1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

2. By Mark Twain

3.  Real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens  Born November 30,1835, the night Halley’s Comet flashed across the sky Halley’s comet is the only comet visible to the naked eye Appears about every 75 years  Grew up along the Mississippi River  Quit school at age 12  Died on April 21, 1910, as Halley’s comet again flashed through the sky

4. What Is Realism? Realism is a style of writing, developed in the nineteenth century, that attempts to depict life accurately without idealizing or romanticizing it. Copyright 2001, The Multimedia Library

5. Realism vs. Romanticism REALISM Emphasizes accuracy and objectivity Depicts common, everyday heroes Views the world scientifically ROMANTICISM Emphasizes imagination and emotion Depicts larger-than-life heroes Views the world poetically

6. What Caused the Rise of Realism?  Several events and conditions led to the rise of realism. The Civil War (Loss and Devastation) The Civil War (Loss and Devastation) Advances in Technology (Photography) Advances in Technology (Photography) Advances in Science (Darwinism and Challenges to Faith) Advances in Science (Darwinism and Challenges to Faith) Social Changes (Education for All Races and Classes) Social Changes (Education for All Races and Classes)

7. Realistic Literature Contains themes that center on contemporary society and on the lives of the middle and lower classes Describes the details, even when unpleasant, of everyday life Features characters drawn from the poor and outcast of society Avoids extravagant language in favor of simpler, everyday diction

8. Regionalism: American Realism  Regionalism is literature that emphasizes a specific geographic setting and reproduces the speech, behavior, and attitudes of the people who live in that region. Regionalist writers differed from strict realists by portraying their characters in a somewhat sentimental fashion. Regionalist writers differed from strict realists by portraying their characters in a somewhat sentimental fashion. Some important American regionalists are Sarah Orne Jewett, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bret Harte, and Mark Twain. Some important American regionalists are Sarah Orne Jewett, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bret Harte, and Mark Twain.

9. Introduction Mark Twain described the major theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as “A sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision, and conscience suffers defeat.” “A sound heart” = a good, honest heart. “A deformed conscience” = a conscience influenced by the laws of society and a sense of duty toward those laws.

10. Themes: What does Twain teach us about each idea?  Racism & Slavery  Intellectual and Moral Education  The Hypocrisy of “Civilized” Society

11. Racism & Slavery  Although written 20 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, America – especially the South – was still struggling with racism and the aftereffects of slavery.  Insidious racism continued through the end of Reconstruction for illogical and hypocritical reasons.  Twain exposes the hypocrisy of slavery and demonstrates how racism distorts the oppressors as much as the oppressed.

12. Intellectual and Moral Education  Huck is an uneducated boy; however, he often shows more common sense and moral depth than his “educated” peers and elders.  He distrusts the morals and precepts of the society that treats him as an outcast and fails to protect him from abuse.  Huck questions his teachings, especially regarding race and slavery.

13. The Hypocrisy of “Civilized” Society  Huck, and those around him, considers himself to be “uncivilized” because he doesn’t like going to school, wearing fancy clothes, getting washed up, etc….  Yet, the behaviors of “civilized” people defy logic: Huck’s drunkard, abusive father gets to keep custody of Huck because he is his natural fatherHuck’s drunkard, abusive father gets to keep custody of Huck because he is his natural father The injustice of slavery that keeps Jim from his familyThe injustice of slavery that keeps Jim from his family Seemingly good people are prejudiced slave-ownersSeemingly good people are prejudiced slave-owners Terrible acts go unpunished, while lesser crimes lead to severe punishmentTerrible acts go unpunished, while lesser crimes lead to severe punishment The reader is left with the question: what does it really mean to be a civilized human being?