1. a) Huck Finn shaped my viewing experience of Night of the Hunter by creating a lens in which I watched the movie with the intent of finding connections between it and the book. In the movie, I noticed how The Pastor was an irresponsible father figure, similar to how Huck's father was irresponsible. Both had an interest in money that belonged to the children. Consequently, Huck, John, and Pearl all realized that the money was too much responsibility for them to handle. Huck decides to give his money to the mayor because he doesn't want to have to deal with his father. John hits The Pastor with the doll full of money when he's at his breaking point, saying he doesn't want it anymore and that it is "too much". Pearl tells The Pastor where the money is after much interrogation. All these things point to the fact that children should not be left to control large sums of money.
b) Both works address the topic of responsibility of adults. Huck Finn has an irresponsible father, and the role of a good parent is taken up by The Widow. This is to show how Huck's father was supposed to act and how he fell severely short of the standards of a good, responsible parent. In Night of the Hunter, the kids' father decides to steal money from a bank in order to give his kids a good life that doesn't involve them roaming the streets. However, the ends don't justify the means in this case, and the money ends up causing lots of problems for the children later on. Their mother doesn't do a much better job, because she invites a murderer into their house and marries him. The Pastor is not a good father-figure either, because he only wants to take the money from the children, and doesn't really care about their well-being (he starves them, lets them get dirty, etc.). The only proper adult figures in the film are the old couple who worries after the family, and Uncle Berdie, who helps John fix the boat him and Pearl use to escape with. And even then, all three of them aren't good parental figures either because the old couple is misled by The Pastor, and Uncle Berdie drinks too much.
3. I don't know if I'd teach Night of the Hunter with Huck Finn. Although I can see the merits of doing so, I don't believe that the two are the best match. Both works are fairly old, so if I had to teach Huck Finn, I would probably pick a newer movie to pair with the book in order to keep students' interest. I'd probably pick Matilda or some other movie about a child with an inappropriate family, and have students focus on how parents should act with their children, and what was wrong with how the parents in the book and film acted. I could also make them focus on things like greed and magic, which are prevalent in both works.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
The Ending of Huck Finn: Rascist?
Essentially, I think the answer to this question is no. Upon reading the ending of the book, I was not struck by its racism, although it is present. What I focused on more was the pure childishness of the two boys. Huck and Tom both acted very childishly throughout the whole ordeal of freeing Jim. The two of them scared Tom's relatives half to death, stole and ruined a lot of their personal property, and put Jim through a lot of trouble, all because they were pretending they were prisoners trying to break out of jail. This is a dangerous thing because the boys can't tell real life and make-believe apart, which will cause a lot of heart-ache and distress for Tom's family in the future.
Tom, especially, is severely childish because he knew the facts about the situation the whole time. Not only did he suggest the whole notion of the three of them being prisoners that had to break out, but he's the one who suggested they break Jim out the hard way, rather than just letting him go free. And the whole time, he knew that Jim was already a free man! He could of told his aunt how Jim was already free, or he could have easily gone with Huck's plan of just letting Jim go, and everything would have worked out fine and would have been very easy. But no, Tom had to have his "finesse", and so he put Huck and Jim through all that trouble to "break out of prison".
The worst thing about it is that people were hurt by the boys' decisions. The aunt was extremely distraught for days, afraid of everything that moved. Huck had to lie for extended amounts of time, pretending he was someone else. Jim had to go through all the trouble of following Tom's directions because he didn't know any better, and then proceeded to be caught again and treated worse than before. And Tom got himself shot, which seemed to have become infected judging from the way he acted afterwards.
I can see the racist elements within the ending of the story, but I believe that the ending Mark Twain created was meant to do more than purely show the power race has. It was meant to show how imaginations can run wild and end up hurting others. It was meant to show the naivety of children. It was meant to show Jim's trust in the boys, and how his trust may have been misplaced. And I'm sure it was meant to do a lot of other things, as well.
Tom, especially, is severely childish because he knew the facts about the situation the whole time. Not only did he suggest the whole notion of the three of them being prisoners that had to break out, but he's the one who suggested they break Jim out the hard way, rather than just letting him go free. And the whole time, he knew that Jim was already a free man! He could of told his aunt how Jim was already free, or he could have easily gone with Huck's plan of just letting Jim go, and everything would have worked out fine and would have been very easy. But no, Tom had to have his "finesse", and so he put Huck and Jim through all that trouble to "break out of prison".
The worst thing about it is that people were hurt by the boys' decisions. The aunt was extremely distraught for days, afraid of everything that moved. Huck had to lie for extended amounts of time, pretending he was someone else. Jim had to go through all the trouble of following Tom's directions because he didn't know any better, and then proceeded to be caught again and treated worse than before. And Tom got himself shot, which seemed to have become infected judging from the way he acted afterwards.
I can see the racist elements within the ending of the story, but I believe that the ending Mark Twain created was meant to do more than purely show the power race has. It was meant to show how imaginations can run wild and end up hurting others. It was meant to show the naivety of children. It was meant to show Jim's trust in the boys, and how his trust may have been misplaced. And I'm sure it was meant to do a lot of other things, as well.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Why English?
Huck Finn should be taught in an English class rather than a History class because it is a literary novel, not a historical textbook. It is a subjective novel, and therefore is better suited for English; more objective texts should be taught in the History class. Huck's story has themes of acceptance and equality that are not widely felt by others of his time, making the novel inappropriate for a history text. Usually, history texts represent the majority of opinions felt at the time period instead of the minority, like Huck.
Another reason Huck Finn should be taught in English rather than History is because of the literary elements present throughout the novel. Things like literary themes, new language, deeper readings, and symbols are things present in Huck Finn that just never would be covered in a History class. Other things unrelated to the history of the novel, like the relationships between parents and children, as well as friendships; would also not be covered in the History class but would be paramount to the understanding of the novel itself. The basis of the novel revolves around individual relationships, which would make it useless to a History class which focuses on the big picture.
The last reason Huck Finn should be taught in English classes is because of the controversy about the novel. By giving the novel to the students to read, we allow them to make their own decisions about the novel. Rather than relying on the opinions of others, students should be making their own opinions.
Another reason Huck Finn should be taught in English rather than History is because of the literary elements present throughout the novel. Things like literary themes, new language, deeper readings, and symbols are things present in Huck Finn that just never would be covered in a History class. Other things unrelated to the history of the novel, like the relationships between parents and children, as well as friendships; would also not be covered in the History class but would be paramount to the understanding of the novel itself. The basis of the novel revolves around individual relationships, which would make it useless to a History class which focuses on the big picture.
The last reason Huck Finn should be taught in English classes is because of the controversy about the novel. By giving the novel to the students to read, we allow them to make their own decisions about the novel. Rather than relying on the opinions of others, students should be making their own opinions.
Jim's Take on King Solomon
Rich vs Poor
Many siblings vs Only child
Stupidity vs Intelligence
Lawful vs Unlawful
Shallow reading vs Deep reading
Misunderstanding vs Understanding
Simplicity vs Complexity
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Huck and Jim as Friends
At the end of Chapter 15, Huck plays a mean trick on Jim. He tells Jim that the ordeal with them both being lost in the fog and separated was just a dream, and Jim believes him for a while until he sees the damage to their raft. He becomes very upset about it and tells Huck that friends don't do that to each other. Huck, in return, apologizes and vows never to do that again to Jim. He says he would "kiss his feet" if it would make Jim feel better about it.
This chapter shows the beginning of Huck's and Jim's true friendship. To Huck, slavery and color of skin don't matter. Jim is still a person in Huck's eyes, and deserves the same amount of respect as he would give Tom Sawyer. In return, Jim views Huck as a friend instead of a slaver or a boss. In each other's eyes, they are equal.
In Chapter 14, I thought it was interesting that Huck was talking to Jim about King Solomon and how he solved the dilemma about the two women claiming ownership of a child. The fact that Jim thought King Solomon was unwise because he would cut a child in two because of his upbringing is a very smart thing to remark on, even though he doesn't have the right idea about the moral of the story. This shows that Jim has more intelligence than society would give him credit for. I also thought it was interesting that Huck tried to convince Jim that French people don't speak English through the Socratic method. In one of my other classes, I'm reading The Republic by Plato, and the way Huck tries to convince Jim is exactly how Socrates tries to convince his companions on justice. Maybe this suggests that Huck would make a good philosopher, or at least has more intelligence than the widow gives him credit for.
This chapter shows the beginning of Huck's and Jim's true friendship. To Huck, slavery and color of skin don't matter. Jim is still a person in Huck's eyes, and deserves the same amount of respect as he would give Tom Sawyer. In return, Jim views Huck as a friend instead of a slaver or a boss. In each other's eyes, they are equal.
In Chapter 14, I thought it was interesting that Huck was talking to Jim about King Solomon and how he solved the dilemma about the two women claiming ownership of a child. The fact that Jim thought King Solomon was unwise because he would cut a child in two because of his upbringing is a very smart thing to remark on, even though he doesn't have the right idea about the moral of the story. This shows that Jim has more intelligence than society would give him credit for. I also thought it was interesting that Huck tried to convince Jim that French people don't speak English through the Socratic method. In one of my other classes, I'm reading The Republic by Plato, and the way Huck tries to convince Jim is exactly how Socrates tries to convince his companions on justice. Maybe this suggests that Huck would make a good philosopher, or at least has more intelligence than the widow gives him credit for.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Huckleberry Finn and Poverty/Class
The influence of poverty and class within this novel, at first, seem very obvious. Huck Finn, an impoverished child, struggles through trying to fit into the norms of regular society when he doesn't believe in the standards. The norms of society include proper dress, suitable living environments, ability to read and write, and abstinence from smoking. Huck Finn doesn't understand why all these things are necessary, when he lives perfectly comfortably dressed in his rags in the woods.
Huck's father, also impoverished, represents a more reluctant kind of poverty. Instead of enjoying his stature in society, as Huck does, he almost always complains about how the government is corrupt and messed up in some way. He wants the mayor to give him the money Huck gained because he feels he is entitled to his son's wealth, being his father. He only uses the money he finds for alcohol, so Huck makes sure he can't gain the money.
The subject of slavery plays heavily into class and poverty as well. Slaves are viewed as the lowest form of society in Huck's time; even Huck's father talks disdainfully about slaves. However, slaves are also worth a lot of money. Jim tells Huck that he is worth $800, so he is technically rich. But he does wish that he had that money in it's physical form and he would never need any more than that.
Why is reading Huckleberry Finn through the lens of poverty or class important for understanding the novel? I don't really know just yet. I do know that this lens will help me associate this book with other books that have poverty and class as a theme, so I will be able to help my students see the comparisons as well. This lens can also help me understand the intricacies of what Mark Twain was trying to accomplish with the novel.
Huck's father, also impoverished, represents a more reluctant kind of poverty. Instead of enjoying his stature in society, as Huck does, he almost always complains about how the government is corrupt and messed up in some way. He wants the mayor to give him the money Huck gained because he feels he is entitled to his son's wealth, being his father. He only uses the money he finds for alcohol, so Huck makes sure he can't gain the money.
The subject of slavery plays heavily into class and poverty as well. Slaves are viewed as the lowest form of society in Huck's time; even Huck's father talks disdainfully about slaves. However, slaves are also worth a lot of money. Jim tells Huck that he is worth $800, so he is technically rich. But he does wish that he had that money in it's physical form and he would never need any more than that.
Why is reading Huckleberry Finn through the lens of poverty or class important for understanding the novel? I don't really know just yet. I do know that this lens will help me associate this book with other books that have poverty and class as a theme, so I will be able to help my students see the comparisons as well. This lens can also help me understand the intricacies of what Mark Twain was trying to accomplish with the novel.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Thinking Before Reading: Huck Finn
If you were in eleventh grade honors English in my high school, you read Huckleberry Finn. Unfortunately, I was not in eleventh grade honors English. From what I heard from my friends about the book, it was a hard read with excessive use of the word "nigger". Many people told me they didn't like the book, at all.
However, when I was a kid, I had seen many shows that depicted the story of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I enjoyed those stories a lot, so I'm surprised that not many people enjoyed Huck Finn. But I suppose the story of Huckleberry is different than Tom's story.
When I read, I expect to be challenged, at least a little, by the language of the story. I'm not sure how much I will enjoy the story itself, but I hope its more than my friends in high school did. Hopefully the fact that I'm not reading it until college will help. I know I enjoyed Catcher in the Rye a lot more than others back in high school did because I read it in college and, therefore, understood it better.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-20044663.html
This article talks about the use of "nigger" in Huckleberry Finn. While some teachers in the article believe that the word is necessary to create the proper effect, others believe it's unnecessary and used too often. The book has been banned from some schools specifically because of the use of "nigger". One publisher in Alabama changed the word to "slave" so that schools that banned Huck Finn can have enroll it in their school curriculum again without having to worry about offending students or parents.
However, censoring Mark Twain has stirred up controversy of its own. Some scholars believe that Mark Twain used "nigger" with the intention of shocking readers and making them think about the meaning and consequence of the word. Others believe that the word is used to replicate the speech of the time period. Those who believe that the word is used simply to replicate speech seem not to mind the edited version of Huck Finn.
Myself, I'd prefer to read the book the way it was intended. Whatever the author's intention was, I want to experience it that way. I disagree with censoring Huck Finn. I don't believe any author's language should be changed just to fit in society's standards. Books can be controversial. This makes them more interesting and causes readers to think about the content.
However, when I was a kid, I had seen many shows that depicted the story of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I enjoyed those stories a lot, so I'm surprised that not many people enjoyed Huck Finn. But I suppose the story of Huckleberry is different than Tom's story.
When I read, I expect to be challenged, at least a little, by the language of the story. I'm not sure how much I will enjoy the story itself, but I hope its more than my friends in high school did. Hopefully the fact that I'm not reading it until college will help. I know I enjoyed Catcher in the Rye a lot more than others back in high school did because I read it in college and, therefore, understood it better.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-20044663.html
This article talks about the use of "nigger" in Huckleberry Finn. While some teachers in the article believe that the word is necessary to create the proper effect, others believe it's unnecessary and used too often. The book has been banned from some schools specifically because of the use of "nigger". One publisher in Alabama changed the word to "slave" so that schools that banned Huck Finn can have enroll it in their school curriculum again without having to worry about offending students or parents.
However, censoring Mark Twain has stirred up controversy of its own. Some scholars believe that Mark Twain used "nigger" with the intention of shocking readers and making them think about the meaning and consequence of the word. Others believe that the word is used to replicate the speech of the time period. Those who believe that the word is used simply to replicate speech seem not to mind the edited version of Huck Finn.
Myself, I'd prefer to read the book the way it was intended. Whatever the author's intention was, I want to experience it that way. I disagree with censoring Huck Finn. I don't believe any author's language should be changed just to fit in society's standards. Books can be controversial. This makes them more interesting and causes readers to think about the content.
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