Diction

Blog Post #1 - Shei (pg. 1-150)

• Within the first thirty-five pages of the novel, Twain’s purpose was to paint a picture of Pap and his narrow-minded mentality. In chapter 6, when Pap hears that a State let a “nigger vote” (32), he swears that he will “never vote again” (32). Twain strategically creates Pap’s character as an antagonist because of his son’s contrasting decision made later in the novel. Having an unstable, extremely racist father could have led Huck to become a narrow-minded man as well. However, Twain makes known that Huck is nothing like his father because Huck eventually befriends an African-American slave on Jackson Island. The use of the word “nigger” exemplifies Pap’s perspective of African-Americans. Although the term was commonly used during the time period, Huck managed to scrap its connotation and care for Jim.

Blog Post #2 - Bethany (pg. 150-200)

“WELL, den, is JIM gywne to say it? No, sah—I doan' budge a step out'n dis place 'dout a DOCTOR, not if it's forty year!"

Within the novel, Twain uses diction with a negative connotation to describe race and to refer to Jim, a young slave. By doing so, Huck Finn says the term, “nigger,” several times throughout the start of the novel. This shows how at first, Finn is ignorant to the offense he brings to Jim when he refers to him as a negative being, rather than someone equal to him. Later in the novel, Jim is soon refers to as his own name, which shows the growth of Huck Finn as he soon realizes that Jim is both his friend and equal. He even fights Tom Sawyer’s family, calling both Tom and Jim equal, which also shows their friendship that has formed in a similar way to his with Tom Sawyer.

Blog Post #3 - Shei (pg. 200-250)

Diction:

“I’m blest if it don’t look to me like the truth is better, and actually safer, than a lie” (208).

• Twain gives a great example of diction when he states that “the truth is better, and actually safer, than a lie” (208). By using the word “safer”, Twain is posing an alternative to Huck’s normal tendency, which is to lie. “Safer” implies that by revealing the truth Huck would be better off. However, due to the fact that Huck faked his own death, the truth may only be safer for his conscience rather than his physical well-being. Lying comes naturally to Huck so by considering an alternative option, the though displays Huck’s growth. Irony is also present because it suggests the that truth is safer when in Huck’s situation, his hole of lies has already been dug so deep that it is hard to find a way out.

Blog Post #4 - Allison (pg. 250-300)

“Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.” (257)

• When I think of people who are awfully cruel to one another, I automatically think of girl drama or catffights. Okay, so how does this have to deal with Huck Finn? The word choice the author uses through the word phrase “awful cruel” tells us that the society, the characters are in are racist and cruel toward blacks and undesirables. Through this significance, it reveals the So What of how important it is to change society and all the stereotypes focused along the lines of slavery. Besides the overall background, when Huck and Tom sneak out of the house, they spot Duke and Dauphin tarred and feathered along with being humiliated in front of a mob of people. This helps the audience realize the corrupt society and the way people are tortured. But, it causes Huck to feel pity for not doing anything about the situation which is terrible on his part. In conclusion, society corrupts people to be cruel to one another.

“Where there warn’t one of them furnished to you by the people who it was their duty to furnish them, and you had to contrive them all out of your own head.” (265)

• On certain instances, some students like myself prefer to work independently than work with a group of people. By working independently, I don’t have to worry about waiting on others, but it is best knowing that things are done the way that I want it to be done. In this quote it reveals diction of the words “furnished” stating a person has to fix obstacles independently  by using their “own head” (265). In this novel, Tom had to be independent on thinking of the best situations to rescue Jim from Silas. Through his logical thinking and fixed ideas, Tom jotted his thoughts on the best ways to rescue Jim which was digging him out through the use of case-knives. The whole deal is that if someone wants to furnish actions or objects quickly, they have to do it by themselves.

Blog Post #5 - Kelly (pg. 300-350)

Mark Twain’s consistent use of the word ‘nigger’ throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn symbolizes the language and normality of racial segregation pre-Civil War. Despite being so young, Huck and Tom use the n-word throughout the novel, showing that their harsh language was simply just a way of the time and what they were raised around. If someone hears something constantly from their parents and the people around them, of course they will think it is right to say! Tom says he was, ‘only just hunting for the runaway nigger’ (308) and that he, ‘b’lieve the nigger was crazy’ (309). Context aside, Twain places these not-so-innocent words in the mouths of naive, ignorant child to symbolize the simplicity of the society. The society, as a whole, was ignorant in the fact that they thought slavery was a logical way of life and someone with a colored skin tone is actually inferior. Twain’s choice of diction in the novel shows how narrow-minded America was.