Huck Finn Quotes With Explanations Essay, Research Paper

Huck Finn Quotes

?My new clothes was all greased up and clayey, and I was dog-tired? (Ch. II Our Gang?s Dark Oath)

This is Huck not really caring about the new way he is being brought up. I think this is a good example of him just wanting to be a kid.

?There was pap looking wild, and skipping around every which way and yelling about snakes. He said they was crawling up his legs; and then he would give a jump and scream, and say one had bit him on the cheek–but I couldn?t see no snakes. He started to run round and round the cabin, hollering ?Take him off! Take him off! He?s biting me on the neck!? I never see a man look so wild in the eyes.? (Ch. VI Pap Struggles With the Death Angel)

Huck gets to see his father being dilusional while he is drunk. I picked this quote because his father?s drinking habit is one reason why Huck fakes his own death.

?People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum–but that don?t make no difference. I ain?t a-going to tell, and I ain?t a-going back there, anyways.? (Ch. VIII I Spare Miss Watson?s Jim)

Jim just told Huck that he ran away and Huck promised not to tell anyone. I picked this quote since it foreshadows what his values will be later in the book.

?The nigger run off the very night Huck Finn was killed. So there?s a reward out for him–three hundred dollars. And there?s a reward out for the old Finn, too–two hundred dollars.? (Ch. XI They?re After Us!)

Huck finds out that his dad and Jim have a reward for the person who turns them in. This quote shows how Huck always figures out a way to get information or an object that he wants. This is just one example of that.

?Git up and hump yourself, Jim! There ain?t a minute to lose. They?re after us!? (Ch. XI They?re After Us!)

This quote is Huck telling Jim that people are after them, when they are really just after Jim. This is an example of Huck and Jim?s friendship.

?It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars. . .? (Ch. XII ?Better Let Blame Well Alone?)

I think this quote means that no matter which situation Huck and Jim have been in, they are relaxed while floating on the water. I picked this quote for that fact of relaxation, no matter what has happened.

?It didn?t take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn?t no kings nor dukes, at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds.? (Ch. XIX The Duke and the Dauphin Come Aboard)

This quote shows Huck?s knowledge and strength for letting the ?King? and ?Duke? stay with him and Jim. I think this quote is a good representation of the civilized part of him.

?I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their?n It don?t seem natural, but I reckon it?s so.? (Ch. XXIII The Orneriness of Kings)

Huck is again thinking about the differences in people and how they care, or do not, for other people. I think this is an example of Huck being aware of the cruelty in the world.

?Well, if ever I struck anything like it, I?m a nigger. It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race.? (Ch. XXIV The King Turns Parson)

Huck is now learning about his morals and other people?s morals. This shows me that he has grown up more since the beginning of the story.

?After all this long journey, and after all we?d done for them scoundrels, here it was all come to nothing, everything all busted up and ruined, because they could have the heart to serve Jim such a trick as that, and make him a slave again all his life, and amongst strangers, too, for forty dirty dollars.? (Ch. XXXI You Can?t pray a Lie)

Even though he knows the king and duke are fakes, he still gives them a chance to be human. He doesn?t understand how a human could sell another human for forty dollars. This is a good representation of what Huck does and does not understand.

?I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ?All right, then, I?ll go to hell?–and tore it up.? (Ch. XXXI You Can?t pray a Lie)

Huck wrote a letter to Miss Watson but tore it up. He decided that he would go to hell for Jim. I think he is very strong for risking his life for the sake of a friend.

?Here was the plain hand of Providence slapping me in the face and letting me know my wickedness was being watched. . .? (Ch. XXXI You Can?t pray a Lie)

Huck seems to think that Jim being resold is a consequence for him helping Jim escape. I think this is just Huck making up excuses for Jim being sold.

?I went right along, not fixing up any particular plan, but just trusting to Providence to put the right words in my mouth when the time come.? (Ch. XXXII I Have a New Name)

Huck means he didn?t have a plan to rescue Jim, but he would think of one when he had to. This shows me his loyalty to Jim.

?It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another.? (Ch. XXXIII The Pitiful Ending of Royalty)

Huck shows here that he is sensitive to people?s suffering. It shows that he cares for people especially Jim.

?Well, one thing was dead sure, and that was that Tom Sawyer was in earnest, and was actually going to help steal that nigger out of slavery.? (Ch. XXXIV We Cheer up Jim)

I think Huck is surprised that Tom is willing to help him free Huck. This shows Tom?s loyalty to Huck.