Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Referring to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, H. L. Mencken noted that his discovery of this classic American novel was "the most stupendous event of my whole life"; Ernest Hemingway declared that "all modern American literature stems from this one book," while T. S. Eliot called Huck "one of the permanent symbolic figures of fiction, not unworthy to take a place with Ulysses, Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, Hamlet."
The novel's preeminence derives from its wonderfully imaginative re-creation of boyhood adventures along the Mississippi River, its inspired characterization, the author's remarkable ear for dialogue, and the book's understated development of serious underlying themes: "natural" man versus "civilized" society, the evils of slavery, the innate value and dignity of human beings, and other topics. Most of all, Huckleberry Finn is a wonderful story, filled with high adventure and unforgettable characters.
The novel's preeminence derives from its wonderfully imaginative re-creation of boyhood adventures along the Mississippi River, its inspired characterization, the author's remarkable ear for dialogue, and the book's understated development of serious underlying themes: "natural" man versus "civilized" society, the evils of slavery, the innate value and dignity of human beings, and other topics. Most of all, Huckleberry Finn is a wonderful story, filled with high adventure and unforgettable characters.
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Community Reviews
My feelings about the book summed up in four words: I wanted more Jim.
This book is a classic. You know, I know it, the gnat in the plant in my cubicle knows it. So why was I thirty-one before I read it in its entirety? I had a "problem" in school. While I was happy to read above and beyond what was considered a "cool" amount to read, I practically refused to read what was assigned. My attitude was "Do NOT tell me what to read." This was assigned...read more
This book is a classic. You know, I know it, the gnat in the plant in my cubicle knows it. So why was I thirty-one before I read it in its entirety? I had a "problem" in school. While I was happy to read above and beyond what was considered a "cool" amount to read, I practically refused to read what was assigned. My attitude was "Do NOT tell me what to read." This was assigned...read more
So much has already been said about this book, it's tough to add anything profound.
I'll say this though: whether it was Twain's intention or not, Huck’s “naïve” outlook on the lack of differences between black and white was really well delivered; not so much stated as it was implied. Reminds me of Scout Finch, and the fantastic character arc she travels in To Kill a Mockingbird. I love the disruptiveness of this thinking, particularly coming ...read more
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