Huck Discussion Questions XL-Chapter the Last

1. What do we learn about Jim in these chapters?

Jim is a very patient and kind man. He is willing to go with the flow during Tom’s ridiculous schemes. Jim cares about the boys, and shows this when he makes Huck go get a doctor for Tom. Jim turned himself in to help the doctor assist Tom. He is a very loyal friend, and repeatedly sacrifices himself for others.

2. What effect does the Doctor's speech in support of Jim have? How do you feel about that?
The Doctor’s speech is about how Jim was a very kind and helpful slave. The Doctor says that Jim basically gave up his freedom to help Tom, and was a good guy. The farmers, in response, promised to stop cussing at him. I think the farmer’s promise was not a large enough gesture of thanks towards Jim, considering he would still be shackled to the walls and floors and fed only bread and water.

3. What is the significance of the bullet?
At first, Tom was proud of being shot. It made him feel heroic, but he was in a dire physical condition afterwards. It made him realize that they were in a very serious situation. Tom, at the end of the novel, has the bullet on his watch chain. He will undoubtedly exaggerate his story of being shot to many people in the future.

4. Where is Huck going at the end of the novel? What does this imply about his view of the world in which he lives?
Huck is going to the territories, so out west. He wants to get away from the slavery of civilization and seeks freedom and adventure.

5. Comment on the style of the novel. Do you feel it represents the Realist tradition as we have discussed it? What aspects of Huck's character make him a good narrator? What problems did you encounter (if any) due to Huck's narration? Speculate on how a different narrator or a third person omniscient narrator would impact the story.

This is a realistic novel that parodies romantic literature.

Huck is a very honest and straightforward narrator, and reports things exactly how he sees them. His narrations are not clouded with unnecessary details or flourishes. The problem with his straightforward way of writing, though, is that he sometimes fails to see the humor in things. This also is caused by his young age.

I don’t think there is any better way to tell this story than through the viewpoint of Huck. He is an honest narrator and his views of society interlaced throughout the novel help drive home the wickedness of society. A third person omniscient narrator wouldn’t allow the emotional side of the story to be there.