Chapter 31- End

In chapter 31, the opportunity arises for Huck to make his escape back to the to the raft - and Jim - so that they can run away. When he actually gets to the raft, Jim is nowhere in sight. Cue the worrying. A random townsperson tells Huck that a runaway slave was caught and sold for forty dollars. (Cheap, huh?) Common sense tells Huck this slave has to be Jim. Huck is torn in the situation. Option A: He writes to Miss Watson and she gets angry that he helped “steal” Jim. Option B: -Insert conflicted face here- Huck eventually decides to go get Jim. This is the exact moment that his character development is clear. He is no longer having a battle between his idea of right and what other’s idea of right is: rescuing Jim is the right thing. Social responsibility is no longer on his mind because all he knows is that Jim is in trouble and he needs to help him. This is the moment we’ve waited for the whole novel - the point in which Huck decides, “To hell with society and racism! Jim needs help and I’m going to help him!” (Not his exact words, but whatever.)

Chapters 23-30

These chapters revealed several details about Jim’s life and his family. I think Jim may also being going through a battle of social responsibility himself. On one hand, it is typically a man’s right to support and protect his family. By running away, he is running away from his responsibilities as a man and as a father. He has expressed this guilt festering inside him by replaying the time he hit his daughter over and over again in his head. Although running away is leading him to a life of freedom, he won’t be that free without his family. I think he’s questioning his role in society. With all this free time of thinking and having actual time to sort his thoughts, Jim is questioning everything and anything. He knows it is not his social responsibility to be a slave to white people, but is that something you have to do in order to protect your family? 

Chapter 15-22

In Chapter 15, Huck is ignoring his “social responsibility” by not ratting out Jim. Instead, they are headed to Cairo where they can sell the raft for a steamboat and Jim won’t be in danger of being a slave because Ohio is a free state. I can’t seem to figure out just yet if Huck is keeping Jim around because he knows it’s wrong to turn him in or because he knows he needs him. Realistically, a boy out on his own in any time period would not survive, mainly because he doesn’t have the necessary skills to survive. 

Later, in the chapter, Jim smashes up the oar on the raft out of frustration due to his bad dream. We find out that the dream that has Jim all stressed out was one involving Huck getting seriously hurt. (Aw.) 

I love this father-son dynamic developing in this story. Huck has a horrible father. Jim currently has no family. Perfect set up. Although, the father would typically be “in charge” which is not the cast here because at any moment, Huck could give into his social responsibility and turn Jim in. Huck has all the power in the relationship. That is exactly the thought that occurred to him in Chapter 6. 

I think that is when the severity and reality of the situation caught up to Huck in chapter 6. He finally realizes that not only did he run away, but he ran away with Miss Watson’s slave. He’s pretty much sure that he is going to turn Jim in. Not so easy when Jim is telling him how grateful he is, eh? Huck is at a full-blown war with himself, his social responsibility, and what he feels is the right thing do to. 

Huck Finn Chapters 6-15

In Chapter 6 and 7, Huck Finn sort of decides, “To Hell with social responsibility!” Well, not in so many words. After being locked up in an old cabin in the middle of the woods with his father, he gets used to the way his life used to be before the Widow took him in.  Although the Widow, who is trying to get legal custody of Huck, obviously treats him better than his father, Huck decides it would be better for him to just run away (if he could only get out). 

In Chapter 8, Huck realizes that he is not alone on Jackson’s Island; Jim, Miss Watson’s slave is there, too. When he asks Jim why he is there, he makes Huck promise not to tell and Huck hesitantly abides. "Well, I did. I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell, and I ain't a-going back there, anyways. So, now, le's know all about it." This gives you the impression that this is just the beginning of Huck’s internal battle between what society portrays as wrong and doing the right thing. Jim explains that Miss Watson was going to sell him which would tear his family apart. 

In Chapter 11, Huck goes into town undercover to investigate what is going on. He learns that Jim is a suspect for murdering him because he escaped the same time Huck was “killed”. Huck goes back to the island and tells Jim that they have to leave immediately. Here, Huck goes against his “social responsibility” of a white man by even telling Jim to leave the island. Any other person who follows the rules of society would’ve ratted him out. 

Huck Finn - Social Responsibility

Throughout the first five chapters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you already begin to notice how important social responsibility is to the story. As a young boy, Huck is expected to go to church, be polite, go to school, etc, but that’s not really how Huck is programmed to live. Mostly, he just does what he is used to. Miss Watson is sort of the enforcer of social responsibility in the story. On the other hand, Huck’s father is the complete opposite of that idea; he is portrayed as an uncivilized drunk who will get nowhere in life. Huck’s father is a representation of everything Miss Watson is against. I think there’s a part of Miss Watson that considers Huck as charity work. As if though it is her social responsibility to civilize the poor, little boy who has a drunk, dead-beat for a father. At this point, I’m not sure if she genuinely cares about Huck Finn or if she’s taking care of him because she feels like she has to. Huck is more of a “go with the flow” kind of boy. If a routine is set for him, he just goes with it. With Miss Watson, he got used to the idea of school, church, and not cursing, but when his father forced him to stay in that cabin, he got into the habit of doing nothing and cursing a lot.

Blogpost #4!

Blogpost #4: Chapters 9-11

Chapter nine was mainly focused on the oh-so lovely Roger Chillingworth. (That was most definitely sarcasm). For me, Roger is one of those characters that could do absolutely nothing wrong for the rest of the book and I will still not like him. Everything he says and does irritates me to death. Anyways, we come to find out that Roger expected a heart-felt welcome home from his wife, Hester. HA. Men. What in his ever told him that he deserves a warm welcome home from his wife after he left her high and dry? Jeez. OF COURSE SHE CHEATED ON YOU. I really do not like this man. 

Anyway, Roger decides to get Dimmesdale as his spiritual mentor. But, Dimmesdale isn’t looking too hot. He’s thin, depressed, exhausted, and keeps holding his heart as if he’s getting pains there. Interesting. Roger decides to analyze him thoroughly and learns he has a secret. Hm. But he won’t say. Towards the end of the chapter, the townspeople notice something different about Roger. “At first, his expression had been calm, meditative, scholar-like. Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the oftener they looked at him” (page 124). The way I interpreted Dimmesdale being “haunted by Satan” is that he has sinned and has yet to come forward about his sin. Therefore, Satan is haunting him until he does. 

In chapter ten there is a moment - a moment when all four characters face each other; Roger, Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale. It was really awkward. Then, it just got weird when Pearl started yelling, “Come away, Mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch up! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, Mother, or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl” (pg. 131). The significance of that part was too big to ignore. My theory is that Dimmesdale is actually the father of Pearl and THAT is the reason in which Satan is haunting him. Towards the end of the chapter, Roger theorizes that whatever is wrong with Dimmesdale started off as mental/ emotional pain, and has developed into physical pain as the time passes. Also, he sees something on his chest that makes him so happy... he kind of his this “Ah- ha!” moment. He then compares himself to Satan by saying, “But what distinguished the physicians ecstasy from Satan’s was the trait of wonder in it” (pg. 135). 

In chapter eleven, which I noticed is called “The Interior of a Heart”. We don’t find out what Roger found on Dimmesdale’s chest yet. But, Dimmesdale is acting extremely... guilty in this chapter which just brings me back to my theory on him being the father of Pearl. (Which, come to find out, I was right about). He is having visions of Hester and Pearl which is just adding to his already existing guilt. I believe that the title is referring the the inside of Dimmesdale’s heart because he finally see what is causing him to become so ill. 
In chapter twelve, you see what a true coward Dimmesdale is. He goes to the platform in which Hester Prynne was forced to stand in public in a pillory. He wouldn't dare do this in the daylight, when everyone is there. No, he does in at night, when no one is there to witness it. During this chapter, I am also thinking of what I said in my first blogpost.... even though they demanded to know who the father was in the first few chapters and CLAIMED he would be punished as well, is that really true? Would he be punished just as harshly and Hester? So, you sort of realize the pain in his chest that he's been feeling is where the scarlet letter was. (Was that was Roger had seen?) Then he talks to Hester and Pearl, who wanted them to all stand together the next day. He said no, but he will stand with them on judgement day. Then, a bright light comes to the horizon. I think this is a symbol of the light of the dark situation. (Maybe) they'll be a happy family. Then, Dimmesdale starts to notice how evil Roger looks. It's about time, am I right? Pearl and Dimmesdale argue, which results in her basically telling him he's a coward for not standing with them. (I love Pearl, honestly.) I sort of didn't understand the last part about the glove/sexton. 

Blogpost #3

Blogpost #3: Chapters 6-8

So, in chapter six, we finally find out the baby girl’s name. Pearl. Her mother’s only treasure. Very sweet, I must say. In the beginning of the story, she was just kind of the product of the sin. Hester is worried for Pearl. She views are sin as evil and worried that since Pearl is indeed a product of evil, she will be evil. (Does that make sense?) She dreaded her daughter would have darkness running the her veins; for evil would just be in her nature. But, alas, Pearl ends up being the opposite of Hester’s predictions. She’s beautiful, full of light, and, most of all, passionate. On the other hand, she’s feisty, wild, defiant, and hot tempered. Now, when I initially heard she was passionate I thought, “Uh oh.” Wasn’t passion what got her mother in trouble in the first place? Pearl is the actual product of passion, it’s not surprise she’s passionate herself. Pearl spends her days as an outcast. The girl who’s mother committed sin. Pearl starts to notice Hester’s A, and whenever she looks at it, Hester pictures her with devilish qualities. A little weird for a mother to picture, in my opinion. I sort of feel as though Hester’s a little paranoid, though. It’s natural for Pearl to become aware of the A. It’s normal for a child to be defiant. I think Hester is overreacting. It’s not that hard to do when the whole town thinks your child is the product of demons. When Pearl throws the flowers at the scarlet letter, it  wounds Hester. Hurts her so much she cries. Then, Hester’s asks her what she is and she answers, “You guess! Thy Heavenly Father sent thee!” Whoa. Creepy. Now, I think she’s no longer overreacting. 

In chapter seven, Pearl makes efforts to clear up the rumor that Pearl is being taken away from her by going right to the source: the Governor. On this little field trip, she brings Pearl, who’s wearing a scarlet colored dress. This obviously only reminds everybody of the scarlet letter on her chest. Not one of Hester’s smartest moves, clearly.  While waiting to speak to the Governor, Pearl discovers a mirror at his house that deforms the figures reflected in it. When Hester looks in the mirror, her letter is “the most prominent feature of her appearance”. This translates that’s that is what Hester has become - her sin. It consumes her life. Altered everyone’s opinion of her. Maybe even altered her opinion of herself. This mirror also has Hester believing her daughter is an “imp” or a devilish creature. Then, one of the red roses in the garden makes Pearl cry. Weird. Is it the fact that red roses represent love that make her cry? Because she is not a product of love, but one of lust? 

In chapter eight, the Governor and his ministers ask why Pearl shouldn’t be taken away from Hester. She points to the scarlet letter, meaning that they’ve taken so much from her, she should be able to keep this. Which is honestly the dumbest thing to do. The whole reason they want to take her way is BECAUSE of the things she’s done. (DUH, HESTER.) Wilson wants to know if she’s teaching Pearl religion, so he asks her, “Who made thee?”, which is a basic answer asked of most children. To this, she tells them that Hester plucked her off one of the mysterious roses that grew on the prison door. (Hence, the feistiness). They take her away immediately. To this I say, “Come on girl, I know I love my witty characters, but there is a TIME and PLACE for sarcasm.”