Adventures of Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

Background InformationBackground Information

Historical Ramifications:Historical Ramifications:

In the 1850s, where did the state of In the 1850s, where did the state of Missouri stand on the issue of slavery?Missouri stand on the issue of slavery?

How were slaves regarded prior to the Civil How were slaves regarded prior to the Civil War? After the Civil War?War? After the Civil War?

How could intelligent people actually How could intelligent people actually believe that slavery was an appropriate believe that slavery was an appropriate institution?institution?

Why were actions such as helping slaves Why were actions such as helping slaves escape or teaching slaves to read escape or teaching slaves to read considered punishable crimes?considered punishable crimes?

Continued:Continued: What causes racial prejudice? How can What causes racial prejudice? How can

attitudes between races be improved?attitudes between races be improved? Adventures of Huckleberry FinnAdventures of Huckleberry Finn was was

published in the 1880s, well after slavery published in the 1880s, well after slavery had been abolished. Twain grew up when had been abolished. Twain grew up when slavery was legal, and the novel’s setting is slavery was legal, and the novel’s setting is the 1840s/1850s, before the Civil War. the 1840s/1850s, before the Civil War. Twain wrote the novel to condemn the “Jim Twain wrote the novel to condemn the “Jim Crow” laws that existed after the Civil War. Crow” laws that existed after the Civil War. What did he understand about humanity What did he understand about humanity that many people of his time (and even that many people of his time (and even today) did not?today) did not?