The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain - 1810 Words

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a controversial tale which follows a young white boy and a runaway slave on their journey along the Mississippi, has spurred large debate surrounding fundamental elements of society and has continued to entertain a wide audience for over a century. Whether it’s the humanized runaway slave, the realistic and intelligent adolescent, the outrageous characters, or perhaps the charming vernacular, this adventurous story is arguably the source of â€Å"all modern American literature† (Hemingway 22). Mark Twain, the author of such an illustrious text, is an exalted raconteur who utilized frank humor, satire, and regional culture and dialect to convey his typically negative beliefs about society and morality. His†¦show more content†¦His sole reason for reconnecting with Huck is to obtain the $6000 of treasure that he believed Huck owned. In order for Pap to reinforce his dominance over Huck, the two relocate to â€Å"the old log hu t...where the timber was so thick you couldn’t find it if you didn’t know where it is† (Twain 25). The isolated and seemingly inescapable abode symbolizes the difficulty of emerging from the exploitation and abuse of Pap’s toxic tendencies. Pap’s perpetual struggle to remain superior to Huck caused him to abuse Huck–both physically and mentally. When Pap is formally introduced, Huck says that â€Å"I used to be so scared of him all the time, he [beat] me so much† (Twain 20)–clearly a sign of physical abuse. Pap also demeans Huck by making everything Huck does about him: â€Å"You’re educated, too, they say...You think you’re better’n your father, now, don’t you, because he can’t?† (Twain 21). One tactic used by many abusers is centering the actions of the person being abused in order to make them feel guilty for trying to better themselves and assert dominance in the relationship–which Pap clearly does against Huck although Huck’s formal education likely had little to do with aggravating his father. Through Pap’s abusive and rapacious mannerisms, Twain illuminates the corruption of seeking social dominance for no reason other than superiority and connote it with abuse. Unfortunately for Huck, the materialism and self-centered personalities of those around him continue to