The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Analysis Learning Goals:
Identify and Define Satire and Satirical Strategies
Analyze how Satire proves theme
Evaluate the use of Satire to prove theme

Identify and Define Realism and Regionalism
Analyze the characteristics of Realism and Regionalism to prove theme
Evaluate the use of Realism and Regionalism to prove theme
Synthesize the characteristics of Realism and Reconstruction patterns and issues to determine how Realism and Regionalism were responding to the Reconstruction Era

Listen to the Audio of Huck Finn from Libre Vox:

Remember to read along with the audio.  Your long-term complex-text reading skills don't improve unless you read along.  Eyes on the page.

Chapter 1-4:  Who is Huck?  Why does Twain use Huck as the storyteller for this tale?  Is he a reliable narrator?

Chapters 5-7:   Focus on Pap.  Use symbols and satire to determine who from Reconstruction Pap represents.

Chapters 8-11: Compare and contrast Huck and Jim's motivations for running away.  

Chapters 12-15: Compare life on the river with life on land.  What is Huck and Jim's relationship?

Chapters 16-18:  Oh, the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons.  Remind you of anything?  What could these families be a metaphor for?  How so?

Chapters 19-22: Who are these idiots?  Does Huck believe that they are who they say they are?  Why doesn't he confront them or tell Jim?

Chapters 23-26: The King and the Duke take advantage of people.  They're clearly horrible.  How does Twain portray the people they're taking advantage of?  Who does Twain really want readers to be like?

Chapters 27-31:  Aww, Huck's growing up.  How is Huck acting differently lately than he did at the beginning of the book?  What prompts this?

Chapters 32-37:  What does "adventure" and "heroism" mean to  Tom and to Huck?  Compare each boy's plan to rescue Jim.  Who is the true hero of this novel?

Chapters 38-End:  Which characters are dynamic and which are static?  What have the dynamic character's learned?