In the world of Huck Finn, Tom attempts to achieve greatness by mimicking the (oftentimes fictionalized) exploits of others. Against Huck’s rational proposals, he counters, “It don’t make no difference how foolish it is, it’s the right way—and it’s the regular way. And there ain’t no other way, that ever I heard of” (283). By reproducing his fantasies in waking life, he derives a sense of significance that is lacking in an otherwise humdrum middle-class existence. In so doing, he contorts reality to render it more palatable and predictable.

The feud between the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons presents an extension of the Tom Sawyer complex. After reacting with initial hostility, the Grangerfords turn out to be “all ... fine and handsome” (114). As Huck relates, “Col. Grangerford was a gentleman all over; and so was his family” (124). Each morning, the sons and daughters perform an elaborate ritual toast to the patriarch and his wife. One of their deceased daughters, Emmeline, was an accomplished painter and poet who dwelled on such sentimental themes as grief, longing, and death. Huck is very impressed, commenting that if she “could make poetry like that before she was fourteen, there ain’t no telling what she could a done by-and-by” (121). Likewise, the Shepherdsons are also held in high esteem, even among the Grangerfords. Buck strikes the point home, “No, sir, if a body’s out hunting for cowards, he don’t want to fool away any time amongst them Shepherdsons, becuz they don’t breed any of that kind” (129). Indeed, the Grangerfords would not deign to hunt for cowards—the more dangerous the prey, the higher the honor.

Beneath this veneer of civility lurks a fanatically violent streak. The Grangerfords and Shepherdsons slaughter each other mindlessly, dimly aware of a feud in their ancestral past, but overwhelmingly driven by the atmosphere of animosity perpetuated by both families. When asked who instigated the bloodshed, Buck answers, “how do I know? It was so long ago.” No rationale is required to justify the shooting—it’s something one “would naturally do, of course. Anyone would” (128). Ironically, Buck’s attitude precipitates his own demise in a shooting match with the Shepherdsons.

The Grangerfords, like Tom Sawyer, are oblivious to the real reasons why they court complications. Inundated by messages that this is the “right way”, the “regular way”, the “only way”, they lose their capacity for independent logical deliberation. They have evaded true living and pigeonholed existence into mankind’s own romantic constructs.