Huck Finn Experienced?

1. Have you read the novel –Huck Finn- before?  If so where and why?

I have never read Huck Finn before…it was a “recommended reading” book for the summers throughout high school but I never got around to it.

Answer either 2 or 3 depending on your answer to 1.

2. If you have not read Huck Finn before, surely you know something about the novel and character from references and allusions in popular culture.  What do you know about either the novel and/or character?

I knew of Huck Finn from learning about Mark Twain and reading Tom Sawyer in school. I knew he was a lower-class rebellious kid from a rough background. I also knew that this novel was one of the “banned books” because of its bluntness about racism because I learned about it in class. Other than that, though, I didn’t really know much about the novel or Huck.

3. What was your response to reading Huck Finn, and what do you remember from your reading?  Also, did you actually read the whole novel, or just parts of it?  Did you read Cliff Notes or Monarch Notes instead?

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4. If you were assigned to read Huck Finn in a previous class, either here or in high school, how did your class as a whole react to the novel?  Why do you think your instructor assigned the novel?  How did he or she try to “teach” the novel?

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5. If you were required to read Huck Finn in a previous class, what sort of assignments were you required to complete, and what exactly did you do during the classes when Huck Finn was being discussed.

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6. Huck Finn is still one of the most controversial and most banned books in America.  Why is it so controversial? 

I think that the dialect used is very controversial for many different reasons. It very bluntly uses the “n word” and at the time (and still, I think) it had very negative connotations and was a very hurtful word. Aside from vulgar language, however, I also think that our country is embarrassed by our harsh acts during the time of slaver and has been trying to distance ourselves from that time ever since.

7. Is Huck Finn still relevant to you as college student today?  Should it continue to be taught in college classrooms?

I think that Huck Finn is relevant to me as a college student today and should continue to be taught. It reminds us of how our country used to act and think. Although the plot isn’t that relevant to me because slavery isn’t a problem anymore and my situation in life is quite different than Huck’s, I think it is important to remind students our age how the world used to be and how thankful we should be. Also, books today do not really have as much of the deep symbolism and other literary elements used by Twain in this novel.

8.  The general consensus among critics is that Huck Finn is a brilliant and powerful novel, but also a flawed and problematic novel.  What do you think might be flawed and/or problematic about the novel?

The only flaw I find in the novel is the reality of it. The situation of Jim and Huck both running away is much more high stress than both characters seem to think. Also, the plot is quite goofy and jumpy, taking a situation that should be really serious and making it light-hearted. I don’t think that is a flaw, though. I think that is what makes this book enjoyable to read. We can still learn from reading it and highlight what has happened in the past while enjoying our reading experience.