What are some important quotes from Huckleberry Finn?

Answer 1

In my opinion Huck's moral growth can be seen in his thievery. In the beginning Huck participates in imaginary theft with Tom and the gang. This was of no moral consequence and was very small in nature. As the book continues, so does Huck's thievery. However, as the stealing gets worse, his conscience begins to bother him more and more. He starts to rationalize about stealing the food and him and Jim even negotiate what they will not take in order to assuage their conscience. I think that as the stealing gets worse he grows more. It may seem silly to think that, but it's my opinion.

Answer 2

In chapter 10, Huck puts a dead rattlesnake near Jim's bed, and the snake's mate comes

in. Jim gets bitten in the leg and Huck feels really bad that he caused it. He realizes that he

should think out pranks before doing them, or not do them at all. "I wouldn't ever take a-holt of

a snake-skin again with my hands, now that i see what had come of it," (p 53).

In chapter 16, Huck confronts some men on a raft who were looking for runaway slaves.

Instead of giving Jim up, he says that his family is on board and his dad has the small pox. the

gentlemen decide to leave Huck alone because they didn't want any disease. He knew he did a

wrong thing by not giving Jim up, but he would have felt worse if he had. So he decides that he

will "always do whichever comes handiest at the time," (91).

In chapter 19, when Huck and Jim are floating down the river, two men run from the

shore and beg to get on the raft, so Jim and Huck let them on. These two men are professional

con-artists and say that they are a duke and a dauphin. Huck quickly realizes that the two men

are liars but he doesn't lead them on that he knows because he does not want to make trouble.

This changes him over the course of his adventures because if he called the two men out on

being lying frauds, then they probably would have left, or hurt Huck and Jim. This is an example

of how lying and keeping things to himself is the most convenient because he does not want to

make quarrels. "But I never said nothing, never let on; kept it to myself; it's the best way; then

you don't have no quarrels, and don't get into no trouble," (125).

In chapter 23, after the duke and dauphin scam a town out of $465, they run and get

away. Huck knows that they aren't royalty, but he doesn't see the point in telling Jim. Jim

already has a lot of things going on with his family and explains to Huck that he loves them very

much and cares for them a lot. Huck realizes that although "It don't seem natural," Jim loves his

family as much as white men love theirs. Jim also tells about a time where he beat his daughter.

Huck realizes that Jim has just as much a life as anyone and more heart, and is not simply a

runaway slave.

In Chapter 26, the dauphin and duke plan to steal the $6,000 from the Wilks family.

Huck is talking to Joanna, one of the daughters, when she starts getting suspicious and asks Huck

if he is making up all the things he is saying. They are interrupted by Joanna's sisters, Susan and

Mary Jane, and they tell Joanna to be nice and courteous to the guest. Joanna apologizes and

Huck starts to feel bad. Since all of the girls are so nice and genuine, Huck doesn't want them to

lose so much money. So he devises a plan to take the money from the duke and the dauphin.

This shapes Huck because he has feelings of empathy and remorse for the unknowing Wilks

family. If he were still the same kid that he was before, he might not have felt so sorry for the

Wilks' family and thought more about the money.

In chapter 31, Huck finds out that the dauphin is the one who captured and sold Jim

quickly. He decides to write to Tom Sawyer to tell Miss Watson where Jim is. But he soon

realizes that she would just sell him. Also, as soon as Huck's part in the whole runaway slave

story got out, he would be ashamed of helping a black man, a slave, escape. He says that this is

God's punishment for the sin of helping Jim. He tries to pray for forgiveness but before, he

thinks of all the times he and Jim had on the river and of Jim's kind heart. "All right then, I'll go

to hell!" (214). Instead of taking the safe path, he decides to do what is right. In a way, he

manned up and set off to steal Jim out of slavery.

In Chapter 32, Huck pretends to be the nephew of the people who have captured Jim. He

calls himself Tom and later finds out that he is impersonating none other than Tom Sawyer, his

best friend. This is a big twist for him because now he informs Tom of the situation and Tom is

more than happy to help. This shapes who Huck is because now he doesn't have to try to help

Jim alone. He will have a partner in crime and the plan will most likely be different. If he did his

own plan by himself, things would have been more simple.

In chapter 33, Tom and Huck meet up and go to the Phelps house. Tom says that he is his

half-brother, Sid. That night, they sneak out of the house. they see a mob of townspeople chasing

the duke and dauphin out of town. Huck feels bad for the two, but they got what they

deserved. "Human beings can be awful cruel to one another," (230). Huck realizes that a

conscience isn't of much use because it makes you feel bad no matter what.

In chapter 35, Huck devises a short and quick plan for getting Jim and escaping. But Tom

has something more elaborate. He wants to make things seem like an adventure story. For

example, he says that Jim should saw the chain off, rather than just lifting it. Huck likes this

stylish plan better. It shapes him because it shows that him and Tom are a great team and can

accomplish almost anything together.

In chapter 41, after Huck, Jim, and Tom run away, Huck runs into Silas, who takes him

home. Since Tom, who Aunt sally thinks is Sid, is still missing, she is very depressed. Huck

wants to go and find him, but Sally says that she doesn't want to risk another boy. Huck was

touched by her concern and vowed to never hurt her again. So even though Huck was lying

about Tom's and his identities, he still doesn't want to hurt Sally's feelings. One could say, for

this situation, that not telling the truth was a good thing.

Answer 3

"There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth."

"What's the use you learning to do right, when it's troublesome to do right and ain't no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same?"

Answer 4

Huckleberry Finn is a classic novel about Huck Finn and his friend Tom Sawyer. In the book Huck Finn is adjusting to a more elegant lifestyle than his previous vagabond style. Throughout the book there is an ever present theme of racism and slavery and the effects on this young boy.

Answer 5

1. "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."
2. "All kings is mostly rapscallions, as fur as I can make out."
3. "I'll take the canoe and go see, Jim. It mightn't be, you know."
4. "Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and a body ain't got no business doing wrong when he ain't ignorant and knows better."