Did Clemens every come out and say what he had in mind when he wrote the
ending of Huckleberry Finn?  Or are we permanently on our own in trying to
second-guess him with all these interpretations?




-----Original Message-----
From: "Miller, Jeffrey W" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012 8:16 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: The ending of Huckleberry Finn

Andrew, welcome to the list!=0A=
=0A=
I've always looked at the end of HF as a satire on Reconstruction. Jim is
l=
egally free (emancipated), but must continue to be hindered in various
ways=
, increasingly ridiculous (Jim Crow). His new "imprisonment" is, in some
wa=
ys, more egregious than his original slavery. Ironically, he is down the
ri=
ver, which is the fate he wanted to avoid when he ran off. Of course, the
f=
inal chapters also play into Twain's anti-Romantic stance and recognize
the=
 deep South as a place where Romanticism is out of control.=0A=
=0A=
I wish I could point to a particular critical source as originating this
re=
ading; unfortunately, I cannot, as it has become something of a
commonplace=
 in Twain criticism.=0A=
=0A=
Jeff Miller=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
________________________________________=0A=
From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Nesbit, Stanton
[sne=
[log in to unmask]]=0A=
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 5:54 AM=0A=
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The ending of Huckleberry Finn=0A=
=0A=
Thanks for the excellent insights, all.=3D20=3D20=0A=
=0A=
Regarding the "Huck as ghost" element, I've always just assumed that Sam
co=
=3D=0A=
uldn't resist the "doubting Thomas" (Sawyer) gag, similar to the way I
can'=
=3D=0A=
t pass up an opportunity to quote Groucho or Chico Marx.=0A=
=0A=
_______________________=0A=
Stanton Nesbit=0A=
Media Specialist=0A=
Eau Claire North High School=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
-----Original Message-----=0A=
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dan
Walker=0A=
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 9:28 PM=0A=
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The ending of Huckleberry Finn=0A=
=0A=
Andrew:=0A=
One way to account for Tom at the second "shack" is that he balances Pap:
b=
=3D=0A=
=3D3D oth are in control of Huck and both are storytellers. And both
delive=
r =3D=0A=
narr=3D3D atives corrupted by nature and civilization: Pap's, by alcohol,
a=
nd=3D=0A=
 Tom's b=3D3D y romanticism. Both use real people to populate their
fantasi=
es=3D=0A=
. Both Demon=3D3D  Rum and literature seem to me products of human
ingenuit=
y =3D=0A=
and (I guess Pla=3D3D to would say?) distortion of reality. Tom's role has
=
al=3D=0A=
ways seemed more cul=3D3D pable to me because of his education and because
=
he=3D=0A=
 makes real people (Jim)=3D3D  play a role in his romantic fantasies of
jus=
ti=3D=0A=
ce to the point that everyon=3D3D e is almost killed. Tom deserves serious
=
pu=3D=0A=
nishment and thus he gets a bull=3D3D et in the leg--but survives it. He's
=
on=3D=0A=
ly 14, after all, not 34. As Huck sa=3D3D ys in making excuses for him:
"he=
 h=3D=0A=
ad a dream, and it shot him." Indeed it =3D3D did! One thing often
forgotte=
n =3D=0A=
about the end is that Jim knows how to keep =3D3D secrets, too, and has
hid=
de=3D=0A=
n agendas: the foolish hairball business at the =3D3D beginning is nicely
b=
al=3D=0A=
anced by the secret he keeps about Pap's death at th=3D3D e end--thus
keepi=
ng=3D=0A=
 from Huck the news that might free Huck to leave Jim...=3D3D .=0A=
That's my two cents on the balance of beginning and end.=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
Still, I share your concerns about the ending--both thematic and artistic.
=
=3D=0A=
=3D3D It seems to devalue Jim's quest, for one thing. But it also
stretches=
 c=3D=0A=
redu=3D3D lity WAY too far: Tom just happens to be visiting at the farm
whe=
re=3D=0A=
 Jim jus=3D3D t happens to be held--on the day Huck happens to show up.
And=
 r=3D=0A=
epeats the "=3D3D ghost" joke ...maybe there's balance there, too?=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
What I do like about the end is that--even though it took reintroducing
Tom=
=3D=0A=
=3D3D  to do it--the end confirms the point that Huck is the eternal child
=
(I=3D=0A=
 agr=3D3D ee with Eliot) who cannot really grow up. He must finally reject
=
To=3D=0A=
m and al=3D3D l of civilization by going West, which he vows to do at the
e=
nd=3D=0A=
. You could =3D3D argue that if he does grow up he becomes Jay
Gatsby...=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
Sorry--there's 20 minutes you'll never get rebated!=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
Dan=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
-----Original Message-----=0A=
From: Andrew Dickson <[log in to unmask]>=0A=
To: TWAIN-L <[log in to unmask]>=0A=
Sent: Wed, May 23, 2012 9:26 pm=0A=
Subject: Re: The ending of Huckleberry Finn=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
I'm a bit confused.  I'm following you on everything, except for how Tom
ha=
=3D=0A=
s to make the escape more exciting.  Why would he have to do that?=0A=
Obviously we see his declaration for glory/adventure as his literal
reason,=
=3D=0A=
 but why would Jim's slave-mindset force a more exciting escape?=0A=
=0A=
I do like the idea of the two prisons/shacks being linked.=0A=
=0A=
A connection  I personally saw was who really got the 'final word' in the
e=
=3D=0A=
nding.  In the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, it's Huck.  Huck gives his
monolog=
=3D=0A=
ue on why it's impossible for him to be civilized.  In Adventures of Huck
F=
=3D=0A=
inn's ending, Tom has several lengthy explanations of why he seeks glory
an=
=3D=0A=
d adventure over logic -- he gets the last word.  Huck is literally free
an=
=3D=0A=
d Tom admires this.  Tom uses society to his own benefit and Huck admires
t=
=3D=0A=
his as well -- they have a mutual respect for one another that seals the
fr=
=3D=0A=
iendship.  This is my take on the ending chapters in Huck Finn, but it
requ=
=3D=0A=
ires Adventures of Tom Sawyer to make sense.=0A=
=0A=
One final question.  I'm a bit confused about the length of Finn's
journey.=
=3D=0A=
  I assume it was at least three months, because at the end it's revealed
t=
=3D=0A=
hat Watson has died two months prior (thus Jim's freedom).=0A=
=0A=
Thanks in advance for any insights.  I really loved this book.=0A=
-Andrew=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
On Wed, May 23, 2012 at 6:33 PM, Jan Reed <[log in to unmask]> wrote:=0A=
=0A=
> I found the disconnect in the ending of the novel troublesome until
>a=3D2=
0=0A=
> stude=3D3D3D nt pointed out the symmetry of the two "shacks." The first=
=3D20=0A=
> shack was occupi=3D3D3D ed by Huck, imprisoned by his father, his
>life=3D=
20=0A=
> threatened.  He was locked i=3D3D3D n and had to escape in a way
>the=3D20=
=0A=
> romantic Tom would approve.  The second wa=3D3D3D s occupied by Jim.  He=
=3D20=0A=
> was given care; he was "safe"; he was more imprisone=3D3D3D d because of=
=3D20=0A=
> having the mindset of a slave than by the shack itself.  Tom h=3D3D3D ad=
=3D20=0A=
> to make his escape more exciting.  The two shacks seem almost like=3D20=
=0A=
> Alice=3D3D3D 's rabbit holes, the adventures between the two take
>on=3D20=
=0A=
> almost a fantasti=3D3D=0A=
c=0A=
> =3D3D3D=0A=
> characteristic when seen this way. =3D3D3D20=0A=
>=0A=
> jan reed=0A=
>=0A=
> ________________________________________=0A=
> From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Andrew
>Dickson=3D2=
0=0A=
> [meta=3D3D3D [log in to unmask]]=0A=
> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 2:10 PM=0A=
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: The ending of Huckleberry Finn=0A=
>=0A=
> Hello all,=0A=
> New reader of Twain here.=0A=
>=0A=
> Immediately after Huck gets to the cabin, it does seem that Twain
>lets=3D=
20=0A=
> comic relief take over.  Immediately before, the novel deals with a=3D20=
=0A=
> colossal amount of dread, and it's sudden change of pace does throw=3D20=
=0A=
> you off.  Additionally, most of the ending plot is driven by
>Sawyer's=3D2=
0=0A=
> mischie=3D3D=0A=
f,=0A=
> and really draws out what could have been an easy escape, as Huck put
>it.=
=0A=
> Most of the novel feels very profound and filled with freedom
>and=3D20=0A=
> life, b=3D3D=0A=
ut=0A=
> the ending chapters seem to exist in an entirely separate realm.
>They=3D=
20=0A=
> ke=3D3D=0A=
ep=0A=
> the light-heartedness and humor of the book, but none of it's=3D20=0A=
> transcenden=3D3D=0A=
t=0A=
> purpose.  There's no urgency.  Hemingway advises the reader to stop=3D20=
=0A=
> after Huck gets to the cabin, and this is very hard to do on trust=3D20=
=0A=
> alone, for t=3D3D=0A=
he=0A=
> book is so compelling, but after reading the ending chapters,
>you=3D20=0A=
> understand what he was talking about.=0A=
>=0A=
> It does seem to make more sense that the book is named *Adventures
>of=3D2=
0=0A=
> Huc=3D3D=0A=
k=0A=
> Finn*, for it seems as if the adventures themselves were cut short.=3D20=
=3D20=0A=
> If J=3D3D=0A=
im=0A=
> hadn't been sold by the King and the Duke, they likely would've=3D20=0A=
> continued down the river.  Thoughts?=0A=
> -Andrew=3D3D3D=0A=
>=0A=
=0A=
=3D3D20=0A=
=0A=
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