HF is a great novel that challenges the ideals of the South in both the post and pre civil war years. When reading the novel one question continues to come up, “’What went wrong with Twain’s novel?’”(Marx 291) The ending of HF has been a subject of discussion since the book was published. It doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story nor does it give closer to the readers.
HF is divided into several story arches that are stories in and of themselves but at the same time is part of the over all story. All the arches are interconnected with common themes, and with each one Huck ideas are developing and changing. However at the end none of Huck’s growth has anything to do with the ending and the story closes without ever giving closure to any of the complex issues that it raises. It is a force happy ending that no one is really happy about.
Over the course of the story Huck and Jim go through many adventures. Over the course of those adventures Huck learns and grows. His attitude towards Jim and perhaps the racism of in general change dramatically. He is at times guilty about helping Jim because he feels like he is doing something wrong by helping him escape. He does grow attached to Jim, and is quiet upset when he is sold back into slavery for, “forty dirty dollars.”(p.199 Twain)
However despite that growth Huck ends up playing Toms game to rescue Jim. They waste a lot of time with some nonsense rescue out of Toms books that doesn’t really work in the end. It doesn’t make sense that Huck would go along with it. It is and irrational ending.
As the story progresses Jim develops more and more as a human being. He is getting closer to Huck and is developing more of a personality. We learn about his wife and children. Slowly he is turning into a real human being. However at the end we are to believe that he would play along with Tom’s game rescues, let them surround him with rats and such and write down something every time he gets bit? It is illogical, irrational and unreasonable to believe that that is how events would play out and is an insult to the readers.
The ending has several other plot holes. Are we to believe that Jim would be freed when he is suspected to have committed murder? What about Huck going back to get civilized when that was just the thing that he was running away from. And on top o0f it all everything after all these crazy adventures just ends in such a happy ending sort of way. Where’s the conflict? Where’s the closure? Where the real ending the readers deserve?
Work cited
Marx, Leo. “Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Finn.” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 2nd edition. Ed. Gerald Graff, James Phelan. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 289-304.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Blog#10
HF is a great novel that challenges the ideals of the South in both the post and pre civil war years. When reading the novel one question continues to come up, “’What went wrong with Twain’s novel?’”(Marx 291) The ending of HF has been a subject of discussion since the book was published. It doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story nor does it give closer to the readers.
HF is divided into several story arches that are stories in and of themselves but at the same time is part of the over all story. All the arches are interconnected with common themes, and with each one Huck ideas are developing and changing. However at the end none of Huck’s growth has anything to do with the ending and the story closes without ever giving closure to any of the complex issues that it raises. It is a force happy ending that no one is really happy about.
Marx, Leo. “Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Finn.” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 2nd edition. Ed. Gerald Graff, James Phelan. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 289-304.
HF is divided into several story arches that are stories in and of themselves but at the same time is part of the over all story. All the arches are interconnected with common themes, and with each one Huck ideas are developing and changing. However at the end none of Huck’s growth has anything to do with the ending and the story closes without ever giving closure to any of the complex issues that it raises. It is a force happy ending that no one is really happy about.
Marx, Leo. “Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Finn.” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 2nd edition. Ed. Gerald Graff, James Phelan. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 289-304.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Blog#9
I think it was wrong for him to be in black face. It just isn’t a smart move for any politician to make. I don’t think his a klans man or anything but he may have some prejudices he is not consciously aware of. I don’t think he meant any harm. He in his blog talked about other actor who had done similar actions. Then he spoke about how he worked to help during Katrina. He sounded very defensive. He and all politicians need to be very careful about their actions.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
essay#4
The use of the N word in the book “the adventures of Huckleberry Finn” has been a discussion of conflict and debate for many years. The word, which I will admit is very much offensive and insulting, is still very much necessary for this book. HF gives a look at the rural south in the time before the civil war and should not be altered so That it stays historical accurate. This book criticizes many of the problems with the south and America at the time and if it offends then I believe it is meant to do so.
HF looks at the many problems of the south, crime, racism, thievery, and murder. This is not a book meant to merely amuse but to show the bleaker side of a part of American at a time of transition and change, which the book itself has help with. The book has many other offensive aspects murder theft and large amounts of deception. The book is trying to show a negative side of things and if we take out things that are negative what’s left is a water down jumble of words that would be a waste to read even to kill time.
The N word is offensive now and is viewed as being highly negative, but at the time that the book was published it didn’t have the same meaning. The word comes from the word Negro which was the politically correct term of the time. It was use as a way of addressing African Americans people, mostly slaves at that time. The word itself was not negative but rather the various believe misconceptions about African Americans were. African Americans of the time where uneducated, poorly treated and thought to be natural inferior. This is where the negative power of the N word comes from. The word at time was the common way to address African Americans, but became negative over time because of the negative views of African Americans that exist at that time.
Taking the word out of the book would change the level of impact that the book has. By changing the word you don’t change the story, plot or characters, what you change is how people will respond to the book. By reading that word over and over again people are forced to think about it, about racism then and now and about their own racial views. Regardless of it original purpose when people read HF and that word now or here it out load it makes them uneasy and makes them think. A good book will hold your interests, a great book will make you think and wonder, but the best books are the ones that for you to question things and really challenge your ideals. Without this word, even if nothing but that word was change HF wouldn’t be considered one of the best books of American literature, because it is the very discomfort that that word provokes that challenges people to ask the big questions on race and prejudices.
This word is something that is difficult to deal with. It puts people on edge and makes them more alert. I know I haven’t used the word in this essay, not because I think anyone who reads it would think that I was racist but because I have been raised to think of the word as a taboo. I’ve noticed that other in the class don’t want to say it out load and I don’t think anyone in the class has used the word in a relaxed tone. This word is treated with great caution. The only thing we can do is try to be use it carefully in discussion and go with what where comfortable with.
HF looks at the many problems of the south, crime, racism, thievery, and murder. This is not a book meant to merely amuse but to show the bleaker side of a part of American at a time of transition and change, which the book itself has help with. The book has many other offensive aspects murder theft and large amounts of deception. The book is trying to show a negative side of things and if we take out things that are negative what’s left is a water down jumble of words that would be a waste to read even to kill time.
The N word is offensive now and is viewed as being highly negative, but at the time that the book was published it didn’t have the same meaning. The word comes from the word Negro which was the politically correct term of the time. It was use as a way of addressing African Americans people, mostly slaves at that time. The word itself was not negative but rather the various believe misconceptions about African Americans were. African Americans of the time where uneducated, poorly treated and thought to be natural inferior. This is where the negative power of the N word comes from. The word at time was the common way to address African Americans, but became negative over time because of the negative views of African Americans that exist at that time.
Taking the word out of the book would change the level of impact that the book has. By changing the word you don’t change the story, plot or characters, what you change is how people will respond to the book. By reading that word over and over again people are forced to think about it, about racism then and now and about their own racial views. Regardless of it original purpose when people read HF and that word now or here it out load it makes them uneasy and makes them think. A good book will hold your interests, a great book will make you think and wonder, but the best books are the ones that for you to question things and really challenge your ideals. Without this word, even if nothing but that word was change HF wouldn’t be considered one of the best books of American literature, because it is the very discomfort that that word provokes that challenges people to ask the big questions on race and prejudices.
This word is something that is difficult to deal with. It puts people on edge and makes them more alert. I know I haven’t used the word in this essay, not because I think anyone who reads it would think that I was racist but because I have been raised to think of the word as a taboo. I’ve noticed that other in the class don’t want to say it out load and I don’t think anyone in the class has used the word in a relaxed tone. This word is treated with great caution. The only thing we can do is try to be use it carefully in discussion and go with what where comfortable with.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blog 8
I believe I will do my essay on the use of the N word in HF. I think it is controversial and offensive but it is necessary for the book to have the impact that it does. I think my thesis will be, “The N word does offend and is in fact meant to offend, because the book is meant to criticism of the south of the time through satire and if it was not offensive then it wasn’t having the right impact.” I think for the body I’ll talk about the word, its use at the time, its use now, censorship and the dangers of altering text. I’ll try to sum up all my ideas in the conclusion.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
blog 7
Satire is a way to make a point by ridiculing your subject. You present an issue and then present it in such a manner that its point seems ridiculous. To be effective you must make it clear that you are ridiculing your subject because it can look like your supporting it if you don’t. I think the Colbert Report and the Daily Show are good examples of satire. They present political issues in a way that make some points seem wrong or ridiculous and that use jokes, emphasis and sarcasm to great effect. By presenting it in such a manner they make political points clear why at the same time appearing comedic.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
blog 6
Jim is something that is hard to define. I’m not sure how much of him is a stereotype meant to destroy traditional views and how much is mark twains own racist views. I’m not sure what to think of him as a character and it’s made all the harder by the fact that I can only understand a little of what he says. Whether or not he’s a minstrel I think is something only twain knows though I think he may very well be. As for whether or not he contributing to double consciousness I think he does because he show a very different view then what I believe many people perceive.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
blog#5
Sex, race and gender roles are still relevant today. In television you will see more of various groups of people in different shows then before but to say that we no longer have discrimination is wrong. I think much of television still depict traditional roles for men and women. There is still the tendency towards the traditional family roles with mother and father and such. You never see really large families with lots of kids or extended family living together. Women are still often view as objects of desire, or men being highly predator, and though they see to be making fun of it they are still reinforcing the double standard. I think while we have advance greatly as a society we are still only taking baby steps and that it will take at least 300 hundred years to eliminate most forms of discrimination if it can be done at all.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Essay#3
For the past year and a half, since I finished high school, I have been taking care of my grandmother. I have been responsible for her food mailing her bills, and all other need. In a sense I have been responsible for her life. This has made me think of many things, life, age, the changing world and its affect on us. Most of all it has made me aware of the value of the simple things and the great responsibility of being responsible for another life.
My grandmother is 88 years old and has hardly left the house in the past ten years. A few years ago my grandfather passed away. They had been married for nearly seventy years. For a number of years before that my mother had been living there to take care of them sense grandpa mind was going. Until just a few year or so before my graduation my mother had still been living their and until I moved in had still been stopping by a few days a week to take care of things.
At the point I moved in grandma was even more withdrawn then before. She doesn’t really go out for anything except a few trips to the doctors. She never was an outgoing person I am told and with grandpa death and the ever changing world, she would rather stay at home. I don’t think she’s really depressed but rather she is old, doesn’t want really be all that involved anymore and wants to spend the rest of her life where she comfortable.
I moved in the weekend after my graduation. I set up in what use to be my grandfathers room and which my cousin had lived in for a time. We work out an agreement in which I am paid fifty dollars a week, I get to live there free of charge and she pays for my groceries along with her own. After that I spent the rest of the summer settling in and falling into a routine.
I have a set of chores that I do regularly. They are fairly normal; take out the garbage, clean the house and such. I also have to make sure she pays her bill, eat regularly and in general be responsible for her well being. I think it’s a fairly simple job but I know a professional live in care taker would cost more then her whole income so I think this works out well for both of us.
My grandmother is 88 years old and has hardly left the house in the past ten years. A few years ago my grandfather passed away. They had been married for nearly seventy years. For a number of years before that my mother had been living there to take care of them sense grandpa mind was going. Until just a few year or so before my graduation my mother had still been living their and until I moved in had still been stopping by a few days a week to take care of things.
At the point I moved in grandma was even more withdrawn then before. She doesn’t really go out for anything except a few trips to the doctors. She never was an outgoing person I am told and with grandpa death and the ever changing world, she would rather stay at home. I don’t think she’s really depressed but rather she is old, doesn’t want really be all that involved anymore and wants to spend the rest of her life where she comfortable.
I moved in the weekend after my graduation. I set up in what use to be my grandfathers room and which my cousin had lived in for a time. We work out an agreement in which I am paid fifty dollars a week, I get to live there free of charge and she pays for my groceries along with her own. After that I spent the rest of the summer settling in and falling into a routine.
I have a set of chores that I do regularly. They are fairly normal; take out the garbage, clean the house and such. I also have to make sure she pays her bill, eat regularly and in general be responsible for her well being. I think it’s a fairly simple job but I know a professional live in care taker would cost more then her whole income so I think this works out well for both of us.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Blog #4
The ad sends the message that it is not okay to be over weight. It also implies that bad eating habits and a stationary life style. At the same time it may be implying that people should be thin. These and other ads can have a strong affect on young minds. While obesity is a growing problem that we must deal with it is the other extreme we also have to avoid. Children are being told that thin is better, so while others are over eating fast food the rest are starving themselves. What we need to do is start aiming children towards health weight levels and tries to take away the pressure to be any certain body type. Children should be encouraged to develop naturally.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Blog#3
The video is arguing against child labor. It compares the average life of a child in America and that of a child worker. It shows us that the things that we use every day have a much higher cost then we realize. The arguments are compelling and they appeal to our morality. It challenges our view of the world by showing us a side that we chose to ignore. This is a sign of a good advertisement because it uses all the sound and images to appeal to use on an emotional level and makes its message understandable by the end. There are many arguments in media like this but I don’t know how to post a video yet.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Eassy#2
T.V. The Family Drug
Television is something of a drug that the American family is addicted to. It is used to treat hyper kids, fatigued parents, boredom and to much free time. It side affects include laziness, loss of thinking power, and greater emotional distances from all human beings. These are the basic reasons and affects of television and it is clear it is negatively affecting American family life, but television isn’t the issue it’s why we are asking for a prescription to drug that we know is bad for us. Television is a means to keep family distant but it is not a reason in and of it self, the problem lay with us.
Most of us most likely grew up with one or more televisions in our house, and were raised into our television addiction, as perhaps were our parents. However as with all things there must be a beginning. Television came in with the American dream in post world war two. Yes, two cars in every garage, a TV in every home and all the convenient appliances you could want. Everyone hear the American dream and everyone believed in its’ materialism bring happiness because if you didn’t conform in post war American you were weird and an outsider. Eventually the 60s came and people started question things again, but it was to late and television had attached itself the heart of the American family life.
Putting it origins aside there are more modern reasons for our attachment to television. TV has at this point become part of the American culture. If your five year old goes to kindergarten and doesn’t have anything to say about “Sesame Street” they end up the odd kid out. TV is also the modern babysitter, with more single parents and households with both parents working its hard to resist just setting them in front of the TV, especially when the news makes you to scared to let them play outside unsupervised.
And kids aren’t the only ones. Adult also may look strange if he isn’t up to date on the latest television drama and even stranger if he doesn’t have a television. TV has because such a major part of American culture it is difficult to be without it.
We know how television came into the body American household, but how did it multiply and spread to every component of the household. I believe this lies in the problems with our materialism and our individualism. We as a people, though not all of us like to have many possessions and like to be rather dependent. Sadly this lead to more televisions in more rooms. At first the TV at least keep the family in one room but now mom watches in the kitchen, dad in the living room and Jr. in his room.
Television is something of a drug that the American family is addicted to. It is used to treat hyper kids, fatigued parents, boredom and to much free time. It side affects include laziness, loss of thinking power, and greater emotional distances from all human beings. These are the basic reasons and affects of television and it is clear it is negatively affecting American family life, but television isn’t the issue it’s why we are asking for a prescription to drug that we know is bad for us. Television is a means to keep family distant but it is not a reason in and of it self, the problem lay with us.
Most of us most likely grew up with one or more televisions in our house, and were raised into our television addiction, as perhaps were our parents. However as with all things there must be a beginning. Television came in with the American dream in post world war two. Yes, two cars in every garage, a TV in every home and all the convenient appliances you could want. Everyone hear the American dream and everyone believed in its’ materialism bring happiness because if you didn’t conform in post war American you were weird and an outsider. Eventually the 60s came and people started question things again, but it was to late and television had attached itself the heart of the American family life.
Putting it origins aside there are more modern reasons for our attachment to television. TV has at this point become part of the American culture. If your five year old goes to kindergarten and doesn’t have anything to say about “Sesame Street” they end up the odd kid out. TV is also the modern babysitter, with more single parents and households with both parents working its hard to resist just setting them in front of the TV, especially when the news makes you to scared to let them play outside unsupervised.
And kids aren’t the only ones. Adult also may look strange if he isn’t up to date on the latest television drama and even stranger if he doesn’t have a television. TV has because such a major part of American culture it is difficult to be without it.
We know how television came into the body American household, but how did it multiply and spread to every component of the household. I believe this lies in the problems with our materialism and our individualism. We as a people, though not all of us like to have many possessions and like to be rather dependent. Sadly this lead to more televisions in more rooms. At first the TV at least keep the family in one room but now mom watches in the kitchen, dad in the living room and Jr. in his room.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Blog#2 Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Speech is one of our most important rights, and is meant to give use the freedom to express our political, religious or other individual views. I'm not sure what the exact rules were in high school, but I do know that shirts with gang colors were banned, and anything deemed offensive. I think there are also similar restrictions at the jc. I do believe in freedom of speech but I also understand why school and such try to stop it from becoming offensive. The problem is that since different views conflict there will always be some conflict. I think it will be a long time before we find a balance between civility and freedom of expression.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Blog#1 Music
I don’t have a favorite song. I enjoy a great deal of music but I like rock, hard rock and metal the best. I like groups like My Chemical Romance, Metallica, System of The Down, and a few others. What I like best I guess is the sound and rhythm, but lately I have come to appreciate the lyrics more and more. At first I just liked the way the words sounded with the music but I began paying more attention to what the lyrics were say and I realized that there were some strong political messages. I heard criticism of drug distribution, and war, along with other political messages. I came to realize I could get better information from music the I would ever get on government regulated news.
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