Huckleberry Finn Analysis - 18th Chapter

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In the eighteenth chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain expressed the ways of conformity in society. In the paragraph that consisted of Buck explaining “The Feud” to Huck, Twain transpired his nonchalant tone into the character of Buck. The feud being a traditional rivalry against two families, them being the Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords is anticipated by elders of the community to continue. Conformity comes in many different forms, depending on society’s customs. The youth are raised to have the same animosity towards people who are not their kin, never being told the original source of the conflict. In the same paragraph previously referred to, Huck attempts to inquire why the conflict started and which side started it. Buck answers “I don’t know” “How do I know? It was so long ago”, simplistically; showing that most people have conformed so deep into society that they cease to speculate the ideas of their ancestors. Huck and Jim aren’t exactly what you’d consider normal friends, considering society shuns the thought of them even having a friendly conversation. Huck being a fairly normal thirteen year-old and Jim being a modern day slave they come from two different worlds but seem to find some common ground when it comes to having a lack of interest with society’s customs. Jim doesn’t want to be a slave and although Huck is not eligible for slavery due to his lack of color he does feel the pressures of his surroundings. Just the thought of Huck and Jim’s friendship is a rebellion act against conformists who frown upon the companion ship of a boy and his “help”. Mark Twain shows his audience that conformists of society can take any form, but it takes someone like Huck to stand outside the

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