that ties the events together in the novel.

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