1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1876-1883) 
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focused increasingly on the institution of slavery and the South 

- Picaresque novel (episodic, colorful story often in the form of a quest or journey); satire of 
popular adventure and romance novels; bildungsroman (novel of education or moral 
development) 
2. Themes 
- racism and slavery 

- we might read Twain’s depiction of slavery as an allegorical representation of the 
condition of blacks in the United States even after the abolition of slavery. 
- exposing the hypocrisy of slavery, demonstration how racism distorts the oppressors 
as much as it does those who are oppressed.  
- a world of moral confusion, in which seemingly “good” white people express no 
concern about the injustice of slavery or the cruelty 

- intellectual and moral education 
 

- depicting an individual’s maturation and development. 
- questioning many of the received teachings regarding race and slavery.  
-  basing decisions on experiences, own sense of logic, and what conscience tells 
- “reading” the world around him, to distinguish good, bad, right, wrong, menace, 
friend etc 

- the hypocracy of ‘civilized’ society 
 

- new judge in town allows Pap to keep custody of Huck. 
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system that puts a white man’s rights to his “property” over the welfare and freedom 

of a black man 
- shaky sense of justice 
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terrible acts go unpunished, yet frivolous crimes lead to executions 

- society instead of maintaining collective welfare,  is marked by cowardice, a lack of 
logic, and profound selfishness 

3. Motifs 
- childhood 

- excuses Huck in certain ways and also deepens the novel’s commentary on slavery 
and society. 
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Huck often knows better than the adults around him

  

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links between youth and status as a black man: both are vulnerable, yet Huck, 

because he is white, has power over Jim 

- lies and cons 
 

- contrast between Huck and duke and dauphin 

 

- some lies are good (right), some are wrong 

- superstitions and folk believes 

- Jim’s tales appears foolish to believe (signs and omens), it turns out that many of his 
beliefs do indeed have some basis in reality or presage events to come 
- Jim’s superstition serves as an alternative to accepted social teachings and 
assumptions and provides a reminder that mainstream conventions are not always 
right.

  

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parodies of popular romance novels 

 

- popular literature rarely reflects the reality of a society.  
- adherence to these romantic ideals is ultimately dangerous: (Tom is shot, Emmeline 
dies, and the Shepherdsons and Grangerfords end up in a deadly clash) 

4. Symbols 
- Mississipi river 
 

- symbol of freedom