Just now side-tracked from considering the accusations of "racism" in
Twain's and Joel Chandler Harris' works, I'm looking at the use of the
Trickster. I did come across what looked like a very nice essay on the
subject but it was part of one of those web sites devoted to supplying
students with ready-made papers. It allowed me to read the first page
but required payment for anything more than that. I do not want to
support such endeavors.
Anyway, my brief bit of googling as not turned up much so I'm asking
here if there are suggestions as to legitimate sources in this. Just on
the surface I can recognize tricksters in much of Twain's work,
including both Huck and Tom as tricksters. There is Brer Rabbit in the
Uncle Remus Tales; much of the Arabian Nights tales involves
tricksters; and perhaps even Twain's acceptance of the Hiawatha
stories. In the later case he is mistaken as the legitimacy of the
tales as Ojibwa legends but they do reflect the tales of the trickster
Manabozho.
--
/Unaffiliated Geographer and Twain aficionado/