Huckleberry Finn Chapters 19-22

In chapters 19-22 of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain describes a man shooting another due to being insulted. This is not the first time Twain has involved murder in this novel, as shown by the murder of Buck. Twain has also made it so that these murders happened on land, rather than on the river. The fact that these murders happened on land is a significant because it is believed that those with money, homes, jobs, and families would be civilized and try and solve their problems in a less violent manner. One interpretation of this fact would be that Twain is trying to convey to the reader that even though those on land involved in the murders have all the characteristics of a civilized person; they still cannot get past the primitive ways of solving problems with violence. While this may be an exaggeration, it is an important and thought provoking interpretation because it contradicts what the reader would first assume. The idea that those who are considered civilized but still turn to violence to solve problems has a lot to say about the time it was written, when considering the American Civil War was still impacting much of America. In support of this idea are examples that can be found even in modern times, such as the War on Terrorism and common murders similar to the ones described in the novel.