1. Introduction to Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

3. Born Samuel Clemens in 1835 Worked as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River Adopted the name “Mark Twain,” which meant two fathoms, a safe depth for a riverboat Life and Times of Mark Twain

4. In 1861, Samuel Clemens avoided the brewing Civil War by going west First writing job as reporter at the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise (Nevada) Serious news was often mixed with “reports” that had to be taken with a grain of salt. Soon, he began using the name Mark Twain and affixing it to sketches, reportage, and an occasional hoax. It was a time when he first discovered his talent, his calling, and his voice. Life and Times of Mark Twain

5. At 34, he married Olivia Langdon the daughter of a New York coal magnate, a member of the country’s wealthy elite She would be partner, editor, and fellow traveler in success and failure for the next thirty-five years. She would also furnish him her family’s home in Elmira, New York, a place where he visited often and wrote many of his best-loved books. Life and Times of Mark Twain

6. Although his most famous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is criticized for being racist, Mark Twain never expected nor intended the controversy that arose with the publication of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain was not racist but depicted life in his times. As for the end of the novel… well, we’ll discuss that later. Life and Times of Mark Twain

7. “I vividly remember seeing a dozen black men and women chained to one another, once, and lying in a group on the pavement, awaiting shipment to the Southern slave market. Those were the saddest faces I have ever seen.” – Mark Twain Life and Times of Mark Twain

8. Language used throughout the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is colloquial, diction of the common man in the American South and Midwest. The book is written in the vernacular of the time and regions depicted. Therefore, some speech which we consider offensive today is used. So, unlike we are supposed to living in the United States of Amnesia, let’s face this language head on. The Language of the Time

9. Life and Times of Mark Twain In the English language, the word "nigger" is an ethnic slur, usually directed at people with naturally dark skin. The word originated as a neutral term referring to people with black skin, as a variation of the Spanish and Portuguese noun negro and/or the French word negre, both descendant of the Latin adjective niger ("black"). It was often used disparagingly, and by the mid-twentieth century, particularly in the United States, its usage became unambiguously pejorative, a racist insult. Accordingly, it began to disappear from popular culture, and its continued inclusion in classic works of literature has sparked controversy. In the contemporary United States and United Kingdom, using the word is taboo, and it is often replaced with the euphemism"the N-word".

10. The Language of the Time

12. Though this word appears throughout the text of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I will not be reading the word aloud during in-class readings. It is my expectation that word itself will NEVER be used by any student (past, present, or future) who attends this school. This word is unlike many other profane words as its history is one deeply etched in our past as Americans, so be aware and don’t let ignorance of the past control our futures. The Language of the Time

13. "I have no color prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."

14. By 1900 Twain had become America’s foremost celebrity. He was invited to attend ship launchings, anniversary gatherings, political conventions, and countless dinners. Reporters met him at every port of call, anxious to print a new quip from the famous humorist. To enhance his image, he took to wearing white suits and loved to stroll down the street and see people staring at him. The iconic image of him in a white suit with a cigar in hand is part of what made him (makes him) so recognizable even today. Life and Times of Mark Twain

15. He developed as a speaker and traveled on lecture circuits, much in demand. His early performances combined humor, information and eloquence in measures that delighted most people. Life and Times of Mark Twain

16. Being told I would be expected to talk here, I inquired what sort of talk I ought to make. They said it should be something suitable to youth-something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. Very well. I have a few things in my mind which I have often longed to say for the instruction of the young; for it is in one’s tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable. First, then. I will say to you my young friends -- and I say it beseechingly, urgently -- Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment. Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any, also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offend you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense, come out frankly and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him; acknowledge it like a man and say you didn’t mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined… "Advice to Youth" (1882)

17. When he died on April 21, 1910, newspapers around the country declared, “The whole world is mourning.” By then, Sam Clemens had long since ceased to be a private citizen. He had become Mark Twain, a proud possession of the American nation. “I was sorry to have my name mentioned as one of the great authors, because they have a sad habit of dying off. Chaucer is dead, Spencer is dead, so is Milton, so is Shakespeare, and I’m not feeling so well myself.” —Mark Twain Life and Times of Mark Twain

18. “I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’” Mark Twain died in 1910, the year Halley’s Comet appeared.

19. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain’s most famous novel is about the relationship between a young white boy, Huck, and a black slave, Jim as they travel along the Mississippi River The novel is set in the mid 1800’s in the South in a fictional town called St. Petersburg During this time, about half of the country was considered “free” and half still supported slavery

20. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Bildungsroman novel = German: "novel of formation / education / culture" ), novel of formation, novel of education, or coming-of-age story Genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood in which character change is extremely important Picaresque novel = Spanish: "picaresca," from "pícaro," for "rogue" or "rascal” Genre which depicts the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society Typically adopt realistic style, with elements of comedy and satire. Originated in 16th- century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. It continues to influence modern literature.

21. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

23. Racism and Slavery In Huck Finn, Twain exposes the hypocrisy of slavery. It does not support slavery. Intellectual vs. Moral Education Huck is forced to make a decision between education and moral correctness Mocks “Civilized” Society Twain shows the ways in which society of his time did not act in a civilized manner The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn THEMES

24. The Mississippi River For Huck and Jim, the river symbolizes freedom. The two follow the river from the South to the North to escape the oppression they both face at home. Huck wants to get away from his abusive father and family while Jim, a black slave, wants to live in a free state. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn SYMBOLS

25. Path of the Mississippi River States that touch the Mississippi River: Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa Illinois Missouri Tennessee Arkansas Mississippi Louisiana