Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Make America Huck Again

Although America strives to be a country that provides every citizen with freedom and equality, that's not necessarily how it is today. In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main character Huck goes on adventures and develops physically and emotionally. However, Mark Twain also included a character named Tom Sawyer, who is Huck's pal and the two go on some adventures with each other. Huck and Tom have two very different personalities and have contrasting ideals and beliefs.

Huck is very into people and stories, it's how he forms his beliefs and makes his decisions. He is much more trusting and is overflowing with emotions compared to Tom. Throughout the novel Huck learns what real affection is like and slowly becomes more understanding. This is seen as he never turns Jim, a runaway slave and his travel buddy, into the authorities. Huck realizes how much Jim needs his freedom and gives it to him.

Contrasting Huck is Tom, he came from a well-off family and finds his reasoning in books and readings. He is very interested in school, which Huck has never found an interest in. Where Huck can see and empathize for Jim suffering under slavery, Tom sees it as an opportunity to boost his ego and causes Jim more pain.

When relating the two to America, unfortunately Tom connects on more levels than Huck. Throughout recent years America has become much more accepting of minority groups and there has been a stronger push than ever for equality, there is still extreme racism and many other forms of hate present.

Tom represents the upper class, wealthy citizens, having many more liberties and getting everything their way. America semi reflects this fact when it comes to the social systems. Unfortunately, it's rare for people starting low on an economic scale to rise to the top.

As well as, discrimination in today's society is still extremely over looked. If only America and it's citizen's could have some of Huck's ideals. Huck believes in the reality of suffering and more often than not empathizes for it. If America was more like this equality would be far more easy to reach and life for minorities would be much more enjoyable.

Therefore, we live in The United States of Tom and until the people of this country switch their thinking to be more like Huck's, there will always be a great deal of discrimination. Let's hope that America keeps developing like Huck did, into a understanding and accepting person.

1 comment:

  1. I really like your title, and I agree with your argument that until people switch their thinking to be more like Huck nothing will really change. Nice argument and good evidence.