One would say that life on a raft would be more solitary then that of life in a town. In a city or town there are many people and buildings and a person usually feels apart of the society. On a raft, one would feel rather lonely and confined to the boundaries of the raft. Huck however feels as though he can do whatever he pleases without someone telling him what to do constantly. He thinks of it differently because he was brought up differently. He was always being told what to do and corrected until his early adolescent days.

In chapters seven and eight we see Huck on his way to the island and the beginning of his actual stay there. When Huck is away and on his own we see that Mark Twain changes the writing style a little bit. Huck is being independent and he describes the setting and scenarios to the reader with a better use of grammar. When he was back with the widow and Miss Watson the reader sees an inconsistent use of proper grammar mixed in with different writing styles. Huck doesn’t explain his surroundings as often in the beginning chapters of the book. When we get closer to the island in the plot in the progressing chapters he tends to explain his actions and setting thoroughly. By using more of his senses he gives a thorough image which really captures the reader.

hucks life in the raft is more comfortable

I think that life on the raft for Huck appealed to him more in a lot of ways. It could have appealed to him more because it could have reminded him of his life before he began to live with the widow/his dad. His life before town life was a life without rules, and a life of doing whatever he felt like doing. Which is kind of like what he is doing now, he’s going down south with Jim, and he doesn’t really have any good reason in his head to go back. His life on the raft isn’t very private at times, but it is more private then his life in the town. People are always interrupting his life in the town; he always has to worry about getting trouble. He always has to sneak around town, trying not to get caught, like when he was sneaking off to go meet Sawyer to discuss the sawyer gang. He had to worry about one of the widows “niggers” catching him, him and tom. He had to worry about coming back to. On the river he can be wherever he wants, whenever he wants, at least now that he is far away enough from the town he was living in.

Jim's Sensitivity

As a child, I never knew what my life was goin' to be like when I was an old man. I still don't how I'll be. Will I still be in an enslaved environment? Can I raise my dauguhter the way I wish I could? Will I die before this adventure with Huck ends? So many things to think about. I hate not bein' with my family. I coulda been able to tell 'em anythin that was on my mind. Half the time I say what I think, Huck just shuts me down. I know I ain't that smart, but I got thoughts too. I wish I coulda talked to Huck bout this. He's not bad all the time. He teaches me stuff that I ain't never known before. Now that I think of it, Huck has been my best friend this whole trip. He helped me out and I wouldn't have been alive right now if it weren't for him. He's my best friend other than my family.
Speakin' of my family, I feel awful bout what I did to my little girl 'Lizabeth. She ain't never done anything to deserve a smack like that. I didn't even know she can't hear me. Her bein' a deaf chil will affect her the rest of her life. And I ain't ever there to help her out nomore. I love her more than my life itself. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't of ever done that to her. Matter of fact, I woulda changed a lot of things. But I can't now and gotta live with it. I'll catch up wit you later. We gettin back on the river now. So long now.

Huck's life on the raft is easier

When Huck is on the raft, he’s more layed back and relaxed than he would be when he’s in town. Huck is more of himself and doesn’t have to tell so many lies, if any. The one time he did lie was when he tricked Jim into thinking that, although Jim distinctly remembered him and Huck getting separated, that he had been in the boat the whole time ( chapter XV: Fooling Poor Old Jim). When he’s in town and around a lot of people, he has to pretend to be someone else so that his identity isn’t revealed and has to remember all of his lies. Huck has to always remember that he is supposed to be “dead” and has to keep the fact that a runaway “nigger” is tagging along. I also think that when Huck is on the raft, he’s away from all the stress, rules, and restrictions he was under when he lived with Miss Watson and his father. He has a lot more freedom to do what he wants. Granted, Huck and Jim still have to be careful when they travel because they don’t want anyone they know to see their raft, find Jim, or discover one of their many campsites, but in it’s own way, Huck’s life on the raft is more simple and easier.

Jim's Perspective

The differences in Huck and Jim are alarmingly apparent and throughut the book I question the justness of their freindship. Just how can these two become such good freinds, when both have completely different backgrounds and an opposite set of morals. Jim representing the politically and ethically correct perspective, and Huck the backwards 19th century southern perspective. Since Jims seems more of a common sense oriented individual I believe he would have strife with the idea of serving the king and duke unconditionally, no matter their dirty personal endeavors. Huck is passive, nonsensical person who is content to support the king and duke so long as no conflict arises. Jim, if he was truly aware of who the scam artists he served so willingly, he would without hesitation commit insurrection against his oppressors. Jim has the personality of a real "man" as described by the sherriff. Hes able to give Huck constructive feedback when he disagrees with his decisions no matter his social standing. Jim is a much stronger character than Huck

raft life

at this point, huck has made it pretty clear that he much prefers the raft life to the life he used to live on land. he talks about not being cramped on a raft-- even though this is kind of contrary to what one would think. i mean, after all, if you're living on a relatively small piece of wood with another person (and three others, when the duke and king join in), you would probably expect to be cramped and uncomfortable. but huck is so self-sufficient, and so NOT concerned with material comforts and civilised living, that he actually prefers this "cramped" lifestyle to the on-land one. in fact, he talks about how the on-land life is much more cramped than life on a raft. for huck, "cramped" really does mean cramped-- just, more emotionally and mentally, rather than physically. with his father, he was cramped and trapped in, and though there was more freedom, he still was locked in every night, and all day was with his father. life with the widow didn't help the whole idea of being cramped, either. huck most certainly would consider manners, and school, and clean clothes, and church, and eating all together at the dinner table, and praying before bed, and spelling and reading and writing-- all of these are bothersome, and can cramp a person in. huck is trapped in these things because they matter to him the least, and yet he used to be forced to do them. on the raft, he can do as he pleases, and he's free as a bird. life is beautiful.

Huck's life on the raft vs. on land

Huck grew up with a drunken father, an orderly Miss. Watson, and the Widow. They were always there to tell him what he should do in many situations. He grew up to be a very self-sufficient boy, and developed to work his way out of any situation alone. Now Huck finds himself on a raft. Yes, he's not alone--he has Jim from the start and later the King and the Duke join them. They don't take charge. Jim looks to Huck for guidance. The King and the Duke are along for the ride, for entertainment and to entertain. They joined because Huck and Jim fell for their stories and they were invited to join them in their travels. Huck enjoys life on the raft better than his previous habitats. Huck is a self-sufficient person and can use his ability by planning and protecting himself, Jim and sometimes also the Duke and the King. Huck and all of them aren't as confined out in the open. They have one force pushing themselves, that of survival. Besides the obvious natural differences of life on a raft versus that of land—they don’t have pressure from outsiders, or from family members. They just have each other, and they’ll get by.

Huck -- amphibian or mammal?

Comparing Huck (on page 173) he talks about how living on a raft is much more comfortable than living on land. I can see how Huck relates to this; He could feel that living on the raft gives him more freedom in the fact that he is close to the world. He is out more and can see, and is more one, with the whole world. In a town, one can easily feel cramped and closed in, in a small house inside a random small town in Arkansas. Also, it reminds me of when he was living with his father, and Huck had to be locked up, sometimes for weeks, by his dad, to ensure that he wouldn't run away. In that sense, one can notice how Huck would rather be outside, since he was constantly forced to stay inside a house for practically most of his young life. Also, I suppose that he doesn't like to be cramped up around crowds and he rather be on a boat with just a few people, Jim, the kind, the duke and himself.

Huck's Life on the Raft

Huck's life on his raft is as free-flowing as the raft itself. The raft has no rules or restrictions. Huck can be his own person and get away from the struggles he faced back on land. While on the raft, he doesn't have to abide to every rule given by the widow or his drunken father and his boundaries are endless. This is just the kind of life that he has wanted all along, to be free and independent. The river itself represents freedom in a way because the river is swiftly flowing and constant, without any restraints or direction.

As the novel continues, Huck's encounters on land become more exciting. On his first encounter back on land he pretends to be a girl. This scene shows his ability to decieve. As his land encounters increase the reader can observe that Huck is changing.

During the last land encounter, Huck sees hows rediculius people can be while at the sermon. He reveals to himself how people can fall into a trap simply by telling them lies. Huck ofcourse isn't the one telling the lies, he is just the observer.

Life on the Raft and Life on Land

Throughout the novel, Huck spends about an equal amount of time both on and off the raft. When he is on the raft, the world is quiet and there is hardly anything exciting going on. Occasionally a steamboat will go by and Huck will watch it, but other than observing there is not much action. Sometimes Huck will teach Jim something about the bible or tease him and tell him something was imaginative when it was really real, like that one time during the night when they were separated and it was foggy. However on land, it is like someone turned up the excitement on Huck and he proceeds to go on sometype of an adventure. His curiosity takes him into people's lives, sometimes on the verge of death and sometimes meeting new friends. As for other people, on the raft, the people he meets are either runaways and are in some type of trouble or are just passing by on another "floating devise". On land, the people he meets are usually not the nicest and are after him, or they just think Huck is someone he is not because of the different identity Huck gives himself. Huck is very comfortable with big crowds of people and can always find a way to escape trouble.

Huck's life on the island is a lot different from his life with Miss Watson, Pap, or Sawyer's gang. When he is living off the island with my Watson he seems to depend on her for food and many other necessities to life. When with Pap, Huck has a lot less dependency on Pap but he still depends on him for food, or any other necessity. When Pap traps Huck inside of the house, Huck has no way to get out, except for the use of the ax. This shows how he is starting to get more independent and how he is using his head more. When he started living on the island he adapts pretty well to his environment. His adaptability comes in handy a lot. Him and Jim are able to manage to survive, and to not be caught, thus far, and keep food in their stomachs.

the relationship between Huck and Jim

Although Huck is free and white and Jim is a slave and black, Huck finds comfort in Jim because he himself comes from the lowest levels of white society. Hi father is a drunk, he is poorly educated, and he is often homeless. Jim, Miss Watson's slave, is separated from his family. Together Huck and Jim find a family within eachother despite their racial backgrounds. Jim cooks for Huck, and Huck provides protection for Jim. By spending this time together along the Mississippi river, Huck is learning to look past the preconceptions that society has taught him against blacks. I belive by the end of the book, Huck may become a more freethinking person who has his own oppinions. Jim is getting an opputunity to be his own person. Before he became a runaway, he couldn't express his own oppinions or share his own thoughts. Now, with Huck, he doesn't hold back as much. He tries Huck by asking questions to prove a point. Throughout their journey together so far they have shown true companionship and loyalty to one another.

How'd She Find out?!?!

Huck got busted. When he went to the woman's house, she figured out he was a guy, and his charade was off. She noticed a lot about what he did that easily tipped her off. This could, for a reason, be that at this time, Huck was very uncouth in his appearance and behaviors. Such as things like the way he threaded the needle, the way he threw the lump of lead, the way he caught the lump of lead between his legs. Also, he changed his name by accident when he was asked. Something like that could easily tip off someone as to having a false personality, and shown that he is not truly a girl. The woman can be compared to other characters that Huck runs into, such as the robbers or the ship watchman. She is much nicer, and quite considerate in helping Huck out in his situation. Also, I've noticed that Huck lies to everyone he's met so far. He lied to the watchman, and the woman. The woman figured him out, but he still lied to keep his charade on. Also, so far, this book is very interesting and informative and gives insight into what life was like back in the early 1800's.

Life on the river chpt. 1 - 14

"Every night we passed towns, some of them away up on black hillsides, nothing but just a shiny bed of lights; not a house could you see."

What details does Twain give of life on the river, or life on the run, for Huck and Jim?  Look at particularly descriptive passages describing the river, and write about them.  How do they contrast to the life on land, with society?

Jim's portrayal chapters 1 to 14

This week's question deals with Twain's portrayal of Jim, as well as his role in the story.  How does Jim compare, or contrasted, to the other characters in Huck's life so far, from Miss Watson to his Pap?  Is he the only person Huck feels comfortable being himself with?  Look at examples from the book to state your argument.  

Is Huck Self Sufficiant?

A main topic when disscusing Huck Finn is weather or not Huck is self-sufficiant. I don't think that he is. You can make the argument that since Huck ran away from his father and he figured out what do bring with him, he is self-sufficiant. But that is not what self-sufficiant means. The definition of self-sufficiant is: Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or (in hardline cases) interaction, for survival. Huck has never lived by himself, because he has always had his father giving him supplies, or one of the widows.
Now, Huck is with Jim, who is the reason that the two survive. Withouut Jim, Huck would not have found the cave to stay in, he wouldn't have gone into the town and found out that people were looking for him, and he wouldn't have been able to stay away from the people looking for him. Huck can't live without other people helping him. He thinks ahead, and plans things out, but he doesn't have many good ideas for survival.

Huck: Island Life vs. Previous Life

Huck seems to like his life on the island better, for the most part. It seems like he really enjoys the quiet of nature to think and relax. In “previous lives—“ that is, with Miss Watson, Pap, or Sawyer’s gang—there is always pressure being put on him to act a certain way and to do certain things.

With the Widow and Miss Watson, he always has to be cleaned up and behave well. “She worked me hard for about an hour, and then the widow made her ease up. I couldn’t stood it much longer. 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, Huckleberry—set up straight’; and pretty soon she would say ‘Don’t gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry—why don’t you try to behave?’” (page 5)

In contrast to this, he is first happy at Pap’s, where “It was kind of lazy and jolly, laying off comfortable all day, smoking and fishing, and no books nor study. Two months or more run along, and my clothes got to be all rags and dirt, and I didn’t see how I’d ever got to like it so well at the widow’s, where you had to wash, and eat on a plate, and comb up, and go to bed and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book, and have old Miss Watson pecking at you all the time.” (page 34) But of course he doesn’t want to stay with Pap for too much longer, because Pap really isn’t a good father.

So being in the quiet nature is a helpful change for Huck. He does get lonely, but at least at first that’s better than being chased by his drunk father or being forced to wash up and act like a “good little boy.” Being alone in the woods or on the river allows him to just think for himself and relax.

Is Huck Adaptable???

Huck has already been to many places in which he has to adapt and I think he is absolutely adaptable to every place he goes. He has a great sense of the necessities to survive. When Pap "kidnaps" Huck, Huck finds a way to escape and doesn't just escape, but also plans ahead and gets the things he needs like food, transportation, and a gun. When he arrives at the Jackson's Island, he finds a good spot to camp and immediately we, as the reader, see Huck adapt to his new environment as if he had always lived there. He knows when its safe and when it's not safe to build a fire, for it might give a hint as to where he is hiding. Huck is also very practical with what he does. He takes time to think about how the people who find the blood and the ruined cabin will react. Huck sees this in his mind and plans is escape in a manner that will convince people that he has been murdered. Adaptation is one trait that comes naturally to Huck and will, I think, come in handy in the future.

Is Huck Adaptable...

Huck Finn is an odd character who uses his extensive knowledge of the natural world and relatively limited knowledge of the civilized and everyday world as reasoning for every decision he makes. He often is misguided in his views, but nonetheless he takes his encounters and experiances one step at a time. Huck's decision to just up and make a run for it was spontaneous, but the manner in which he made his escape was by weaving a crafty plan, carefully thought out, each intricacy mirroring Huck's personality. His belief that once he left his home, he could just live on his own in, on Jackson's island, displayed his confidence in his ability for adaptation, but after a few days, he cannot stand the solitary life. During his brief experiance living alone on the island, he is completely self sufficient, but the source of his downfall was his inability to entertain themselves. Huck is practical, however his reasoning is somewhat misguided.

Berry Adaptable Huckle

Huckleberry seems to be a very adaptable boy. Although he may not like the situation he is in at first, he eventually adapts. He often realizes that his situation is not terrible, and by and by he gets so he can stand it. In other words, the longer he is in a situation the more he can stand it. He adapts and plans ahead when Pap kidnapps him,and he adapts to living on Jacksons island. Not only is it hucks ability to adapt, he also is very clever and he thinks before he acts. He knows when to make a fire and when not to make a fire because of who might see the fire. He also is is self sufficiant and knows how to survive and protect himself in whatever environment he is in.

huck = descriptive youngster

the huckleberry finn that we know from life with the Widow is a completely different huckleberry from the one who lives with his father, and yet again different from how he is with sawyer's gang.
basically, while he's living with the widow, his life seems almost monotonous, almost repetitious (sawyer's gang breaks up any chance of monotony, though-- that, and his father). his descriptions of these day to day routines seem simple and tiresome. even in looking at huck's speech in his narration, we see that he is uncomfortable and inconsistent with how he talks. he switches from formal vocabulary ("Well, then the old thing commenced again..." p.4) to informally addressing the audience as if they were a friend ("You don't know about me without you have read a book..." etc., p.3). he doesn't quite know where he fits in; if he's being raised properly, courtesy of the widow, or if he can be totally rebellious, like tom sawyer. this may be partially what drew him to tom's company and makes it so enjoyable for him to hang out with tom. it doesn't help this confusion and inconsistency that his father openly disapproves of the things of which mrs. watson and the widow approve-- such as school and reading, success in terms of money, manners, etc.
with his father, he becomes a different boy. he begins to be rebellious-- but in terms of his father's life, his version of "rebellion" is normal. things that were ok with the widow and mrs. watson are not ok anymore, and there are some things that were utterly forbidden w/ the two women that huck can do openly and freely with his father. (smoking, cursing, not washing...) because he himself is so much less restricted, his speech reflects his "relaxation" or adaptation to life with his father. even if his dad isn't the best parent, and makes some ridiculously poor decisions which almost always negatively affect huck-- and strongly, too-- huck has adapted to this and is relatively comfortable when he's not locked up or dealing with a crazy drunkard for a father. and we can see in his narration how he feels less restrained and more in his environment. he stops having inconsistent spurts of scholarly moments, and seems more mature and able to describe his surroundings more clearly.
how odd that such a nice change in the narration comes from a huge change in his life, that wasn't for the best. we benefit, as readers, from his misfortune of having to live with his father. at least he doesn't see it as a complete misfortune... that is, until he decides to run away....

Huck's adaptability and self-sufficiency

Huck Finn has been seen in a variety of situations. So far he's interacted with his father, Miss Watson, boys in the "gang", the widow, and Jim. He has also shown his ability to exist alone, and how self-sufficient he is. Whichever situation he finds himself in, Huck always manages to survive and protect himself. He is a very thoughtful and considerate boy. When he was trying to escape from Pap’s cabin he works at it little by little, when he sneaks out he plans and watches his tracks, and when he lives by himself he plans hard to keep himself hidden. “I made fast to a willow; then I took a bite to eat, and by and by laid down in the canoe to smoke a pope and lay out a plan” (47). My only question is “isn’t he worried that the smoke from his pipe will be seen?” He is worried about his tracks being seen, “It was all grass clear to the canoe, so I hadn’t left a track” (45). Huck also lives with a father who doesn’t think him to be self-sufficient. When Huck falls asleep next to the gun and his father finds him, and then questions him as to why. Huck’s response is that he heard something, and he knows that if that were actually to be the case he could defend himself. His father doesn’t realize that Huck made up the story but he doesn’t think that Huck would be able to defend himself, “Another time a man comes a-prowling round here you roust me out, you hear?” (44) Pap would have no faith in Huck, no faith at all with his being self-sufficient. From what we’ve read so far all acts made by Huck point to the contrary. They show him being a self-sufficient boy, one who would be able to confront any situation dealt to him and come out on the other side alive.

Huck's Differences Between Him Being Alone and With Other People

Huck, as any child, is dependent on the Widow, Pap, and peers in his community.  But when he is off on his own in the lonely island's along the river, he has to be more independent and rely not on other's but more on himself.  Huck relies and learns from everyone in his community, although sometimes his immaturity can take over and make him seem like he doesn't care. For example, when Huck started attending school, he pretended like he didn't like it.  But eventually he started to like it.  That is also an example of his adaptability, which comes in handy when he is alone on the island.  His adaptability in all situations is one thing that stays consistent throughout Huck's adventure.  When he is alone, however, he thinks his situations a little bit more thoroughly.  For example, when he was leaving the trace he thought about where the people would think he is.  But when he is living with the Widow, he doesn't think things through as much.  For example when Miss Watson is teaching him spelling, Huck says bad things without thinking about them which gets him into trouble.  

Huck on the Island

While Huck is at home with Ms. Watson and with his father, he acts more dependent on the people around him. Although he does not act like he needs both his father and Ms. Watson, without them he would not have been able to survive. It was not until Huck was alone on Jackson's Island that he realized that he could be very independent by himself. Huck learned to collect berries and feed himself. Huck's brilliance was shown all throughout chapter seven, leading up to his escape. When he captured the pig and killed it to stage his murder, it showed how tactful and wily he was. His next plan to steal the canoe and paddle to an island and survive on his own showed his maturity.

Huck clearly changes from the time he is at home to when he is traveling the river by himself. He gains independence from Ms. Watson and his father and is now about to start life on his own at young age. Huck is accepting of new journey.

Adapting or Reacting?

We [the reader] discover and learn the characteristics of the three different environments Huck Finn has been subjected to, and how Huck is able to adapt his lifestyle or change his attitude as he is exposed to these environments. These environments include the "sivilized" home of Miss Watson, Tom Sawyer's gang, and Pap's place. In addition to his environment changing, so does his attitude and life style. For example, when Huck is with Miss Watson, he is, or at least tries to be the presentable, respectable boy Miss Watson wants him to be. However, whenever Huck is with his gang or with his Pap, he is his relaxed, misbehaved, misguided self.

Looking at the question we were presented with, asking us whether Huck has or has not adapted to his environments, I believe that adapting is not the correct word.  Rather I believe the word react is more appropriate.  I believe this because Huck has not spent enough time in each of his three environments to have the ability to adapt but rather react to each environment.  Furthermore, if Huck did actually adapt to one of his environments, I believe his behavior would remain constant no matter where he was because he would be used to a certain behavior, however, we know this is not true.  Lastly, whether it is adapting or reacting, it is obvious that there is something about his environments that causes him to change.

Huck' adapting, and connection to the Odyssey

Huck has been in many environments in the story. He seems to be able to adapt well to the many situations that he as been placed in. One of his environments is him living with his drunken father Pap. On pg. 41 it reads, "He chased me round and round the place with a claspknife.... Huck shows his adaptability in this situation. He is able to out run his father to save his life. This ability says Huck's life for that time. He than learns from his fathers attempt to kill him, and is ready to strike back with the gun that he has waiting when his father awakens.
Huck's travels are different than the journey of Odysseus in the Odyssey. Huck seems to spend more time with the characters that he encounters. These encounters than help him adapt to different situation that are to com in the future. In addition Huck also seems to be connect to the people he encounters. Odysseus in the Odyssey didnt spend much time on the islands he visits. He also didnt seem to connected with the characters that he meets. Odysseus is basically trying to get home, while Huck is learning different things as he meets characters.

Adventure, Travel, and Home for Huckleberry Finn

Huck Finn has been forced to deal with the inevitable adaptation to the change in his immediate environment. He has gone from the "sivilized" confines of Miss Watson's orderly home, to his father's drunken abode where Huck often finds himself being unjustly abused. Another interesting environment that Huck often involves himself in his his gang of robbers, who often talk about performing some adventuresome expedition in addition to some serious crimes. I believe that although he does not physically travel far, the extent to which his environments contrast each other is great. These environmental disparities seem to cause a nonphysical distance between each location that he travels to and from over the course of his day-to-day life. Relating The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Homer's epic tale of the great ancient Greek figure Odysseus in The Odyssey, one will notice that the theme of travel is one that appears in both. However, while Odysseus has his eyes fixed on a predefined destination that he calls home (Ithaca), Huck's sense of home seems to constantly changing. When Huck's father takes him away from the widow that has been taking care of him, his sense of home changes to stay with his father. "...and I didn't see how I'd ever got to like it so well at the widow's...I didn't want to go back no more. I had stopped cussing, because the widow didn't like it; but now I took to it again because pap hadn't no objections." (Mark Twain 34).

Huckleberry's journeys

Huck has been in so many places, just in the first few chapters. He has been in the Widow's house, ran away from the Widow's house and then came back. He then lives with Pap in a whole different environment than what he was used to when living with the widow. You really get a sense from all his moving and his attitudes from it that when he applies himself so to speak, he adapts really easily and likes the next place better than the last. When he first started off living with the Widow he hated all her rules and order, he was used to living on his own and not having any rules so he ran away "it was rough living in that house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and when i couldn't stand it no longer I lit out".(pg4) But eventually, he came back and changed even more, getting used to washing up, going to bed on time, and even enjoying going to school. "At first I hated the school, but by and by I got so I could stand it....I was sort of getting used to the widow's ways, too, and they warn't so raspy on me." (pg22)
I think that this book is about journeys but more that the character takes instead of the heroic battles and such. Odysseus' travel is mostly just a mission to get home, while Huckleberry's is more of a mission to find his home. Odysseus knew who he was and even though the Trojan war probably changed him in more ways than one Huckleberry is still trying to find his own sort of person and these places are adding to his change and development.

Huck Finn = The Odyssey ??

Huck does have to adapt pretty drastically from environment to environment as his "journey" progresses. I feel that he hasn't quite adapted to Tom Sawyer's gang yet, since he has some objections to some of the activities that take place in it. Huck, in my opinion, wouldn't really be characterized as a "gang member," because, even though the boys are pretending to do these activities, he chooses to not do them, which shows that 1) he doesn't succumb to peer pressure, if you will, and 2) he's a person that does the right thing. He both has and hasn't adapted to Pap's place. He hasn't adapted to seeing his father at such an unexpected time, but he has adapted to the way his father acts. I feel that Huck Finn's journey so far is generally similar to that of Odysseus - every new place requires some sort of adapting to. However, a key possible similarity between Huck Finn and The Odyssey is that a major theme in both books is adventure and meeting new people.

Huck's Adaptation

Huck seems very capable of adapting to the various environments he has been exposed to. Used to living a free and unstructured life, he is plunged into a lifestyle very different at Miss Watson's house. Education, clothes, and a bed are things he is unaccustomed to, but he eventually learns to appriciate and enjoy them. Just when Huck gets used to his new surroundings, his father takes him away to live in a cabin on an isolated island. He immediately goes back to his old way of life, encouraged by his uncivilized father. He wonders how he could have liked living in proper society with the widow, when his 'new' life has no rules or requirements.
"...and i didn't see how I'd ever got to like it so well at the widow's, where you had to wash, and eat on a plate, and comb up, and go to bed and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book, and have old Miss Watson pecking at you all the time."
(Twain 34)
This easy transition between civilization and the wild show how adaptable Huck is to whatever comes his way.

Mr. Adaptable aka Huck

I feel like Huck is a very adaptable boy/young man...he may not always like the situation he's in at first but it seems like he usually end up liking it at least somewhat before long. When he goes back to live with Widow Thatcher, at first he moans and groans a bit about having to go back and be "sivilized", but then he realizes it might not be so bad after all. Huck says on page 22 "At first I hated school, but by and by I got so I could stand it...I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones, too, a little bit." I think that because he's had to deal with some hard stuff in his life(a drunk, abusive dad whos never around, his mother being dead, etc.) he knows how to adapt, and maybe look on the brigter side of things. However, when he gets "kidnapped" by Pap, he seems very happy to revert to his old ways of smoking, living off the land, and wearing his old rags. Obviously he doesn't like when Pap gets drunk and beats him, but Huck still seems to want to please his dad, which is puzzling. If I had a dad like Pap I would never want to talk to him again. Huck's travels differ from Odyseuss' in that Huck seems to be much more adaptable, and in some ways, I think, more clever. Everyone hails Odyseuss as cunning and wise and clever, but I don't know if he could come up with the idea Huck did to escape from his Pap. Odyseuss also was dying to get home, while Huck is running away from his. Well Huck doesn't really have a home but he's running away from the closest thing he has to one.

Huck Finn's Journey in Comparison to Mine

I believe that Huck Finn's journeys and changes in homes are different to mine because of the lack of structure in his journey. I have a home and my only goal is to return home and to a family that I have left to fight a war and go on an unexpected and long journey. Huck on the other hand, does not have a family to return to, rather going somewhere in hopes of finding one. Miss Watson’s sivilized home, Tom Sawyer’s gang, Pap’s place, some of these places he had no control over and did not have any sense of direction due to his lack of control, which led to resentment either by the place’s social reformation or by the past that he has had with it. Miss Watson’s house was based too much of social approval and conformity than Huck could bear, and Pap’s place was filled with an abusive past that clearly has not changed especially after Pap’s jealousy of Huck and his higher education. It is obvious that after a comment by Pap to take Huck “down a peg” that Huck will not share a home with Pap for long and his journey will continue.

ARETE!!!

Hi I'm Arete, but you can call me excellence.

I am the wife of King Alcinous and the mother of Nausicaa and Laodamas.

Queen of Scheria.

I welcomed Odysseus into my palace and treated him hospitably.

I love to swim, and feast with my husband.

and I also love when guests come to stay.

Introductory Post

Welcome everyone to the Tenth grade English blog. Please take some time to introduce yourself in this entry.