Example of Satire:
Chapters 1-5
1. Create a timeline of events.
The time period of this novel is around the 1830s. They aren't nearly as advanced as we are today, and situations like the ones in this book are pretty common.
3. How does the perspective of the narrator influence the story?
For one, the dialect of Huck Finn influences the way the story is told. His perspective, as a trouble-making 12 year old from the 1830s, makes the events of the story "insignificant" in a way.
- Huckleberry Finn first describes his aunt. She is not the most pleasant person to be around.
- Huck Finn sneaks out of the house with his friend, Tom Sawyer.
- One of the slaves hears Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, and goes out to investigate. It is pitch black, though, so the slave doesn't notice them.
- Tom and Huck Finn meet up with a group of friends, who decide to rob and kill people. They also decide that anyone who talks about this will be killed. They never end up doing this.
- Huckleberry Finn ends up finding his long-lost father, who is not very nice.
The time period of this novel is around the 1830s. They aren't nearly as advanced as we are today, and situations like the ones in this book are pretty common.
3. How does the perspective of the narrator influence the story?
For one, the dialect of Huck Finn influences the way the story is told. His perspective, as a trouble-making 12 year old from the 1830s, makes the events of the story "insignificant" in a way.
Chapters 6-11
1. Why did Pap lock Huck up?
Pap locked Huckleberry Finn up because he wanted to show Huck who was boss. This was because Pap was mad that Huck Finn was going to school and learning.
2. Create a visual of how Huck escapes the shanty.
3. Explain what an abolitionist is, and why Huck doesn't want to be one.
An abolitionist is someone who wants to end slavery. Huck doesn't want to be called an abolitionist because he lives in the south, where there are slaves. If people think that he wants to end slavery, they'll dislike him.
4. List 3 things that would give away a person if they pretended to be the opposite gender.
Pap locked Huckleberry Finn up because he wanted to show Huck who was boss. This was because Pap was mad that Huck Finn was going to school and learning.
2. Create a visual of how Huck escapes the shanty.
3. Explain what an abolitionist is, and why Huck doesn't want to be one.
An abolitionist is someone who wants to end slavery. Huck doesn't want to be called an abolitionist because he lives in the south, where there are slaves. If people think that he wants to end slavery, they'll dislike him.
4. List 3 things that would give away a person if they pretended to be the opposite gender.
- Hair Length
- Facial Features/Shape
- Voice
Chapters 12-16
1. What is the story of King Solomon and his child? How does Jim interpret that story?
Solomon was very wise who could judge and solve all arguments. One day, two women came to him with a child, both claiming to be the mother. Solomon suggested that they cut the child in half, knowing that the real mother would rather give up her baby than see him split in two. Jim keeps insisting that Solomon is stupid for wanting to cut a child in half, because half a child isn't good to anybody.
2. When he wakes up after their separation in the fog, what does Jim’s reaction to Huck tell us about him? How do you feel about him at this point?
When Huck Finn finds Jim again, he decides to fool Jim into thinking it was all a dream. Jim is very confused, and insists that everything actually happened. This tells us that Jim is not the brightest person in the world, as he is fairly gullible. This might just be because of slave stereotypes from this time, though.
3. Jim is very superstitious. From a historical standpoint, why do you think this is?
Slaves had very forced lifestyles, as they weren’t free. Superstition probably gave them a way to express themselves, which was something that they needed.
Huck Finn is trying to hide Jim from the people he met, but he is having a hard time doing so. He eventually gets away from the men looking for the escaped slaves.
Solomon was very wise who could judge and solve all arguments. One day, two women came to him with a child, both claiming to be the mother. Solomon suggested that they cut the child in half, knowing that the real mother would rather give up her baby than see him split in two. Jim keeps insisting that Solomon is stupid for wanting to cut a child in half, because half a child isn't good to anybody.
2. When he wakes up after their separation in the fog, what does Jim’s reaction to Huck tell us about him? How do you feel about him at this point?
When Huck Finn finds Jim again, he decides to fool Jim into thinking it was all a dream. Jim is very confused, and insists that everything actually happened. This tells us that Jim is not the brightest person in the world, as he is fairly gullible. This might just be because of slave stereotypes from this time, though.
3. Jim is very superstitious. From a historical standpoint, why do you think this is?
Slaves had very forced lifestyles, as they weren’t free. Superstition probably gave them a way to express themselves, which was something that they needed.
- “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger – but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither.” What does this line tell us about Huck?
This tells us that Huck is not exactly familiar with being nice to slaves. This also tells us that he wants to be honest, when possible.
Huck Finn is trying to hide Jim from the people he met, but he is having a hard time doing so. He eventually gets away from the men looking for the escaped slaves.
Chapters 17-21
1. Describe the Grangerford family (Chapter 17 & 18).
According to Huck, the Grangerfords were "a mighty fine family" with "a mighty nice house".
2. Mark Twain alludes that the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons is about traditional feuds between farmer (“granger”) and rancher (“shepherd”). Why would he write this into the novel? What does it say about these two occupations at this time (Chapter 18)?
This says that these two occupations were against each other at the time. Twain might have put this is because it was a well known feud at the time.
3. Toward the end of chapter 18 Huck says “I don’t want to talk much about the next day. I reckon I’ll cut it pretty short.” Huck says this prior to telling us about the big battle. How does our narrator’s perspective play a role in what we think and feel reading this section (Chapter 18)?
Huck is clearly very sad and depressed about this battle. Often, people don’t want to talk about things they are sad about, which applies to Huck in this case. His emotions at this point in the book can project onto the reader, because of the way Huck describes the situation.
4. Explain who the King and the Duke are. Why does Huck go along with their story (Chapter 19)?
They are potential criminals who were running from people chasing them. Huck saw them and let them onto the raft. Huck goes along with their story because he feels bad for them, and he wants to make them feel good.
5. What problems do you anticipate with the Duke’s solution to how they can all run the raft during the day (Chapter 20)?
If someone sees them, and they’re told that Jim is a runaway slave, they might want to take Jim away. They might think that Jim could be taken away right then and there. Also, when they actually get down to where they’re “taking Jim”, they will still be asked what they are doing with Jim. They can’t really make that excuse anymore, because they will all be in the location that they were claiming to turn Jim in at.
6. Illustrate the town that the play will be held in (Chapter 21).
The town is arguably not in a very good spot, as the situation in the book happened. The town was generally not in a good position.
According to Huck, the Grangerfords were "a mighty fine family" with "a mighty nice house".
2. Mark Twain alludes that the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons is about traditional feuds between farmer (“granger”) and rancher (“shepherd”). Why would he write this into the novel? What does it say about these two occupations at this time (Chapter 18)?
This says that these two occupations were against each other at the time. Twain might have put this is because it was a well known feud at the time.
3. Toward the end of chapter 18 Huck says “I don’t want to talk much about the next day. I reckon I’ll cut it pretty short.” Huck says this prior to telling us about the big battle. How does our narrator’s perspective play a role in what we think and feel reading this section (Chapter 18)?
Huck is clearly very sad and depressed about this battle. Often, people don’t want to talk about things they are sad about, which applies to Huck in this case. His emotions at this point in the book can project onto the reader, because of the way Huck describes the situation.
4. Explain who the King and the Duke are. Why does Huck go along with their story (Chapter 19)?
They are potential criminals who were running from people chasing them. Huck saw them and let them onto the raft. Huck goes along with their story because he feels bad for them, and he wants to make them feel good.
5. What problems do you anticipate with the Duke’s solution to how they can all run the raft during the day (Chapter 20)?
If someone sees them, and they’re told that Jim is a runaway slave, they might want to take Jim away. They might think that Jim could be taken away right then and there. Also, when they actually get down to where they’re “taking Jim”, they will still be asked what they are doing with Jim. They can’t really make that excuse anymore, because they will all be in the location that they were claiming to turn Jim in at.
6. Illustrate the town that the play will be held in (Chapter 21).
The town is arguably not in a very good spot, as the situation in the book happened. The town was generally not in a good position.
Chapters 22-26
1. At the very end of chapter 22 we see the handbill that the king and the duke will pass out. The duke says “if that line don’t fetch them, I don’t know Arkansas!” Why would the line at the bottom of the handbill work to get people into the play?
Couldn't get answer.
2. Towards the end of chapter 23 we see this line: “What was the use to tell Jim these warn’t real kings and dukes? It wouldn’t a done no good; and besides, it was just as I said; you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”
a. Why doesn’t Huck see the use in telling Jim?
Huck doesn’t see the use in telling Jim because Jim would probably be mad at the king and the duke for lying about their status. It would just be easier if Jim never knew.
b. What does Huck mean by “you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”?
The king and the duke are both fairly convincing, especially considering someone who has never seen a real king or duke.
3. The final line in chapter 24 reads: “It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race.” What is Huck talking about? What does it tell us (the reader) about Huck that he feels this way?
This tells us that Huck is fairly reasonable. He was able to realize this, which means that he isn’t entirely a “trouble maker”, if you will.
4. In chapter 25 we meet the doctor. How does the doctor know that the king and the duke are a fraud?
Couldn't get answer.
5. The king and the duke consider leaving in the middle of the night with the money (chapter 26). Why don’t they?
Couldn't get answer.
Couldn't get answer.
2. Towards the end of chapter 23 we see this line: “What was the use to tell Jim these warn’t real kings and dukes? It wouldn’t a done no good; and besides, it was just as I said; you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”
a. Why doesn’t Huck see the use in telling Jim?
Huck doesn’t see the use in telling Jim because Jim would probably be mad at the king and the duke for lying about their status. It would just be easier if Jim never knew.
b. What does Huck mean by “you couldn’t tell them from the real kind.”?
The king and the duke are both fairly convincing, especially considering someone who has never seen a real king or duke.
3. The final line in chapter 24 reads: “It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race.” What is Huck talking about? What does it tell us (the reader) about Huck that he feels this way?
This tells us that Huck is fairly reasonable. He was able to realize this, which means that he isn’t entirely a “trouble maker”, if you will.
4. In chapter 25 we meet the doctor. How does the doctor know that the king and the duke are a fraud?
Couldn't get answer.
5. The king and the duke consider leaving in the middle of the night with the money (chapter 26). Why don’t they?
Couldn't get answer.