Huckleberry Finn: River/ Shore Project

By Laura Feldman, Madison Dunaetz, Aleks Piibe, Ivin Yu Gerberry Finn Period 4

Abstract Noun

Experience

Uni-T

Experience teaches more than education.

Thesis
Because Huck learned more about reality from his time spent on the river with Jim than from his southern teachings on shore, Mark Twain, through irony, exposes the importance of experience over education.

Say #1
"Miss Watson... took a set at me now, with a spelling book... Then for an hour it was deadly dull, and I was fidgety. Miss Watson would say, "Don't put your feet up there Huckleberry;" and "don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberryset up straight;""(Twain 2).

Mean #1
Miss Watson is trying to indoctrinate Huck into a "civilized society". She tries to teach Huck how to live a proper Southern life by encouraging education, religion, and etiquette.

Matter #1
Even though Miss Watson has good intentions, her teachings pollute Huck's malleable conscience with racist thoughts. This serves as a metaphor for America's developing identity, because America is also young and undergoing ethical development.

Say #2
Jim said it made him all over trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom. Well, I can tell you it made me all over trembly and feverish, too, to hear him, because I begun to get it through my head that he was most freeand who was to blame for it? Why, me. I couldnt get that out of my conscience, no how nor no way (Twain 66).

Mean #2
Huck is beginning to realize the truth about Southern Society while on the river with Jim. Huck sees it is the white mens fault for Jims inability to be free, but his polluted Southern conscience wants to tell him otherwise.

Matter #2
The repetition of the terms trembly and feverish from both Huck and Jim prove that are both people with the similar emotions. This scene makes Jim more of a person then a slave. Also, Huck is showing his unlearning of Southern ways by him feeling responsible for Jims captivity.

Conclusion
Mark Twain uses irony to show experience over education. This is portrayed through Hucks conscience being polluted on the shore through Southern teachings, but Huck learning to follow the morals in his heart with Jim on the river.