Mark Twain

19 Pages 4717 Words

Analysis of Mark Twain and Social Criticism in ‘Huckleberry Finn’ and ‘Tom Sawyer’

In Mark Twain’s two major works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and its sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he develops and displays humor by concealing such humor within deeper, darker modes, ultimately producing a satire of the region in which he lived.
Examined within this paper are the methods that Twain uses to conceal his satire within the above two novels. The majority of his points are made using humor, but he also takes advantage of the use of southwestern dialect and Huck Finn’s childlike innocence. Much of the content of the two novels involves the region in which Twain lived as well as certain places or events in his lifetime. The aspects of his past that lead to his writing style as well as his life on the Mississippi is discussed as far as is relevant to support the thesis.
The information gathered to research the satirical aspect of Twain’s writing is primarily in the form of books. The research revealed his novels were deeply influenced by Twain’s past. His nature causes him to write in the manner he does. In his past, people tried to stifle his creative mind, and as a result his works are have their most important meanings hidden below the surface. This tendency is almost instinctive.
In conclusion, this entire paper may violate Twain’s notice in The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn, in that it attempts to find a motive, a moral, and a plot in the narrative; and it may lead its author to be subject to prosecution, banishment, and/or shooting. However, the novel is perhaps the best of it’s kind, and even in it’s warning it suggests a deeper meaning to the entire book. But like the warning, if one reads the book and accepts it at face value, they will miss out on Twain’s intentions.

“There are several kinds of stories, but only one difficult kind—the humorous...”
— Mark Twain

In M...