In chapters 6 to 15 we see other representations and forms of freedom and enslavement. I feel bad for Huck, i think hes always going to be a slave to his father, even if the man dies or vanishes. He has such a control of Huck. Up until now, Huck hated going to school and following any sort of rules and regulations, but because his father is telling him not to go, Huck becomes eager to go to school everyday to spite his dad. Huck ONLY does this because of this father, proving that Pap still has a control over his decisions, its just in a different way. "Every little while he locked me in and went down to the shore, three miles, to the ferry, and traded fish and gamefor whiskey and fetched it home and got drunk and had a good time, and licked me" (Twain, 25). Now Huck is even more so a slave to Pap because Pap kidnapped him and locked him in a cabin three miles across the river and would beat him. Huck is physically and mentally a slave to Pap. I thought it was weird though how right after Huck says his dad was beating him in the cabin, he states that he liked living there and that it was "lazy and jolly". Huck is finally free from school, social constraints, the Widow's rules and religion. I kind of just want to hug Huck because hes so confused by his freedom and enslavement. Also, Pap is a slave to his alcohol abuse. Alcoholism is a disease and it completely controls you, maybe Pap will try to free himself of this disease before he drinks himself into an early grave.
I really liked all the connections you made to how Huck and his dad are both considered slave like. I agree with you on all your points on why you believe Huck is one. I found it interesting that you thought his dad was a slave due to his drinking-I didn't really think of that. However, you didn't bring up anything based off of how Huck or Jim become free.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your concepts of how both characters are slaves. At first I did not consider the father being a slave at all, but the connection to alcohol abuse can strongly support the reasoning behind it. In another viewpoint, I agree with you on how Huck could be considered as a slave. His father basically treated him like one with the whole lock up and beat-ens, like any other slave received; and I do feel sorry for him. I probably feel this way towards Huck because he probably is a bit confused with the concept of freedom, due to the fact that he was housed by two "maniacs". Overall good connections.
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