Homework Questions for Huck Finn, Chapters 1-16
Huck Finn – Chapter 1
1. Huck says that he couldn’t eat until the widow had done
something. What does she do? Does Huck understand what she is doing? (2)
- What is ironic about the fact that the widow
won’t allow Huck to smoke? (2)
- Describe the way Miss Watson treats Huck. (2)
- What is “the good place” and why doesn’t Huck
want to go there? (2-3)
- Describe Huck and the spider. (3-4)
Huck Finn – Chapter 2
- Why does Tom leave five cents on the table? (5)
- How does Jim explain the trick that Tom and Huck
played on him? (6)
- What does Jim wear around his neck? Why? (6)
- How does Tom Sawyer make up the rules for the
gang? (7-10)
- Describe Ben Roger’s role in the gang. (7-10)
Huck Finn – Chapter 3
- How does Huck feel about prayer? (10-11)
- What was the rumor about Pap? (11-12)
- What happened to the gang? (12)
- Describe the way in which Tom Sawyer views the
world. (12-13)
- Describe the argument between Tom and Huck.
(13-14)
Huck Finn – Chapter 4
- How does Huck feel about school? (15)
- Describe the differences between Huck and Miss
Watson as seen in the saltcellar incident. (15-16)
- Huck sees a footprint in the snow (16) and
immediately tries to give his money to Judge Thatcher. Why? (16-18)
- Describe the significance of Jim’s hairball. (17)
- Describe Huck’s fortune. (18)
Huck Finn – Chapter 5
- Describe Pap’s physical appearance. (18-19)
- How does Pap speak to Huck? (19-21)
- What does Pap do with the money he gets from
Huck? (21)
- Why does Pap cry? (21-22)
- Did Pap’s actions at the end of the chapter
surprise you? Why or why not?
Huck Finn - Chapter 6
1. Describe the relationship between Huck and
Pap. (23-26)
2. Huck describes the way that Pap treats
him. He also makes a statement on page
25 concerning the widow. Based on this
information, would you rather live with the widow or with Pap?
3. What is ironic about Pap’s commentary on the
possibility of black suffrage? (27)
4. Describe the way Pap acts when he wakes up.
(28-29)
5. What does Huck do at the end of the
chapter? Why? (29)
Huck Finn – Chapter 7
- How does Huck explain the gun to Pap? (30)
- Summarize Huck’s escape. (31-34)
- Whom does Huck run into on the water?
Huck Finn – Chapter 8
- Whom does Huck find on Jackson Island? (41)
- What is Jim’s reaction to Huck? (41)
- Why doesn’t Jim want to tell Huck why he is on
the island? (43)
- Describe the way Huck reacts to the information
Jim reveals. (43)
- Describe some of the “signs” that Jim tells Huck
about. (45-47)
- What does Jim’s belief in signs tell us about his
character?
- When Jim tells the story of the 10 cents, how
does he refer to Balum? Do you
think this is an odd term for Jim to use?
Why? (47)
Huck Finn – Chapter 9
- How does Jim know that it is going to rain? (48)
- How does Jim act when he and Huck find the dead
man? (50)
- Name a few of the items that Jim and Huck find in
the house. (50-51)
- Do you find any of the items that they take from
the house to be odd choices? (50-51)
Huck Finn – Chapter 10
- What does Huck want to know about the dead man?
(52)
- Why doesn’t Jim want to talk about the dead man?
(52)
- Describe the trick that Huck plays on Jim.
(52-53)
- How does Huck’s trick backfire? (52-53)
- Why does Huck say that he will never touch
another snakeskin? (53)
- Describe Huck’s disguise. (54-55)
Huck Finn – Chapter 11
- How does Huck trick the woman into giving him
information? (55-56)
- How does the woman catch Huck in his deception?
(58)
- How else did the woman figure out that Huck
wasn’t a girl? (59-62)
- What is the woman’s name? (62)
- Summarize some on the information Huck
gets from the woman. (55-63)
Huck Finn – Chapter 12
- How does Huck justify taking the chicken? (65)
- What do you think the widow would say about his
logic?
- Why does Huck wish that Tom Sawyer were with
them? (66-67)
- Summarize the conversation that Huck overhears on
the wreck. (67-70)
- How do feel about the way Huck acts in this
chapter?
Huck Finn – Chapter 13
- For whom does Huck feel sympathy? Does this surprise you? (71-72)
- Describe Huck’s trick in the village. (72-73)
- On page 75 Huck talks about the widow. How does this passage fit into our
discussion of defining characters through theme?
Huck Finn – Chapter 14
Summarize, point by point,
the conversation between Huck and Jim.
Huck Finn – Chapter 15
- Describe Jim’s reaction to his reunion with Huck.
(83-84)
- How does Huck respond to Jim? (84-85)
- What does Jim say when he realizes Huck’s trick?
(86)
- How does Huck feel about what he has done to Jim?
(86)
Huck Finn – Chapter 16
- Summarize Huck’s description of Jim in relation
to freedom. (86-89)
- Describe Huck’s reaction to the thought of Jim’s
freedom. (86-90)
- How does Huck save Jim? (89-91)
- Summarize Huck’s feelings on saving Jim. (91-92)
- List the effects of the snakeskin. (92-95)