Huckleberry Finn Blog #1 - Social Responsibility

Huckleberry Finn Blog #1

(Chapters 1-5, Pgs. 1-24)

Theme: Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility: an ethical theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. 

*In these chapters we see a few aspects of social responsibility represented:

-        We see the Widow Douglas and find her an endearing and “god-fearing” woman. She is a good Christian and sweet lady… yet she owns a slave, Jim. Jim is known as a “big nigger” and is a well-treated servant, but a slave nonetheless. We see the irony in this when she tries to moralize Huckleberry and show him how to be civilized. Is it truly moral to own a slave??

-         Another aspect shown is in Huck’s “Pap” and how he tries to be a “good father” yet only brings trouble to Huck’s life. As a father he should be nurturing and encouraging, but he seems to be only everything but that. He warns Huck to stop reading and going to school “or else”. 

-         It is not only Pap’s responsibility to be a better father, but also the Widow’s responsibility. As Huckleberry’s unofficial guardian, it is her job to protect Huck from all types of abuse and steer him right as a minor easily swayed by bad judgement. She has done half her job, but it is her responsibility to protect him from his unfit father as well.

CHAPTER 1-5

*** So, in chapters 1-5 we basically had an intro to the book where we meet the main characters and become familiar with them. We learn who they are and how they react to situations (Ex: Jim is superstitious and the Widow is extremely religious). We are transitioned into the mindset of Huckleberry with his simple point of view and southern twang accent in dialogue.***

Introduction to MAIN CHARACTERS:

HUCKLEBERRY FINN: main character and narrator of the story. He is taken in by a widow and her sister. His time with her changes him into a “sivilize” and smart kid. He learns to read and write and wears clean clothes. He becomes agitated occasionally and on one occasion “lit out”. He is the center of the novel and we see the story through his eyes.

WIDOW DOUGLAS: widow that took Huck in as a son. Tries to teach morals and religion to Huck in an attempt to “sivilize” him.

MISS WATSON: Widow Douglas’ sister that came to live with them. Seen as a “tolerable slim old maid, with goggles on”. Stern and more tough on Huck than the widow.

TOM SAWYER: Huck’s friend who he sneaks out at night with. Tom is a mischievous boy that reads too many pirate books. Makes the “Tom Sawyer’s Gang”.

JIM: the widow’s slave introduced as a “big nigger”. He is seen falling asleep on “watch” during the night as Tom and Huck escape past him. After Tom plays a prank on him he is seen as superstitious and begins to stretch the truth of the tale becoming a proud slave.

“Jim was most ruined, for a servant, because he got stuck up on account of having seen the devil and been rode by witches.” (Twain, 7)

JO HARPER, BEN ROGERS & TOMMY BARNES: friends of Huck and Tom’s that join in their night adventures and join “Tom Sawyer’s Gang”.

HUCK’S “PAP”: Huckleberry’s biological father that is seen as the town drunk. He is almost 50 with long, tangled and greasy black hair and extremely white skin. He is an unpleasant and uneducated man who was abusive as a father. He hadn’t been seen for over a year when the town finds a dead body by the river and thinks it’s him. It turns out not to be him and he comes back into Huck’s like unexpectedly. He discourages Huck from reading and school as he does not want his son smarter or “better” than himself. He wants Huck’s money.

“Ain’t you a sweet-scented dandy, though? A bed; and bedclothes; and a look’n-glass; and a piece of carpet on the floor – and your own father got to sleep with the hogs in the tanyard. I never see such a son. I bet I’ll take some o’ these frills out o’ you before I’m done with you. Why there ain’t no end to your airs – they say you’re rich. Hey? – how’s that?”(Twain, 21)

JUDGE THATCHER: Judge from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and gives money to Huck and Tom from their finding of money stolen by robbers.