Christine and Nicci's Post: Escape and Return
How do Huck and Jim escape from or return to their world through their meeting with the "Duke" and the "King"?
In these chapters the "King" makes up a story about his being a pirate and how he is going to change his life, just like Huck's dad did near the beginning of the novel. Do you think Twain is satirizing the idea of people changing their lives? Do you think people can change thier lives? Particularly pariahs?
In these chapters the "King" makes up a story about his being a pirate and how he is going to change his life, just like Huck's dad did near the beginning of the novel. Do you think Twain is satirizing the idea of people changing their lives? Do you think people can change thier lives? Particularly pariahs?
posted by Kristin L | 12:05 PM
6 Comments:
Huck and Jim both retreat further from society as they join the Dauphin and the Duke. These two characters are very devious, and take the guys off the beaten path through their tom foolery.
People can change their lives. An drug addict can reform, and get off drugs. Thats a change.
Meeting the duke and the king does take Huck back to the town he ran away from I think. They are always making Jim and Huck do everything for them and serve them and stuff, just like his dad made him always go get dinner and do all the chores while he was gone.
Also, about the king saying that he was going to change his life, I can't really remember, but I think that Huck's dad really did want to change his life, but he didn't have enough motivation or reasons to give up the current status quo. But I definitely think that Twain is satirizing the idea of people trying to change their lives, because some people say it so often and never follow through because they are too lazy, or whatever the reason. It can be done, but in order for it to happen (for things like drugs, or smoking, or alcohol), I believe that you have to have a whole heck of a lot of motivation, reasons for doing it (or you'll just give up because you'll think there's no point), reasonable goals that can be achieved like every week (or you'll look at your current state, and think that it's too hard), and lots of support behind you (so that you know that you are doing it for a reason and there are people who care about you and care that you are reaching your goals). Huck's dad though, did not have any of these; he didn't truly want to give up drinking (no motivation, or not nearly enough), so there were also no reasons or goals set, and he had no support because Huck did not want to be around him and he isolated himself from everyone else except when he was drunk, and no one wanted to be around him then.
The Duke and King bring Huck and Jim back to reality. For a long time, Huck and Jim have been doing nothing but sitting on a raft completely isolated from everything. The Duke and King introduce them to things they may not have otherwise known. They also have them dock at many cities which shows them different ways of life.
Yes, I think that Twain is satirizing the idea of changing your life through really extreme examples. Both the King and Huck's dad are an extreme ends of the spectrum and they don't relate to the everyday person. He is making such an obvious attack on these men to show that a more down to earth person can change their life.
The King and the Duke jumpstart Huck and Jim's journey again. After being on a raft for a long time life got sort of mundane and boring for them; the King and the Duke made things exciting again. I do think that Twain is satirizing changing ones life because there have been so many changes in this book and no one has really been any more successful. Sure Huck has more freedom away from his dad but he's floating down a river in a raft not knowing whether he will live another night. It just seems like people have changed but not really benefited from it.
I agree that meeting the “King” and the “Duke” bring Huck and Jim make into reality but I think in some way they help pull them away as well. The “King” and the “Duke” are two extreme examples of people and most people are not like that so when Huck and Jim are surrounded by them there in an unreal world in a sense.
I agree with Katie that Twain is satirizing the idea of people trying to change their lives. Katie mentions people trying to better themselves but I think that change can go the other way too. In the situation of the “King” and the “Duke”, they changed their lives from poor runaways to someone who has someone waiting on them and calling them “Your Majesty”.
After meeting the Duke and the King, Huck and Jim realize that they need to continue with their journey. I think that Twain is trying to satirize the way people change their lives. It is almost comical the way he portrays the people in the book especially with Huck's dad. I think some people can change their lives but they truely have to desire change.
Post a Comment
<< Home