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Summary: This is the dumbest book I've ever picked up
Review: This book is so poorly written, and out of context, it's not even funny. Samuel Clemens should be smacked, and every copy of this stupid book should be burned.
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Summary: a central text in the American Canon
Review: A subject of controversy today, as it has been since its publication, Huckleberry Finn is by any measure, despite obvious flaws, one of the great works of American Literature. Much confusion surrounds the interpretation of Twain's story, mostly because of the presence of Jim, who was one of the first multi-dimensional black characters in all of fiction. There has been a resulting tendency to grant him primacy of place in analysis of the novel and to read it as a statement, pro or con, about Slavery. This is really not the appropriate way to understand the story. Jim is obviously vital, but his story is secondary, or at least only complimentary, to that of Huck himself. For our purposes, we'll try looking at the novel as if Huck was the central character, which of course he is, a fact which would apparently surprise most modern critics.Approached in this way, we can see that, far from being an aberrational instant of a major popular author tackling the race question, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn instead falls directly into the mainstream of American Literature, with clear antecedents in The Last of the Mohicans and Moby Dick and obvious successors in everything from the Western to the hard-boiled detective story and most directly in works like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Cool Hand Luke. If we look at just the novels named above, we find that they all share the same central theme--dissatisfaction with the secure but restrictive clutches of "civilization" and the desire for freedom. Each of them is about men who have escaped or are trying to escape from some form of civil society, from some system that denies them liberty. This is particularly important in the case of Huck Finn because, while academics view it strictly through the lens of Jim's escape from Slavery, the core of the novel is Huck's dash for freedom. Indeed, while Twain is often criticized for the elaborate scheme that Tom and Huck develop to free Jim at the end of the novel--criticized because it turns his state of slavery into a joke and a source of amusement for the boys--the critics miss the point that it is Huck who ultimately ends up reenslaved. This is why the story concludes with his famous vow: I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before. I think you've got to grant Twain the benefit of the doubt here and assume that he was not merely setting up a sequel. Presumably we can take this statement seriously and it would appear to reveal the entire point of the book--Huckleberry Finn views the formal structures of civilization as intolerable. It is in this sense that the book fits into the continuum of our Literature and of our politics and gives it a valid claim to being one of the great American novels. Before we go, a couple of other similarities in these books deserve mention. One conspicuous shared aspect of these novels is that they are all specifically about men. Women appear only as oppressors or figures of idolatry. I believe this is a function of the concrete difference in the political philosophies of the two genders--men tend to favor freedom and the risk it entails, while women most often opt for security even at the cost of surrendering liberty. Even if you disagree with this theory, which would put you in good company, it is certainly true that the central story line of all of these books involves the heroes moving away from more secure settings into riskier but freer environments. The other noticeable similarity of the stories is the frequent presence of the "noble savage" character. Whether it be Chingachgook or Queequeg or Jim or The Chief, they represent man in the state of nature, unsullied by the dandifying influences of civilization. They are nearly aspirational figures, archetypes brought along in order to show the hero what he could be like if he succeeds in freeing himself. This is a curious residue of the idyllic beliefs of men like Jean-Jacque Rousseau and Thomas Jefferson. I won't take the time here to discuss this fully; I merely note that the theme recurs and point out that the idea that primitive man was somehow more free than modern man is asinine. Hobbes had it right when he referred to life in the state of nature as "nasty, brutish and short." From the foregoing analysis, it may seem to some folks that I am trying to diminish Jim's stature or deny Twain's originality; this is not the case. Instead, I am suggesting that in mankind's long and schizoid struggle between Freedom and Security, America is the place, more than any other, which has sought to vindicate the cause of Freedom. It is natural, therefore, that our very best literature draws upon these ideas. Huckleberry Finn has many flaws--it is overlong; it has really jarring changes in tone; at times it is merely cruel when trying to be funny; and for the modern reader, the portrayal of Jim is quite disconcerting, so condescending as to make us uncomfortable--but it is above all else a quintessentially American novel and Huck is an archetypal American figure. As a nation, we represent the ideal of "lighting out for the Territory", of providing captive peoples with freedom and opportunity. It is in this context that, regardless of its shortcomings, Huckleberry Finn must be reckoned a central text in the American Canon. GRADE: A-
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Summary: Exciting and Fun!
Review: I wasn't too looking forward to the reading Huck Finn at first, particularly after glancing at the dialect of the first couple pages, but once I got started and more used to how the characters spoke, I loved the tale! Huck Finn is an extremely well-written novel that uses silly situations to explain how living was back then, and how slaves were treated. Jim is in the beginning of the book coming across as the stereotype of a slave, but as the novel continues, you really begin to see the real person, not just how Jim was "supposed" to be... Also, throughout the book, you see Huck mature and begin to get his own mind; among other things, Huck develops his own set of morals different from those of society... The Adventures of Huck Finn is a funny, exciting, and at times sweet book that everyone should have the chance to read... :):)
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Summary: Huckleberry Finn- My Review by Lindy McKelvey
Review: The book I chose to read for my book report was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. The conflict is man vs. society which is illustrated at the climax when Huck is forced to decide society or his heart. His action's results conclude the story. Huckleberry Finn, the main character in this story is perhaps one of the most well known fictional characters ever. His literal point of veiws provide humor and comic relief in suspenseful situations. He is definately a realist and takes everything literally. In Tom Sawyer, he appeared to be tough, yet in this story, his compassionate side is revealed. He percieves others only by how he feels society would feel about them. This is shown in his attitude towards Jim. Huck is very curious at this point in his life and in the story he is trying to determine what his veiws, opinions, and religious beliefs really are. This makes him succeptable to change throughout the story. Others look at Huck as an uncivilized person. The story does not say much about the people around him since the majority of the story is spent with only Jim and it is told in first person. He changes dramatically in that throughout the story, particularly at the climax, he is faced with many decisions where he has to do the right thing which is the wrong thing in societies eyes. I think that he becomes more secure in knowing what is right. The theme of this story is, " Freedom Versus Civilization". What I liked in this story is that it had a little bit of everything. This story not only portrays the historical Mississippi River, but it also tells a heart- warming story with humor. This story makes you want to cheer on Huck when he is making those decisions. You become not a reader of the story, but a spectator of the events.
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Summary: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: my opinion
Review: I am in my junior year of high school and am in the midst of reading this novel. I, along with my classmates, am finding it a very hard book to get into. The character Jim's speech is hard to interpret unless you read aloud and by the time you figure out what he is trying to say, you are very bored. I am told this novel is an American classic. Well, I wonder why I should have to read it then, not only am I Canadian, I also have more interest, being a teenager, in the present. I understand the themes residing in this novel and that they are very important issues and I recognize why it's a classic, but I don't understand why high schoolers should be forced to read it, or any other out-dated classic either.
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Summary: !
Review: Ernest Hemingway (in his nonfiction book GREEN HILL OF AFRICA) said that Hucklebuckle Finn is "Where American literature started." Pretty solid endorsement.
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Summary: The controversy about Huck Finn is unfounded.
Review: If you have really read this novel, you have heard the controversy about whether it should still be taught in schools. I read this book for my AP English class in the 11th grade, and found there to be no foundation for controversy on the subject of racism. Mark Twain was not a racist-he was only conditioned to the social standards of which were held toward African Americans at the time. Anyone who says this book had no point didn't think about the book at all. The ideas in this story range from the level of equality between whites and blacks to the individual v. society to which every conflict in this novel goes back to.
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Summary: Alright
Review: I had to read this book for my AP English class. It was alright. I didn't really get into it that much. His adventures WERE worth reading about, but it didn't keep me interested as much as I would have liked to. This is an OK book if your into adventure type stories. Otherwise.....I'd pass.
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Summary: Classic 'ole tale that's important for Americans to read
Review: I first read Huck Finn in Junior High school, and remembering how I'd liked it so much from the first reading, decided to go over it again. And, I liked it just as much. Huck & Jim stealthly ride down the Mississippi, discovering and creating their own adventures from the places and people they come across. Lot of points were noted in this book, and I liked the way it was written. Although this story and it's characters are genuinely different, At times, Huck, Jim and the others, reminded me of Moriarty and Kerouac. They went on a journey "On the River" before their was a road.
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Summary: Refreshing journey of man and elements
Review: I re-read this book, after originally reading it in Jr. high school. Huck and Jim go with the flow, and make the most of their encounters and circumstances along the way. The lure of a simpler, freer life, is omnipresent in this classic. Gotta read this one. How could an American not?
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