Sivilized

Brendan McMorrow

Mr. Barnes

+ English III

1 April 2013

Sivilized

Thesis: Twain uses the attempts to civilize Huck, the satirization of the southern slave culture, and Tom Sawyer’s civilized knowledge to show that just because something is accepted in society does not mean that it is right.

Throughout the novel, people are constantly trying to force their personal beliefs onto Huck. Or as he calls it, “sivilize” him. Within the first few pages, Miss Watson is already to teach Huck about religion, but Huck quickly decides that he “don’t take not stock in dead people” (Twain 2). She also tries to make him behave the way she wants, making sure he doesn’t “gap and stretch” the wrong way (2). Regardless of Miss Watson’s attempts, Huck “[likes] the old ways best” and reverts to them as soon as possible (15). With these failed attempts at civilizing Huck, Twain is establishing that Huck isn’t afraid to go against what society accepts as correct, wether it be religion, manners, etc. Huck’s ability to make decisions for himself based on what makes sense to him, not on what society tells him, allows Mark Twain to highlight how ridiculous some parts of civilization are.

Twain uses the slave culture prominent throughout the South to show just how wrong society can be. During Huck and Jim’s adventures down the Mississippi River  Huck starts to realize that Jim is actually a person and not just a n*****, as society would have him believe. Huck says he “knowed [Jim] was white inside”, meaning he respects Jim as an equal (276). Jim’s love for his family, and willingness to sacrifice his freedom for Tom’s safety make the slave culture seem absurd to the reader. Huck seems to be the only one who can see this. In what some consider to be the climax of the entire novel, Huck decides, “Alright then, I’ll go to hell” (215). This is Huck’s shining moment. He outright rejects everything society has tried to force upon him—slavery, religion, morality— because he believes that his friendship with Jim, a black slave, is more important that what white society tells him is right. It is almost humorous because it is so obvious to the audience that Huck is right. This is Twain’s best example of a societal flaw, and clearly shows that Huck is able to ignore what society thinks and determine right and wrong based on his own ideas.

The concept that what society accepts as right can be wrong is not unique to slavery. To prove this, Twain uses Huck’s ability to make judgements independently and his foil, the “sivilized” Tom Sawyer.