Fast Food Nation
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin
In the beginning chapters of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin", the author foreshadows an internal conflict that will plague Huckleberry as he is torn between two polar opposite influences. In the house of Miss Watson, Huckleberry is surrounded by the opinions of a "proper" citizen of society. He is being educated, and also introduced the idea that there are "good" and "Bad" places that people go after death based on how they lived their lives. Miss Watson is trying to make Huckleberry one of the good people in society, and gets upset when he misbehaves. Contrary to the guidance of Miss Watson, Huckleberry is also influenced by his long time friend Tom Soyer. Mark Twain shows early in the book that Tom's intentions are not good, robbery and even murder are seen in his plans for his new gang. The author introduces these two opposite influences in the earliest parts of the book to foreshadow that Huckleberry will have to make a difficult decision between the life of a "proper" American citizen, and the life of a mischievous, homeless criminal.
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I think that there is not one set idea of good or bad. Good people can make bad decisions that effects them in some way,either positively or negatively. At the same time, "bad people" have to have some type of soul because they are human beings. I agree with Huckleberry's teacher trying to make him proper. She wants him to have a better upbringing than he was previously being given by his abusive father. Friends will always be an influence on the youth, no matter how much one can try and resist it. I agree that Huckleberry will have to make a decision between being proper and living the life he has always known.
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