Samantha Gaylord

EN 545

Professor Boots

Literary Criticism Presentation

April 15, 2014

Huck Finns Struggle to be a Boy in a Mans Novel

In Janes Smileys sardonic analysis, Say It Aint So, Huck, she brutally criticizes Mark

Twains classic American novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and supports her myriad of

claims by comparing Twains literary work with Harriet Beecher Stowes renowned narrative,

Uncle Toms Cabin. Smiley applauds Stowes unwavering integrity in her raw depiction of

slavery and its lasting detrimental effects upon society; conversely, Smiley adamantly contends

that Twain clandestinely disguises his bigotry through the fictions constant use of derogatory

language which often accompanies characters apathetic comportment toward the African

American population. Smiley insists that Twains prose lacked artistic integrity, and maintains

that Twains racist sentiments are witnessed throughout the piece, but often are crudely masked

and ineffectively hides the authors voice (Smiley 62). During this distinctive epoch in early

American history, the new nation must collectively define the varying components which

constitute the American identity; the Southern White population unite in their prejudice and exert

their control over slaves through the use of violence, intimidation, and adopting laws that further

disenfranchises and hinders any progression within the African American community.

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 Smileys tone ironically resembles Twains literary style with her use of satire and a few

sarcastic quips which presents Smiley as emulating the very author she harshly criticizes and

discredits throughout her literary review; Smileys tone undermines her argument and affects her

success by unconvincingly supporting radical claims with little textual evidence, a necessary

requirement to effectively prove her thesis. Smiley is astounded by the notion that this is the

novel all American literature grows out of, that this is a great novel, that this is even a serious

one which clearly demonstrates from the very start that her personal prospective will influence

the remainder of the essay (Smiley 61). According to Smiley, Twain effectively give[s] Huck a

voice but didnt know how to give him a novel, but Smileys interpretation fails to take into

account Hucks unreliability as a narrator due to several factors including, but not limited to,

Hucks age which prevents directly stating prominent issues that affect America (Smiley 62).

Truth in Huck Finn lies deep within the novels language specifically in his dialogue with Jim

during the storm where Hucks words are sophisticated and soothing. Smileys literary analysis

becomes significantly weaker as it progresses and overshadows her argument which presents her

as an unreliable narrator to her audience. Although Smiley has a few insightful interpretations,

essentially her assumption that [Huck] is just a boy trying to survive, Smileys article

ultimately fails in her unrelenting bias toward Twain which engenders Smileys tendentious

criticism (Smiley 62).

Smiley alleges The Adventures of Huckleberry Finns vulgar language and racial

discrimination illuminates Twains inherent flaws in the novels construction pointing out his

disregard in building a solid foundation in the storyline which slowly erodes away until the novel

reaches the last twelve chapters and completely falls apart. As Smiley proceeds with her

argument, the textual references she includes contain several errors which weaken her stance;

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Smiley declares the novels negative impact on society with its repeated inclusion of nigger,

over two hundred times, but fails to mention the novel she exalts, Uncle Toms Cabin, includes

nigger over a hundred times in addition to Stowes employment of typical racial stereotypes

and racist ideals which also hides in the novels dialogue. Stowe relies on religion to impact

society enough to stimulate change causing her narrative to be an allegorical parable that is too

emotional without enough realism to create a lasting impact. Stowes characters are mainly

individuals that are moral, loyal, and pious, especially Uncle Tom who seems more like a

prophet than an actual person.

According to Smiley, Twains last twelve chapters as well as the persistent profanity are

but a few of the several failures Smiley observes in the narrative. The last twelve chapters do, in

fact, function successfully if juxtaposed with the prior chapters; the section offers readers to peer

inside a childs mind that longs to always view life as an adventure which Twain characterizes

through Huck and Tom as well as Huck and Jims relationship. Smiley observes that it is with

the feud that the novel begins to fail and that the signs of this failure are everywhere which

implies her confusion and proposes Twain was uninspired after a three year break from finishing

his novel (Smiley 62). Twain decides to include the feud between the Shepardson and

Grangerford families to symbolize the hypocrisy Huck notices throughout the story; similar to

Stowes message to her audience, Huck sees people as hypocritical, religious yet bloodthirsty,

which he directly witnesses as the opposing families attend church regularly and taught

brotherly love, but yet the men from both quarrelling families took their guns alongand

kept them between their knees (Twain 83). Smiley continues her argument stating that after

learning Jim was sold by the duke and king, Huck cannot come up with a plan that would have

saved him and acknowledges that Tom Sawyer devises the plan to free Jim, even though his

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strategy stems from past literature he has read (Smiley 63). But Smileys accusation is

counterfactual to the text since Huck does devise a plan, but Tom dismisses it on the grounds

its too blame simple (Twain 176).

Tom Sawyer is Hucks foil; Tom is unrealistic, imaginative, and unoriginal since he bases

life on adventures he has read in books, and later assures Huck that he only reads the books that

give any information about these things which enables him to rescue Jim without the risk of

being caught (Twain 184). Toms plan will enable him to be the hero he has always dreamed of,

but it is immoral and inhumane; Tom later confesses to Huck that Jim would be a hero, and so

would we, which implies Toms desire to become a hero, even though real heroes would save

those in distress, not torture them beforehand (Twain 184). Huck idolizes Tom for he experiences

the stable childhood Huck was unable to live with having an alcoholic and abusive father which

causes Huck to become a man without ever really being a young boy. Even with the adoration

Huck has for Tom, he repeatedly says condescending remarks about Hucks lack of education

several times and explains that at least he is not as ignorant as [Huck] which parallels Huck

and Jims relationship when around other people, especially Tom; Huck demonstrates his power

by insulting Jims intelligence, as he follows the common perception that black slaves are

incapable of understanding and reason (Twain 182).

Smiley considers Jim as merely a good sidekick to Huck, but underestimates the strong

connection that forms on the raft through their traumatic experiences; Smiley adds that some

critics view Huck and Jims relationship as homoerotic and while the theory is plausible when

considering they usually lie naked on the raft together, it appears much more complex (Smiley

62). Huck and Jims friendship grants the father-son bond Huck never was aware could exist and

replaces the familial obligations Jim lost when his wife and children were sold to another

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plantation. Jim slowly evolves into Hucks foster father and role model which ironically elevates

Jim and showcases that he has more wisdom than most of the white characters in the piece. As

Huck matures more each chapter, he questions institutions like religion and education and gains

morality through his experiences.

As Smiley continues her diatribe, she denounces previous famous literary criticisms that

positively reference novel, and compares the authors praise as stemming from the same

meretricious reasoning that white people use to convince themselves that they are not racist

an allegation which labels anyone that defends the narrative as a racist; Smiley also explains

classical authors disillusionment in society and their criticisms were influenced by the time in

which they lived in (Smiley 63). Smiley insists that Uncle Toms Cabin surpasses The Adventures

of Huck Finn as a more influential novel, but comparing the works is nearly impossible since

each novel functions for entirely different purposes and reflects societys fears that were

previously silenced. Stowes religious piety compels her to write the novel, but conversely, it is

the unrelenting use of spiritual allusions which impairs her message to end slavery; Stowe

indirectly insinuates that slaves must depend on God to bring them salvation. Stowes argument

is exemplified when George tells the newly freed slaves to thank God for their freedom which

imparts that only God is capable to elicit change in the world, so when expounding upon Stowes

logic, this suggests that if God does not intervene, then God is deaf to the follower who must not

be not worthy enough for His help (Stowe 406). Stowes reliance on God results from the lack

of faith she has in her own capabilities so she depends on stereotypes to connect to her audience.

Like Uncle Toms Cabin, sacrifice is a prevalent theme throughout Huck Finn, but far less

dramatic than in Stowes novel. Huck is willing to go to hell to save Jim, and does not care if

it means he will forever be an outcast in his town; Huck emotionally struggles to keep his

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promise to Jim, but Huck remains true to his word proving his devotion and honor (Twain 162).

Jim is not perfect model of humanity like Stowes Uncle Tom but depicts more realistic

characters than Stowes allegorical characters; Jim is human and has faults, but he sacrifices his

freedom to remain loyal to Huck proving he will not abandon him. When Huck returns with a

doctor to examine Toms injury, the doctor sees Jims ultimate sacrifice and pleads with the mob

to not treat Jim too harshly since he was risking his freedom to help Tom (Twain 214).

Smiley argues Jim is a silent and an obedient slave that accepts his prescribed role in

society, but on the contrary, Jim escapes from Miss Watson to attain freedom in the North and

rebels by breaking laws and defying authority. Huck risks his freedom to free Jim even though

Huck knows the strict penalties if caught, and though Huck leaves Jim after the steamboat

collides into their raft, Jim leaves Huck as well to continue on his journey knowing he must to

survive; to Huck and Jim, survival is how they have lived their entire lives whereas Huck must

lie and borrow, while Jim submits to whites to ensure his survival. Huck, influenced solely by

his moral guidance, becomes a hero when he boldly faces the possibility of death when he

confesses the truth about the duke and the king to Mary Jane. Twain intentionally does not want

Huck to be portrayed as a hero; Twain aims for realistic actions common to a teenage boy which

advocates that although people may wish to do what is right, but in reality, that definitely does

not mean that people always do.

Twains decision to have Huck as the narrator allows him to freely speak his mind since

he is only an adolescent boy; Hucks age symbolizes innocence which permits the readers to see

the world through the eyes of a child which all readers have in common. Tom Sawyer lives

without an identity which compels him to embody famous fictional characters and continues his

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charade while he interacts with others and lives in an imaginary world where he wishes to be

anyone but himself. Tom illustrates to readers that similar protest novels like Stowes depend on

triggering powerful emotions to manifest significant themes that deliver messages to society, but

life is not a novel. Twain reveals that language and dialogue within literature must provoke and

stimulate, not lecture readers to stimulate guilt and shame hoping to awaken humanitys

consciousness. Smiley does have several intriguing arguments like reconsidering and

reevaluating Huck Finns canonical role in enriching students education which produces a highly

debatable issue involving fundamental literature read in secondary school. Twain teaches through

Hucks simplicity that novels do not have to be complicated to create a lasting impact and can be

ordinary and even a bit tedious; the language creates a great novel through its dialogue which

enraptures readers and forms everlasting connections through the authors artistic craft.

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Smiley, Jane. Say it Aint So, Huck, Harpers Magazine January 1996: 61-67. Print.

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