Weekly Reading Response

Name: Alex Barnes
Date: 1-4-10
Book: The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn
Author: Mark Twain
Pages: 0-44
Total Pages This Week: 44

1. What is confusing in this book? Why? ( Be Specific )

Something I found confusing about the book is the language the characters use. Reading the parts of the run away slave Jim is probably the hardest. Here's an example of Jim telling Huckleberry how he escaped on page 41. " I tuck out en shin down de hill en 'spec to steal a skift 'long de sho' som'ers 'bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirrin' yit , so I id in de ole tumble-down cooper shop on de bank to wait for everybody to go 'way. I also thought this book was a little bit confusing because I'd never read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer which is the prequel to Huck Finn somewhat. It isn't necessary but it would have been nice having that background information on Huck and Tom.

2. What has surprised you in the book? Why?

Something that surprised me in the book so far is the use of the n word to describe the slaves. I also thought it was strange that even the escaped slave Jim uses it. It just seems strange seeing a completely taboo word in a book. I was also surprised by the way Hucklberry's father treats him. His father beat him, took his money, and even tried to stab him. I was wondering if that was close to the norm back then. I also think it's weird how everyone just roams around in the book. Huckleberry's father went off for a whole year and Huckleberry does whatever he wants to.