by Sarah Freeman

The American novelist, Mark Twain, was proclaimed the greatest writer out country ever produced. Twain recognized the foolishness of society, and used satirical humor to expose it. In a dark time of ignorance, his novels brought forth controversy and understanding. In Twain�s infamous novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, satire is used to poke fun at numerous issues. A few of these that will be further examined are; slavery, do-gooders, and sentimentality. The first issue to be discussed is slavery. Huck�s Pap was opposed to the idea of a colored man having equal rights and opportunity as him. �There was a free n--- from Ohio... they said he was a p�fessor in a collage... man what is the country coming to?� (p.27) When Pap makes this comment, Twain illustrates how black people were not seen as worthy enough to receive an education. A further mockery on slavery occurs when Huck lies to the Kind and Duke, in order to save Jim. �I wouldn�t shake my n---, would I? The only n--- I had in the world, my only property.� (p.208) This quote shows how blacks in the south were seen to many as nothing more than property. A final occurrence of satire on slavery is when Huck feels guilty for vowing not to turn Jim into the authorities. �People would call me a low down abolitionist... I ain�t gonna tell.� (p.43) Twain incorporates this quote to show Huck�s internal conflict with what morals society has inflicted, versus his own personal values on slavery. Another important aspect of society that Twain satirized was the do-gooder. The community church is generally a a place for those good at heart. The king and duke decide that this would be the perfect place to scam money. �Take up a collection for him! (p. 128) This illustrates how the church members were so willing to sacrifice in the name of charity, that they were blind to distinguish trickery. More evidence of do-gooders is quite apparent in Judge Thatcher. �He took him in his house and dressed him up nice and clean.� (p.23) This is an example of satire on do-gooders. Judge Thatcher takes Pap into his home and cleans him up, assuming that Pap will change overnight. Yet a final example of this is illustrated by Tom Sawyer. �Want it for Jim to keep a journal on?� (p.230) Tom was trying to encourage Jim into keeping a journal, in hope that he would become further educated. Mark Twain used satire to poke fun at people who were sentimental. Emmeline Grangerford wrote poetry of a melancholy essence. �She warn�t particular, she could write about anything, as long as it was sadful.� (p.100) Twain shows how people cherish the sad things, instead of enjoying the good times. Also Pap and the Judge show sentimentality about the hardships of life. �Pap said he had been misunderstood before, and the Judge said it was so... so they cried again... then Pap out the window and got drunk.� (p.22) This scene is a clear example of sentimentality making something seem as if it were better, but in the end, some things will always be the same. Huck always disliked the wishy-washy ways of religion and sentimentality. One day something happened that made him reevaluate his beliefs. �Now I rekon the widow or the parson or somebody prayed that this bread would find me.� (p.37) The divine hand of Providence may have had a rile in Huck finding his meal floating down the river. Possibly Huck is treating the bread as a sentimental occurrence. Twain used these issues to express his opinion in a humorous and thoughtful way. One can not take this book with a serious heart. As stated by the author; �Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.�