The Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain

Elements of a Novel

Ideas, Concepts, and Vocabulary

The “N” word within the novel

Elements of a Novel

Basic Structure of a Novel: Introduction Plot Conflict Conclusion/resolution

Elements of a Novel

Contributing Elements: Theme Narrator/point of view Characters/names Dialogue/dialect Symbolism, imagery, and metaphor

Ideas and Concepts of Huck Finn

Story is told in first person, with Huck as the narrator.

Twain used dialects of the times and wrote as if Huck were actually speaking.

The story takes place in the South PRIOR to the Civil War. The country was divided into slave and free states.

Novel is episodic. The plot consists of numerous events, each of which is very short by itself.

Ideas and Concepts of Huck Finn

There are powerful contrasts found throughout the novel. The most important being between Huck and Tom and slavery and freedom.

Note Huck’s basic goodness. He is willing to go against society to help Jim.

Irony is widely used within novel. Twain gives the reader his opinion of people’s behavior using irony.

Vocabulary—define on your own time. Later you will check your definitions for accuracy via a

Powerpoint presentation.Aversion

Cynicism

Determinism

Ingenious

Parable

Transformation

Vocabulary

Regionalism- A feature, such as expression, a pronunciation, or a custom that is characterisic of a geographic area. *Example: Ya’ll—used in Texas.*

Dialect- A regional variety of a language, differing somewhat in pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary from other forms of the same language. *Example: Huck Finn—told in the dialect of the Mississippi valley before the Civil War.*

Vocabulary

Realism- The representation in literature or art of objects, actions, or social conditions as they actually are.

Satire- A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, sarcasm, or wit.

Narrative Voice- A narrated account; a story.

Analogies- Similarity in some respects between thing that are otherwise dissimilar. A comparison based on such similarity.

The “N” word within the novel

I have decided that we, as a class, will omit reading this word out loud when we are reading. Even so, we must understand the implications of the word and where it came from.

Nigger derives from the French negre, the Spanish and Portuguese negro, and from the Latin niger (black). In the U.S., “nigger” was first regarded as a disparaging (belittling) term in the 19th century.

The “N” word within the novel

Used rightly or wrongly, ironically or seriously, of necessity for the sake of realism, or impishly for the sake of comedy, it doesn’t matter. Most people do not like the word. Therefore, we will omit it from the classroom.

*Huck Finn uses the term for the sake of realism.

Your Jobs:

Keep up with the reading!Define your vocabulary!Understand all elements of a novel! Study these notes!

Reading Time Line: My idea is to read at least 10-15 pages daily. This may change so please be flexible.

You will be responsible for answering questions for certain chapters and for discussing EACH chapter.

We will read chapters 1-13 as a class and individually; chapters 14 - 31 in small groups; and then complete the novel as a class and individually.

Reading Time Line Continued

There will be a review-- this novel will also be tested on your semester exam.

A folder will be provided under each desk that contains chapter questions and chapter summaries. Your folder will help to fill in any gaps you might have.

Reading Time Line

*We will try to stay on this course as much as possible. Time line is subject to change!!*

*You should be prepared for pop quizzes based on content and vocabulary at ANY time!!! *

**You may choose to buy your own copy of the novel—this would be ideal!*

***All HF questions will be completed in your composition books. Write all questions in comp. book and then answer them there too.*

Author Bio

Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, was born in Missouri in 1835 Lived in an affluent family that owned several

slaves In 1847, Clemens’ father died and the family

entered into financial hard times Clemens left school, worked for a printer, and

began typesetting for The Hannibal Journal in 1851. He eventually worked as a printer in several cities before leaving the printing field to become a riverboat pilot.

His pen name, Mark Twain, is a reminder of his riverboat life; “By the mark, twain” was a riverboat leadsman’s signal that the water was deep enough for safe passage.

His life on the river became the backdrop for several of his books including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In 1861, Clemens joined a cavalry division in the Confederate army, but he wasn’t a committed Confederate and he joined the rest of his division in a mass desertion within a year.

He went West and became a silver miner. He finally became a journalist and began signing his articles “Mark Twain” in 1863.

He wrote several popular books and became wealthy. Over the years he married and raised a family.

He completed writing and publishing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1884 which became popular immediately.

His fortunes changed and by 1891 he was buried in debt. His wife and two of his daughters died over the next few years.

Scholars of Clemens’ writing suggest that the pessimism and darker tone of the books he wrote during the last few years prior to his death were influenced by his personal tragedies and his financial hardships.