1. Read through chapter 32 of Huckleberry Finn
2. Respond to the following:
Many people consider chapter 31 to contain the climax of Huckleberry Finn. In what ways does chapter 31 parallel chapters 1-4? Why do you think Twain chose to draw these parallels - what literary purpose does this serve?
Use textual support to answer the question.
You may also comment on what someone else has written - agree? disagree? add? revise?
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45 comments:
Twain chooses to draw parallels between chapter 31 and chapters 1-4. For example, there is a parallel drawn from when Huck decides to pray on pages 208-209, and when Miss Watson tells Huck to pray on page 20, in chapter 3. When Miss Watson first introduces the idea of prayer to Huck in chapter 3, he tries it but does not see any gain from it, except for other people, so he lets it go and doesn't do it. However, in chapter 31, the idea of prayer comes back to Huck and he decides to pray. I think Twain chooses to draw this parallel, because it shows how Huck has changed. Before, Huck wouldn't pray because it would only help other people, but in chapter 31 he prays because he wants to help other people; Jim. Twain shows how Huck has changed throughout the novel by drawing parallels between chapter 31 and chapters 1-4.
I agree with Sharon that Twain parallels the climax to chapters 1-4 to show Hucks change in character. In chapter 2, Huck fully supports Tom Sawyer's gang which plans to rob and murder people. When Huck is almost denied admittance to the gang, Huck "was almost ready to cry". However later, in chapter 31, a change in Huck's moral code is shown. Huck and Jim suspect that the Duke and Dauphin plan to rob someone and is repulsed. At this point Huck writes, "[we] made up an agreement that we wouldn't have nothing in the world to do with such actions". This contrasts his earlier partiality towards robbery. Because of the parallel that Twain draws between the story's beginning and climax, I predict that as Twain wraps up the book, he will make a connection between chapters 1-4 and the ending. In this way, Twain will further demonstrate Huck's transformation throughout the book.
I agree with Sharon and Dani that Chapter 31 really reveals Huck's complete transformation into a morally sound human being. The peak of Huck's morality is displayead when he exclaims, "All right, then, I'll go to hell". I believe that in this moment, although he is not presented with an immediately essential decision, Huck makes the commitment to do what he believes is morally correct - instead of following the immoral values of southern society.
I think that he has especially made drastic changes in his conscience in comparison to the first four chapters and beginning of his adventure, when he was willing to play tricks on Jim with Tom Sawyer just for some laughs. This immaturity has steadily progressed towards nonexistence throughout the novel, and finally culimates in Chapter 31's climax.
Sorry, I meant "culminate," not "culimate."
I agree with Dani, and I think that chapter 31 parallels chapters 1-4 because the themes of crime are vivid in both parts of the book. In chapter 2, Huck joins Tom Sawyer's gang. According to Tom, the gang does, "Nothing only robbery and murder" (Pg. 18). Huck is eager to partake in the gang, even though they plan to do questionable activities, like robbery and murder. In chapter 31, Huck is again exposed to crime when he is stuck with the king and the duke. However, this time Huck reacts differently. On page 205, Huck thinks, "...at last we made up our minds they was going to break into somebody's house or store...[we] made up an agreement that we wouldn't have nothing in the world to do with such actions." When presented with a similar situation as in chapter 2, Huck decides to do the right thing and leave the thieves. Twain draws these parallels to show how Huck has matured and developed throughout the book. Huck's reaction to similar themes of robbery in both parts of the book highlight how different he is by the climax. As was stated by Eli in a previous response question, it is not necessarily the events that are important; but the way that Huck reacts. These parallels are important to the story because they show the difference in Huck's reactions.
I agree with what Eli said about Huck saying, "All right, then, I'll go to hell," on page 210 and how it shows Huck's developing moral values. However, I think there is also a parallel to chapter one, when Huck also expresses his want to go to hell. On pages 12 and 13, Huck decides he doesn't want to go to heaven becuase it takes too much work, and because Miss Watson said Tom Sawyer probably wouldn't go there, adn Huck wanted to be with Tom. I think in the beginning, thi showed Huck impulsiveness, and disregard for the consequences of his actions. However at this point in the story, I belive that it shows his willingness to sacrifice going to heaven for doing what he thinks is right, and saving Jim. This, along with many other parallels, has definitely shown Huck's growth throughout the story.
I agree with everything that's been said. You also see parallels in Huck's opinion of Jim. At first, in chapter 2, Huck and Tom play a trick on Jim. Although Huck doesn't want to do it, it's because he's afraid of getting caught, not because he likes Jim. "But i said no; he might wake and make a disturbance." (pg. 15). But later, in chapter 31, Huck is saddened when Jim is sold, "but it warn't no use use-Old Jim was gone.Then I set down and cried;I couldn't help it." (pg. 206-207). This shows that throughout the story, Huck has grown to care for Jim and treat Jim as a friend, while he just aknowledged Jim's presence at the beginning of the book.
Man, Alec beat me to it. Anyway, this is what I was going to say. I agree with Alec.
Through his parallels between chapters one through four and 32, I believe that Twain was trying to illustrate Huck's racial turn around, which progresses through the entire book, though at times Huck shows uncertainty for his feelings about freeing Jim. During the first four chapters, Huck seems indifferent to Jim, not caring whether Tom Sawyer ties Jim to a tree because the action may harm Jim, but because “he might wake and make a disturbance” (Twain 15). However, after a journey down the river with Jim, Huck begins to think, “somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I’d see him standing me watch on top of his’n, ‘stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping” (Twain chapter 32). Huck goes on about Jim’s appreciation and caring for him. Through this train of thought, we can see that Huck has progress to understand that Jim is really a caring, compassionate person, rather than just a slave, as he seemed to think of him in the first four chapters. And for this reason, Huck goes to find his friend.
I think that Twain shows a change in Huck's ability to make decisions and think for himself through the parallels in chapter 31 from chapters 1-4. On pages 12-13, Miss Watson and the widow tried to teach Huck about the bible, and tell him that if he was not morally good, he could not go to heaven. Huck said that their "pecking" got "tiresome and lonesome," and decided, by default, that he wouldn't really mind going to hell. But, in chapter 31, Huck says "All right, then, I'll go to hell." This time, Huck makes his decision based on the fact that it would not, in his opinion, be morally right to turn Jim in,a man who was such a good friend to Huck, and trusted him so much. This parallel shows a change in Huck from a young troublemaker who did not think much about his actions to a more morally inclined person.
Mark Twain draws parallels between how Huck used to see some things, like slaves and religion, as opposed to how he sees them after his adventures with Jim. Huck, who used to treat slaves and blacks as being less than whites, reflects on how kind Jim has been to him during their time on the raft. Huck looks back on “how [Jim] would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was,” and begins to change his prejudice against blacks in general. (Page 367) Huck also begins to change his views on religion and praying; on page 366 he says, “And I made up my mind to pray; and see if I couldn’t try to quit being the kind of boy that I was, and be better.” This want for redemption if a long way off from his previous outlook on religion, since he said on page 4 that, “I asked [Miss Watson] if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go [to heaven], and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that because I wanted him and me to be together.” Twain draws these parallels to show the change and maturity in Huck’s character and to let the reader decide whether this change is for the better.
As many others have said, I think Twain draws a parallel to show how Huck has changed. Huck is no longer a follower, following Tom Sawyer and helping only himself. Instead,Huck is a leader, making his own decisions and building his own set of morals. This is shown when Huck thinks the Duke and the King were planning to rob someone's house. This made Huck "pretty scared" and "uneasy". Huck has decided that robbing and other such things are wrong, whereas before he jumped on the bandwagon and joined Tom Sawyer's gang. In chapter 31, Huck decided to pray to help Jim. Earlier in the book, Huck tried praying when Miss Watson told him to. However, it did not work for him. Now, he decided on his own to pray for Jim. Huck made his own decision, not following anyone else. By being a leader and leading himself to the appropriate path, Huck has changed.
I agree with everything that Laura said. When Huck says, "All right, then, I'll go to hell," and in chapter 1 when Huck states, "I wished I was there [hell]," the parallel is very obvious, so it makes me think that there is a deeper meaning behind the quotes. At first, Huck sounds as if he wasbeing rebellious, but he insists that he just wanted to "go somewheres," which I interpret to mean that he wanted adventure. In chapter 31, though, Huck says that he will go to hell because of his own feeligns of what is right and what is wrong, instead of being rebellious. This may not be a parallel, but in chapter 2, Huck and Tom Sawyer are preparing to meet the rest of the gang, and Tom says that he wants to tie Jim to a tree, and Huck said no. Huck did not, of course, say this out of his friendhip to Jim, but rather in his fear of beng caught sneaking out of the house. These two instances show that Huck feeling's about Jim have changed over time.
I believe Mark Twain, draws parallels, to better illustrate Huck’s development as a character. In chapters one-through four, Huck’s primary concern is of him self, he does as he pleases and does it when and how he wishes to do it. At first some of who he used to be, at the beginning of the narrative shines through in his decision to write the letter to Mrs. Watson, to save his own hide and murder a friend. However, I agree with Amy, Huck’s second thoughts on the matter and the choice, to risk his own life to save a friend show that he is maturing. (the concept of the character development) Instead of following what society expects of him, by doing what he believes is right, you can see that Huck’s character has gained self-security, and he has learned from his journey with the runaway slave. Huck is no longer living in the shadow of Tom Sawyer. He is not following anybody around as he was Tom Sawyer in the first few chapters. He is making his own decisions, even if the land him in “hell”. I believe that Twain chose to make this parallel to prove that Huck has grown.
I agree with everyone who has said that chapter 31 is paralleled to chapters 1-4 to show how Huck has changed. First of all, like many had said, in the first few chapters, Huck tries to pray and gives up very easily because it doesn't seem to be working for him. And in chapter 31, the thought comes back to him and he tries it because frankly, there weren't many other things for him to do. These different chapters also show how Huck has changed morally. In the first few chapters, Huck wants to join Tom's gang and steal things all for himself. But at the point in time where he says, "all right then, I'll go to hell," he shows that he has become someone who doesn't just want to help himself, but help others as well and follow his own moral values, rather than follow those placed upon him by southern society, as Eli state so eloquently.
I agree with everyone who has already posted about the idea that chapter 31 shows how Huck has changed in charachter. Several people have already used the example on page 20, where Huck is told about praying. "She told me to pray everyday, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn't so. I tried it. Once I got a fish-line, but no hooks." When he is praying in chapter 3, he is doing it for his own wants. The parallel to this is on page 208, when he prays for Jim becuase it is the right thing."And I about made up my mind to pray, and see if I couldn't try to quit being the kind of a boy I was and be better." There is also evidence he prays for the right reasons on page 209 when he says, "I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time." I also agree with Alec that it shows how far the friendship of Huck and Jim has come. on page 209, Huck is remembering the good times he has had with Jim. "And got to thinking over our trip down the river; and I see Jim before me all the time: in the day and in the nighttime, sometimes moonlight, sometimes storms, and we a-floating along, talking and singing and laughing." Huck writes the letter to Miss Watson becuase it is better for Jim, even if she would be angry with Huck for what he did. "It would get all around that Huck Finn helped a nigger to get his freedom; and if I was ever to see anybody from that town again I'd be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame." (page 208)
I think that chapter 31 parallels chapters 1 to 4 in many ways in order to show how much Huck has changed. On page 210 in chapter 31, Huck says, "All right then, I'll go to hell". He did what is said to be "wrong" even though he would feel terrible about doing what is "right". On page 13 in chapter 1, Huck does not care about going to heaven, he would rather go to hell and do what he wants to and be with Tom forever than change his ways and go to heaven. "Well I had no advantage in going where she was going [heaven], so I made up my mind I wouldn't try for it." He later says that he was glad that Tom probably wouldn't go there either, "I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together." The parallels between chapter 31 and chapters 1 through 4 show that even though he has some of the same views, they are for more sensible reasons. They show that he has become more thoughtful and caring towards others and himnself. Paralleling the chapters has the purpose of showing how the character has grown
I agree with most of the people on the blog thus far. I agree with many that the parallel of chapters shows Huck's change, demonstrated by the fact that Huck decided not to partake in any of the mischief of the duke and the dauphin. That being said, I also agree with what's being said on the whole "All right then, I'll go to hell" quote. I think it definetly displays a change in the morals of Huck. In the beginning, when Huck says he wants to go to hell, at that point, he really means it. He joined Tom Sawyer's gang, and didn't care for school. Later in the story he goes to school (admittedly more to spite his dad), and quits Tom Sawyer's gang. Also later in the story, I think when he says that he'll go to hell, I think he means the hell based on the values of the society, not because he really wants to be a bad person. In the beginning, he wants to join Tom Sawyer and go to hell, and lie, cheat, and steal. But at this point what Huck really wants to do is to stay loyal to his friend, Jim. So rather than hell being the same place before and after Huck's moral transformation, I think in the first place he means the "bad morals" hell but in the end he means the "society based morals" hell. And sorry for using hell so much.
I agree that the parallels were to show change in Huck. As Eli said, at the beginning of the book Huck would play tricks on Jim "just for some laughs." In addition to what Eli said, now in chapter 31 by saying "I'll go to hell" Huck is putting his life in danger for the life of a slave. He grew up being taught that slaves were much less important than anyone else, and so this is a big step for him in terms of maturity because as Divya said, he now makes his own decisions, even when the almost half of the country would disagree with him.
I also agree with what people said about him making this decision because he is such close friends with Jim. I do not, however, believe that there friendship is based only on the fact that they have traveled so long together. If Huck had been traveling with a white man for this long, I'm not sure that he would have made this decision because i think that Huck can relate to Jim in a way that he couldn't relate to a rich white man. Both he and Jim feel unwanted, and ran away/escaped for similar reasons. If it was a white man, he most likely would not feel this way because back then white men tended to have a lot of power. This shows a huge change in Huck from what he was like in chapters 1-4, and makes Huck's decision to put his life on the line for Jim's even more powerful because it's not like he would do this for any friend that he met while traveling.
I agree with Eli that Huck has matured throughout the novel. He has become more moral because he chooses to save Jim's life rather than playing tricks on him. I think it is interesting that, as Huck becomes a better person, he breaks more laws. For example, in the beginning, he joins the "gang" that never really commits any crimes. Huck says in Chapter 3, "We hadn't robbed nobody, hadn't killed any people, but only just pretended." Huck was trying to be a troublemaker, but he wasn't a criminal. Only when he was trying to do the right thing by saving Jim, did he break the law. At the time, it was illegal to help a slave escape slavery. Huck decides to help Jim anyway, because the two are friends. Huck believes that he will go to hell for helping Jim, but he does it anyway because Jim is his best friend. Huck chose Jim over society. His options are to do what society considered moral and turn Jim in, or to commit what was then a crime and save his best friend's life. Over the course of the entire book, Huck does things that would have been considered immoral in the South at the time, even though his actions would get increasingly more moral under today's standards.
I closely agree with what Divya had to say in her response. Twain drew up a parallel between chapter 31 and chapters 1-4 in order to depict the drastic change that Huck had undergone throughout the story. As the story continued, Huck experienced various events such as the encounter with the Grangerfords that helped to mature him. In the beginning chapters, Huck found glory in being a robber or murderer and even joined "Tom Sawyer's Gang". The thought of committing a crime descending into hell did not seem to reach Huck's mind. However, as he starts to experience real-life situations, he realizes he wants to have a good character and the positive feeling that comes along with it. In chapter 31, Huck claims, "I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life; and I knowed i could pray now." This quote implies that Huck had almost always previously committed acts of sin and felt bad about it.
I think that Twain draws these parallels between chapter 31 and the first chapters of the book to show how Huck has grown and matured during his journey. I think that the most obvious hint at these changes is when Huck prays on page 208. In the beginning of the book, Miss Watson introduced Huck to the idea of praying, and wishing for spiritual things. Huck deems these seemingly useless practices unnecessary and pointless, after figuring out that he doesn't get what he prays for (fishing line). However, we see here, much later in the book, that Huck has come to understand the emotional and spiritual aspects of life. He no longer finds the idea of religion or helping others useless, and has clearly matured.
I agree with the people who have said that when, in chapter 31, Huck decides to pray, it parallels when he gave praying a shot during chapter 3. When Huck prays for a "fish line" ion chapter 3, and got it, but didn't get any hooks with it, making it useless, he gives up praying. However, in chapter 31, when JIm has been taken from him by Silas Phelps, Huck becomes very upset, and decides that he should pray to stop being"the kind of boy [he] was". However, at first he cannot pray because he realizes his "heart warn't right". This proves how he has changed throughout the book. In Chapter 3, he prays for his own selfish intentions, and has no problem praying, however, in chapter 31, he cannot pray because he is praying for himself, and not to help his fellow human being who relied so much on him, JIm. This shows his change from a selfish child, to a considerate, and more mature one.
I agree that chapter 31 is the climax of the book since everything written in that chapter contradicts Huck’s philosophy that occurred in chapter 1-4. For instance, in the early chapters, Huck talks about joining Tom Sawyer and a gang of robbers to “kill the people [on roads] and take their watches and money.” (Twain 11). Before, Huck only wanted harm others and live the life of a savage, but then, once he met the Duke and the Dauphin, who are also “the people [on roads], he saved them from harm, which is the opposite of his former principles. He also complied to their needs even though he did not fully respect their actions. There is also the matter of religion as Sharon mentioned. Early in chapter 1, Huck believed that “Moses, which was no kin to her, and no use to anybody”( Twain 2). However, then as Jim went missing in chapter 31, Huck prayed and asked to “quit being the kind of boy I was, and be better” (Twain 282). Huck’s view of slavery also transformed in though out the later chapters. Huck referred to Jim, as “nigger” and played tricks on him during chapters 1-4, but as he got to know him, his affection for Jim grew and that transformed into a friendship. Huck realizes that Jim considers him his best and only friend and decides to pray and “go to work and steal Jim our of slavery again” (Twain 284).
There are parralels drawn between chapter 31 because, I think, Twain wanted to show the progress and maturation Huck has made over the book. He can show, for instance, what HUck thinks in similar situations to the beginning of the book, instead of showing what he does in completely different situations. This accomplishes that Twain can show the real maturation of Huck because it shows the new ideas he has in the same situation. For instance, in chapters 1-4, HUck is dishonest and wants to pretend to kill people for fun with Tom Sawyer. But now, when he pretends to be someone else, it's to save a black man, which he would have never done in chapeters 1-4. IN chapter 31, he goes through all this trouble to pretend he is part oif the family that just bought Jim, to save JIm, not to help himself.
I agree with Laura A. and Haydn that Huck changed his attitude towards Jim, and now considers him as a friend who he is morally obligated to help instead of just any runaway slave. However, I believe his opinion on slavery closely parallels his feelings at the beginning of the book. He still feels as if he betrayed Miss Watson on page 281 by “stealing” her slave and that God knows about his “wickedness.” I think this shows that even though Huck has developed morality through the book, he still adheres to some of the societal norms of the time period.
I agree with everything that has been said. I think that Twain chose to draw these parallels to show how Huck has grown and matured throughout the novel. In chapter 3, Huck says that there was no point in praying. He doesn't believe in doing things for others unless it benefits him as well. He doesn't believe in God that much either. Later in chapter 31, Huck starts to mention Providence and how he's being punished. He also starts to pray for Jim, and hopes he can find Jim. Twain shows how Huck and his beliefs have changed.
Twain draws parallels between chapters 1-4 and 31, as many people have already stated, to show the increasing maturity and morality of Huck. He first mentions going to "the bad place" on p12-13, when he says, "Well, I couldn't see no advantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind I wouldn't try for it." In chapter 31, he declares that, "All right, then, I'll go to hell" and consequently decides to "never [think] no more about reforming". Although in chapter 1, Huck decides to go to hell because of frivolous reasons, he develops this thought in chapter 31 by confirming his earlier feelings of not selling out Jim.
I am choosing a bad side to be on, because though I believe that Huck has somewhat matured between chapters 1-4 and the supposed climactic chapter 31, I have to say that Huck's actions show that he has matured very little and that in action and overall, Huck is the same person. For example, as Sharon said, on page 14 of the green book, chapter 3, Huck says, "Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed but nothing ever come of it . She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it." He goes on to talk about his experience with praying, and how he contemplates over praying, and sees that it never really makes a difference. In chapter 31, I think Huck is not praying for Jim, but actually praying to "cleanse" himself of his "horrendous crime" of helping a runaway. Huck in the end uses the same logic as always- about him being born into a bad life, and that he has no reason to change. Huck may be prompting himself to pray, but in the end, he still doesn't see much in it. And the same applies in respect to the rest of Huck. Huck is still playing adventures past chapter 31, and still respects Tom Sawyer. Huck is moreover the same person, with one exception- he cares about others, like Mary Jane and Jim. But in attitude, Huck really is the same as always.
I agree with Clara in that Huck does mimic his actions in the first four chapters, but he does them for different reasons. On pages 282 and 283, Huck stresses over what to do next and tries to pray. Now in chapters 1-4, he decides that people pray when they want personal gain and that it was pointless since he never got what he wanted. But this time he was praying to try and figure out what to do. He wanted to help out Jim. The second parallel that I found was in the way that Huck cares so much for Jim and says he'll go to hell to do what he could to try and get him back. Now on page 2 Huck says that he "... don't take no stock in dead people." or really anyone for that matter. But here we see that he has changed as he has grown attached to Jim as a friend. I think Twain is using the essence of change here to show how Huck has grown over the course of the book, and we all learned as sixies that having your character show a type of change in your story is very important.
I think that Tej is partly correct and partly incorrect regarding his statement that Huck has not changed between chapters 1-4 and Chapter 31. I think the clearest sign that Huck has not changed is actually the passage that others have used to show the change in Huck's character. In chapters 1-4, Huck is portrayed as a mishchievous person who does whatever he feels like doing, with no sense of morality. An example of this is when he participates in the looting of a Sunday school group. I think that when Huck rips up the letter to Miss Watson, he shows that he still does what he wants, not what he believes is right. After all, right before the ripping Huck is thinking not about morality but about all his good times with Jim. Also, after he tore the letter Huck said, "I would take up wickedness again..." This shows that Huck decided not to turn in Jim because he was friends with Jim, not because his sense of morality had changed. However, I also think that this has shown a different change in Huck. I believe this passage shows the development of Huck's character in regards to his position on Jim. He went from somebody who played mean pranks on Jim to someone who would try to illegally gain Jim's freedom.
I think that chapter 31 parallels chapters 1-4 they both show what types of moral decisions Huck has to make, as everyone has already said. Also, these sets of chapters show the level of maturity that Huck has reached. On page 20, Miss Watson tells Huck "to pray every day." The consequence to not praying is going to "the bad place" (page 12). However, Huck decides to "go to hell" to help his friend, Jim. Both in chapter 31 and in chapters 1 and 3, Huck decides to risk going to "the bad place" to keep with his values.
Another parallel between chapters 1-4 and chapter 31 is the use of a cliffhanger ending that leads the reader on moreso than the endings to other chapters in the book. At the end of chapter four, Huck mentions suddenly that when he walks back into his room, "there sat pap" (page 27). This makes the reader worried, having read earlier about the type of character Huck's father is. At the end of chapter 31 (page 213), Huck mentions several times his "plan" to save Jim. However, he gives no details on this plan, only saying that he'd "better start in on my plan straight off" (page 213). This also makes the reader worried because they have no idea if Jim will be there, or if the Duke or King will find out what Huck is doing, or if Huck will be caught and arrested.
Mark Twain uses these parallels to show that in spite of all of the ordeals that Huck has been through in this chapter of his life, he still has the same values, and still chooses right over wrong. Also, the cliffhangers indicate that chapter 32 might be big turning point in Huck's life, just like chapter 4 was.
I agree with Bea in that there is a parellel in his moral value. I think when he speaks of "the bad place" in such a light manner it shows that his values on what he thinks is right and wrong have stayed the same throughout the entire novel but I also think that what he finds moral has changed throughout the book. I think the important thing to focus on is that the first time he does something and risks going to the "bad place", it is for something unreasonable, which is being with his friend Tom Sawyer, whereas the second time he risks it, he is doing it to take care of another genuinely good person. I think that this parallel is a very important one because it shows how Huck has matured but also kept his own ideas throughout the novel.
Chapter 31 parallels chapters 1-4 because in both places Huck shows how he cares about how he looks in the viewpoint of Southern morals but he acts on and cares more about his own morals. On page 14 Huck had just run away the previous night and had soiled all of his clothes with Tom. This made the Widow, "look so sorry that I would behave a while if I could." This statement by Huck says how he cares about the morals of the deep south but he acts and cares more about his own morals when he says "if I could." Then again in chapter 31 on page 283, "I felt good and all washed clean... all right I'll go to hell." This series of thoughts and statements show that Huck acts on his own morals which in this case is to not report Jim. On the next page though it shows how he cares about being moral in the viewpoint of southerners when he says, "It was awful thoughts... but I thought no more about reforming." The morals of the south would have been to turn Jim in but Huck acts on his own morals. Twain did this to show that even though Huck has gone through so much since chapter 1 and has changed a great deal he is still the same in some ways.
I agree with Laura A. At the beginning of the book, Huck did not have strong moral values or really any moral values at all. Also, throughout the entire book, Huck has gained respect for Jim. He started out as kind of indifferent, I think, but then after Huck played the trick on Jim and felt bad on page 115, Huck and Jim started to be friends. This friendship, I believe, has been good for Huck, as he has really developed moral values throughout the book, such as when he said "all right, then, I'll go to hell" on page 283. Right before Huck said this, he said "...and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he's got now." I think this quote and the one after it about going to hell really show Huck's transformation in terms of morality and the influence of his friendship with Jim on his morality.
One thing that is similar about chapter 31 and chapters 1-4 is how Huck feels about himself. In the middle of chapter 31, Huck says,"The more I studied about this the more my conscience went to grinding me, and the more wicked and low-down and ornery I got to feeling." In comparision, at the beginning of chapter 3 Huck writes, "I was so ignorant, and so kind of low-down and ornery."
On the other hand, by chapter 31 Huck has become more self-relient. In the first few chapters, Huck takes risks but with others (especially Tom Sawyer) leading the way. For example, Tom Sawyer lead the raid on the Sunday School and was the one who had the idea and determination to take candles from the kitchen. In chapter 31, Huck figures out his actions and risks on his own, saying, "And for a starter I would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again; and if I could think up anything worse, I would do that, too."
I agree with Melissa T. that one of the biggest ways this chapter parallels chapters 1-4 is that Huckleberry does not like the idea of robbing people. He says that robbing somebody is, "some kind of...deviltry." This is ironic because in the beginning of the book, he spends a good deal of time describing his desire to be in the "gang of robbers" with Tom Sawyer and the other boys. He tells us that when he heard he might not be able to join the gang, he almost cried. However, now that he has, so to speak, come of age, he sees things in a different, more mature perspective. He no longer thinks that robbing people of their money and property is funny or amusing; he thinks it a wrong thing to do.
Going along with Jessica and Laura A., it seems that at first Huck looked at praying as a way to gain things, like fishing hooks. By chapter 31, Huck prays to find right from wrong. Miss Watson seemed to portray the good place as right by showing Huck that by doing correct things (like not "[gapping] and [streching] like that") he could get to the good place. Even so, when Huck decides, "All right then, I'll go to hell" he does what he thinks is right to himself, although different from society's idea of right at the time.
I agree with Tej in that Huck hasn't matured significantly through his journey from chp 4 to 31. I believe that Huck has picked up some practices which he, to his credit, attempts to implement, but without much progress or major changes in his character. For example, we see some very clear lack of change, including p. 282 when Huck says that he was trying to "soften it up somehow for myself, by saying I was brung up wicked, and so I warn't much to blame," which is similar to what Huck says on pg 15 when he sympathizes with himself for being an unsuccessful worshipper and so "softens" himself by saying that he was "so ignorant and so kind of low-down and ornery." Huck still feels the need to sympathize for himself and basically assure himself that he was doing the best possible thing. In this way, Huckleberry Finn is setting off his mistakes by writing it all of to an unfit upbringing. He isn't mature enough to face his faults in chapter 3, and he isn't mature enough to face them by chapter 31 either.
I agree with Dani's idea that chapters 1-4 parallels chapter 31. In chapter 2, Huck says that he was "most ready to cry" when he was not admitted to the gang. In chapter 31, the climax, Twain shows how Huck has matured through out the course of the book. In chapter 2, Huck wanted to be very involved with the gang, but in chapter 31, he wanted nothing to do with the Duke and the Dauphine. On page 278 of the Green Book Huck says, "...made up an agreement that we wouldn't have nothing in the world to do with such actions, and if we ever got the least show we would give them the cold shake, clear out and leave them behind." Not only did he refuse to take part in the robbery, he shows more maturity by stating that he and Jim would turn in the Duke and Dauphine if necessary to escape, and leave right away not taking part in any negative actions. Twain uses these types of maturities to parallel the first four chapters to the climax.
Their are parallels between chapters 1-4 and chapter31. In chapters 1-4, Huck is described as a rough person who truly only cares about himself and his very close friends. Huck has to make the tough decision of whether to tell Miss Watson where Jim was, or go rescue him himself. On pages 282 and 283, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson telling her where Jim was, but he then decides that he'll save Jim because they had grown close over all the things that happened to them while they were together. He says, "All right, then, I'll go to hell" - and tore it up. He tears up the letter and goes off to find out a way to get Jim. Another parallel I see is that, at the beginning in chapters 1-4, Miss Watson and her sister are trying to teach Huck how to be civilized. He completely ignores what they're trying to teach him and continues to be a ruffian. In chapter 31, we see the parallel. Huck is being civlized in trying to save Jim. He may not be polite and respectful, but he's, in a way, learning to put others in front of himself. I think Twain draws this parallel because, at the beginning, Huck would never save Jim, but as the book went on and they got to know one another, it turns into that Huck would do anything to save Jim.
I agree with Divya that the parallels drawn by Twain illustrate the development of Huck from liar and simplistic thinker to a deeper, more developed, righteous person. That, and Huck's devotion to Jim illustrates the change in character that has made Huck a truely lovable protagonist. The devotion in question is shown in chapter thirty-one, when Jim is sold and Huck fools the Duke into letting him (Huck) get away to help him (Jim). This isn't so much the parrallel, though, as the prayer. Huck's prayer in chapter thirty-one is a far cry deeper than, but still parrallel to, the prayer in chapter one. In chapter one, he thought prayer useless, but now he is trying it anew.
I think that Chapter 31 is the climax of the story, and the way that it parallels chapters 1-4 is because in chapter one, on page three, Ms. Watson first introduces the concept of "the good place", and "the bad place". And Huck merly brushes the concept aside with "I couldn't see no atvantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind and decided and wouldn't try for it." Also on page 15 of chapter three, Ms.Watson once again tries to get it into Hucks head that he needs to pray, but Huck thinks "I couldn't see no atvantage about it... I reckoned I wouldn't worry about it any more..." This paralles to chapter 31 because on pages 282 and 283 Huck has just discovered where Jim is and is trying to think of what to do "And I about made up my mind to pray", Huck has expirenced a change in heart. He is now praying to save Jim, almost as a last resort, but after he says, "I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life." So a person can see that over time Huck has changed from thinking that there is no personal gain from praying, so why do it, to praying for his friends in the first place and not even thinking about himself.
I agree with basically everything that has been said thus far on the blog. However, I would like to point out that the change in Huck that some people have noticed did not occur spontaneously. For example, in the beginning, Huck and Tom play a trick on Jim (Chapter 2). Later Huck has regrets about not telling on Jim, although, in the end, he decides not to abandon Jim (Chapter 16). At this midpoint, Huck isn't fully matured because one of his reasons for not selling Jim out is that he thinks he isn't "man" enough. Furthermore, at this point Huck feels stuck in the middle and isn't sure what he thinks about "stealing" Jim. Finally, in chapter 31, Huck is in total favor of saving Jim with the afore-mentioned quote "all right, then, I'll go to hell." Over the course of the book, Huck gradually changes into what he is, but the transformation is the most visible in parallel scenarios that Twain provides later in the book.
Mark Twain draws parallels between chapters 1-4 and chapter 31, agreeing with sharon and dani. For example, when Huck decides to pray on pages 208-209, and when Miss Watson tells Huck to pray on page 20, in chapter 3, there is a clear parallel. This is not a coincidence, for yet another parallel appears in the chapter, on page 207. This is when Huck is looking for Jim, and a man is inquiring as to his purpose. Huck begins to snappy and irritated, in the same manner in which Twain started the book out.
Mark Twain draws parallels between chapters 1-4 and chapter 31, agreeing with sharon and dani. For example, when Huck decides to pray on pages 208-209, and when Miss Watson tells Huck to pray on page 20, in chapter 3, there is a clear parallel. This is not a coincidence, for yet another parallel appears in the chapter, on page 207. This is when Huck is looking for Jim, and a man is inquiring as to his purpose. Huck begins to snappy and irritated, in the same manner in which Twain started the book out.
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