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5.21k reviews for:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Case Study in Critical Controversy
Mark Twain, James D. Phelan, Gerald Graff
3.51 AVERAGE
5.21k reviews for:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Case Study in Critical Controversy
Mark Twain, James D. Phelan, Gerald Graff
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An American classic. That is exactly what it is. The influence of this book is astounding! I got so caught up in the emotion of this book that it definitely left me with the lasting impression that all men are created equal.
A great book about adventure. It really makes me want to live a wonderful adventure.
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(note: I marked the characters as not lovable because of 99% of the cast. Only Jim isn't a piece of filth, but there only being one likable character isn't enough to warrant an "it's complicated" tag in my eyes. I reject interpretations of Huck as a good person - did we read the same book?)
2.25 stars because this book is not without merit. That being said, it frustrated me to no end.
Huck Finn was such an insufferable read because the protagonist underwent character development a third of the way through, forgot about it until two thirds of the way through where he went as far as to reject eternal salvation for Jim's sake, and yet still circled back to monstrousness by the end. I would call this clever commentary on the insidiousness of racism and how deeply ingrained it was in the minds of Americans before and after emancipation, but I don't know if it was at all intentional. Part of me wants to believe it was, because so much of the book focuses on painting white America in a negative light, with the countless cruelties portrayed in the text that the reader is clearly meant to condemn - even Huck himself does, repeatedly saying that certain actions made him feel ashamed to be a human. But part of me has a hard time throwing the author a bone because of his haphazard and thoughtless use of racial slurs throughout the work. I understand they were there for the sake of period accuracy, but did he not stop to think that, perhaps, his voice was not the one to tell the story of such a time? Not to mention, Jim is so terribly sidelined in the narrative, when much of the story's conflict centers directly around the matter of his freedom. That could, too, be intentional - but forgive me if I think it is just a little bit too optimistic and generous to conjecture that a white man, speaking over Black voices by writing a hideously racist story about race relations, purposely wrote his Black character in a neglectful (and reliant upon stereotypes!) manner, to highlight the misrepresentation of Black struggles on a larger societal scale.
I will once again reiterate that this is a truly frustrating work. That is by far the best word to describe it. It suffers greatly from what I would call directionlessness. The story is steeped in many serious themes that it explores in an interesting manner, even if (in my opinion) usually improperly. But it wastes so much of the reader's time on things that feel entirely superfluous. It makes a clear distinction between itself and Tom Sawyer in tone, genre and audience, and yet it still tries to be a funny adventure novel. Forgive me if I can't see the fun in Huck joining up with the king and duke and keeping Jim, who he had but a few chapters ago appeared to sincerely start viewing as a friend, tied up and treated in an entirely inhumane manner - allowing the con artists to weaponise his status as a runaway slave for the sake of profit, which ultimately gets him captured. The novel's plethora hijinks fall completely flat the second you remember about Jim, constantly worried sick for Huck, debasing himself and crying tears of joy whenever the two are reunited, unaware or instantly forgiving of the fact that he has caused him so much suffering.
And don't even get me started on Huck's final adventure with Tom - there never was a more monstrous kid than that Tom Sawyer. At the very least, I'm quite sure the reader is supposed to hate him, but was the excruciating detail in which their exploits (to put it bluntly, torture of Jim) were described really necessary? There's no question that every part of this book serves a purpose, usually to showcase the rotten nature of white Americans, but at what point does the message the author wants to convey dampen the reader's enjoyment of a work so much that it becomes a problem? The issue lies not with the author wanting to discuss serious topics. In fact, most of the literature I read is intensely serious and doesn't let up on the darkness for even a moment. But something about Huck Finn is deeply jarring and insufferable to read. It is, quite frankly, tedious, a complete drag, and I don't understand the intense praise its style and storytelling get whatsoever.
The book being a grand waste of time could, again, be part of its message - the cruelty of racism is not something that can be so easily conquered. Huck forsakes entry into Heaven for the sake of Jim's freedom; and yet he unflinchingly agrees to join Tom's adventure instead of rescuing him from captivity in a manner that would minimise his suffering. He is portrayed as better than most white Americans living in the South at that time, and yet he remains incapable of fully grasping the humanity of Black Americans despite Jim's unwavering loyalty and kindness - a line toward the end that really stuck with me was Huck saying that Jim was white inside, in reference to him showing concern for Tom. To Huck, Jim is only an exception to the rule. He is not a white person who gets over his racism - he is a white person who befriends (and, to an extent, cares about) one Black person but remains as dismissive of the humanity of Black people as everyone else. In that way, the ending of Huck Finn is almost genius, because I was left so sincerely furious and disappointed by it. I thought oh, surely this mess ending the way it did was intended to be pessimistic. And then I checked online reviews calling Huck Finn an inspiring tale about friendship and empathy and wondered if I had read a different version.
If Huckleberry Finn is anything, it sure is contentious. It is one of those works that can be discussed to no end, and if the author wanted to start such conversations, he certainly was successful. Still, I don't recommend it as an effective commentary on race relations. It, despite what I (very generously) assume to be good intentions, falls victim to the very thing it seeks to criticise.
For God's sake, there are so many works out there written by Black authors just waiting to be read and engaged with. Let this dumpster fire of a novel die.
3.75/10
2.25 stars because this book is not without merit. That being said, it frustrated me to no end.
Huck Finn was such an insufferable read because the protagonist underwent character development a third of the way through, forgot about it until two thirds of the way through where he went as far as to reject eternal salvation for Jim's sake, and yet still circled back to monstrousness by the end. I would call this clever commentary on the insidiousness of racism and how deeply ingrained it was in the minds of Americans before and after emancipation, but I don't know if it was at all intentional. Part of me wants to believe it was, because so much of the book focuses on painting white America in a negative light, with the countless cruelties portrayed in the text that the reader is clearly meant to condemn - even Huck himself does, repeatedly saying that certain actions made him feel ashamed to be a human. But part of me has a hard time throwing the author a bone because of his haphazard and thoughtless use of racial slurs throughout the work. I understand they were there for the sake of period accuracy, but did he not stop to think that, perhaps, his voice was not the one to tell the story of such a time? Not to mention, Jim is so terribly sidelined in the narrative, when much of the story's conflict centers directly around the matter of his freedom. That could, too, be intentional - but forgive me if I think it is just a little bit too optimistic and generous to conjecture that a white man, speaking over Black voices by writing a hideously racist story about race relations, purposely wrote his Black character in a neglectful (and reliant upon stereotypes!) manner, to highlight the misrepresentation of Black struggles on a larger societal scale.
I will once again reiterate that this is a truly frustrating work. That is by far the best word to describe it. It suffers greatly from what I would call directionlessness. The story is steeped in many serious themes that it explores in an interesting manner, even if (in my opinion) usually improperly. But it wastes so much of the reader's time on things that feel entirely superfluous. It makes a clear distinction between itself and Tom Sawyer in tone, genre and audience, and yet it still tries to be a funny adventure novel. Forgive me if I can't see the fun in Huck joining up with the king and duke and keeping Jim, who he had but a few chapters ago appeared to sincerely start viewing as a friend, tied up and treated in an entirely inhumane manner - allowing the con artists to weaponise his status as a runaway slave for the sake of profit, which ultimately gets him captured. The novel's plethora hijinks fall completely flat the second you remember about Jim, constantly worried sick for Huck, debasing himself and crying tears of joy whenever the two are reunited, unaware or instantly forgiving of the fact that he has caused him so much suffering.
And don't even get me started on Huck's final adventure with Tom - there never was a more monstrous kid than that Tom Sawyer. At the very least, I'm quite sure the reader is supposed to hate him, but was the excruciating detail in which their exploits (to put it bluntly, torture of Jim) were described really necessary? There's no question that every part of this book serves a purpose, usually to showcase the rotten nature of white Americans, but at what point does the message the author wants to convey dampen the reader's enjoyment of a work so much that it becomes a problem? The issue lies not with the author wanting to discuss serious topics. In fact, most of the literature I read is intensely serious and doesn't let up on the darkness for even a moment. But something about Huck Finn is deeply jarring and insufferable to read. It is, quite frankly, tedious, a complete drag, and I don't understand the intense praise its style and storytelling get whatsoever.
The book being a grand waste of time could, again, be part of its message - the cruelty of racism is not something that can be so easily conquered. Huck forsakes entry into Heaven for the sake of Jim's freedom; and yet he unflinchingly agrees to join Tom's adventure instead of rescuing him from captivity in a manner that would minimise his suffering. He is portrayed as better than most white Americans living in the South at that time, and yet he remains incapable of fully grasping the humanity of Black Americans despite Jim's unwavering loyalty and kindness - a line toward the end that really stuck with me was Huck saying that Jim was white inside, in reference to him showing concern for Tom. To Huck, Jim is only an exception to the rule. He is not a white person who gets over his racism - he is a white person who befriends (and, to an extent, cares about) one Black person but remains as dismissive of the humanity of Black people as everyone else. In that way, the ending of Huck Finn is almost genius, because I was left so sincerely furious and disappointed by it. I thought oh, surely this mess ending the way it did was intended to be pessimistic. And then I checked online reviews calling Huck Finn an inspiring tale about friendship and empathy and wondered if I had read a different version.
If Huckleberry Finn is anything, it sure is contentious. It is one of those works that can be discussed to no end, and if the author wanted to start such conversations, he certainly was successful. Still, I don't recommend it as an effective commentary on race relations. It, despite what I (very generously) assume to be good intentions, falls victim to the very thing it seeks to criticise.
For God's sake, there are so many works out there written by Black authors just waiting to be read and engaged with. Let this dumpster fire of a novel die.
3.75/10
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
En la icónica novela, Mark Twain, obra de la literatura estadounidense nos sumerge en las aguas del río Mississippi y en la tumultuosa vida de Huckleberry Finn, un joven que escapa de las restricciones de la sociedad para buscar su propia libertad.
En el lenguaje de Twain, los dialectos sureños que dan vida a personajes memorables y paisajes evocadores nos hace recorrer otros escritos con tonicidad similares. La voz narrativa de Huck es genuina y llena de humanidad, capturando la esencia de un niño que busca su identidad en medio de un mundo dividido por la esclavitud y la hipocresía social. La prosa de Twain se convierte en música para los oídos del lector, creando una atmósfera rica en detalles y emociones.
La travesía de Huck y Jim, un esclavo en busca de su libertad, se convierte en un viaje épico por el corazón de América y por la lucha por la igualdad y la justicia. Twain utiliza la sátira y la ironía de manera magistral para exponer las contradicciones de la sociedad de su época, ofreciendo una crítica mordaz de la esclavitud y la moralidad convencional. A través de situaciones cómicas y conmovedoras, el autor nos invita a cuestionar nuestras propias creencias y a reflexionar sobre la verdadera naturaleza de la libertad.
En resumidas cuentas , "Las Aventuras de Huckleberry Finn" es una obra literaria que saca la cabeza en el canon o cuerpo de la literatura estadounidense. Mark Twain nos regala una prosa musical que nos lleva en un viaje inolvidable a través de las aguas turbulentas de la libertad y la moralidad. Esta novela es un recordatorio eterno de que la literatura puede ser un reflejo profundo de la sociedad y una llamada a la reflexión sobre los valores que nos definen como seres humanos.
En el lenguaje de Twain, los dialectos sureños que dan vida a personajes memorables y paisajes evocadores nos hace recorrer otros escritos con tonicidad similares. La voz narrativa de Huck es genuina y llena de humanidad, capturando la esencia de un niño que busca su identidad en medio de un mundo dividido por la esclavitud y la hipocresía social. La prosa de Twain se convierte en música para los oídos del lector, creando una atmósfera rica en detalles y emociones.
La travesía de Huck y Jim, un esclavo en busca de su libertad, se convierte en un viaje épico por el corazón de América y por la lucha por la igualdad y la justicia. Twain utiliza la sátira y la ironía de manera magistral para exponer las contradicciones de la sociedad de su época, ofreciendo una crítica mordaz de la esclavitud y la moralidad convencional. A través de situaciones cómicas y conmovedoras, el autor nos invita a cuestionar nuestras propias creencias y a reflexionar sobre la verdadera naturaleza de la libertad.
En resumidas cuentas , "Las Aventuras de Huckleberry Finn" es una obra literaria que saca la cabeza en el canon o cuerpo de la literatura estadounidense. Mark Twain nos regala una prosa musical que nos lleva en un viaje inolvidable a través de las aguas turbulentas de la libertad y la moralidad. Esta novela es un recordatorio eterno de que la literatura puede ser un reflejo profundo de la sociedad y una llamada a la reflexión sobre los valores que nos definen como seres humanos.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No