Short Answers and Questions - Huckleberry Finn 1

Name: Isaiah Castaneda Date: 2022 SHORT ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS - Huckleberry Finn Chapters 1-3 1. Identify: Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Jim, Miss Watson and Widow Douglas. Huck Finn: The protagonist of Mark Twain's novel "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." He is a young boy who runs away from home and embarks on various adventures along the Mississippi River Tom Sawyer: Huck's adventurous and imaginative friend, who is the protagonist of Mark Twain's earlier novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Jim: A runaway slave who becomes Huck's companion and friend during their journey down the river Miss Watson: Widow Douglas's sister, who tries to civilize Huck and teach him proper behavior Widow Douglas: A kind-hearted widow who takes Huck in and tries to reform him 2. Why doesn't Huck get along with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas? Huck doesn't get along with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas because they represent authority and societal norms that he resents and rebels against. He finds their attempts to civilize him stifling and restrictive, and he longs for the freedom to live life on his own terms 3. What does Huck think about religion -- specifically the good place, the bad place and prayer? Huck has a skeptical and irreverent attitude towards organized religion. He questions the concepts of heaven (the "good place") and hell (the "bad place"), finding it difficult to believe in a system of reward and punishment based on earthly behavior. He also views prayer as a futile exercise, as he sees no tangible results from it in his own life 4. Give at least two examples of superstition in this section of the novel. One example of superstition is when Huck believes that touching a snake's skin brings bad luck. He becomes paranoid after finding a snakeskin in the cabin he shares with Jim and is convinced that bad luck will follow Another example is when Huck and Jim encounter a series of seemingly ominous signs, such as finding a loaf of bread with a cross marked on it. They interpret these signs as warnings of impending trouble and become superstitious about their implications 5. Contrast Huck and Tom. What are their main differences? Huck is practical, independent, and resourceful, whereas Tom is imaginative, adventurous, and influenced by romanticized notions of heroism Huck is from a lower socioeconomic background and lacks formal education, while Tom comes from a more privileged background and is well-educated Huck is more empathetic and compassionate towards others, particularly towards Jim, whereas Tom is more focused on enacting elaborate schemes and adventures Huck tends to question societal norms and authority figures, whereas Tom is more inclined to conform to societal expectations and rules, albeit with a mischievous streak