Monday, October 20, 2008
Ch. 32- End: The Exciting Escape!
This section is dripping with satire of romantic writers; which of Tom Sawyer's ideas did you find most ridiculous? Why do Huck and Jim go along with him? What do Huck's actions in this section reveal about his "journey" throughout the novel? (Has he grown or backtracked in this section?) Some critics (Hemingway included) love the book, but are unhappy with the end. Were you satisfied with the ending or do you agree with them? How does the tone of the ending contrast with the rest of the novel? How does the focus/emphasis shift? Are these positive or negative changes? How does Huck fare in the inherited prejudice vs. human dignity spectrum in this part? What are Huck's plans at the end of the novel? What does the last statement he makes tell you about him? How does it relate to a recurring theme in the novel?
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I think nearly all of Tom Sawyer's ideas are rediculous. Everything has to be an advendture for him. He can't just do what Huck wants, the easy thing, because a "heroe" would not do it. For example, they originally try digging tht hole to free Jim with knives. Tom already new Jim was free, but he wanted to make an adventure of helping him escape the Phelps's.
Huck is going to be adopted by Aunt Sally. He is also going to be civillized. Huck can not be civilized, as Miss Watson showed. He always prefers nature of civilation.
Hmmm...Which of Tom Sawyer's ideas is the most stupid...I would say the rattlesnake/rat idea. Why on Earth would you want to fill a room with pests? Especially because the rats could have rabies or something and Jim could have died. Huck and Jim go along with Tom because he is so strong-willed. They figure that it will only cause more trouble to fight with his ideas (flashback to the duke and the king) so they just let him be. (Even though it's REALLY ANNOYING)
Huck's journey has backtracked in this section of the novel. Jim is captured yet again, and Huck's ultimate goal of freeing Jim is foiled. In the end, Jim is freed and everyone lives happily ever after, but it could have happened so much quicker if Tom had stopped being an idiot and had told Huck that Jim was actually free.
Despite Tom's foolish actions, I thought that the ending was satisfying. (Most) Loose ends are tied up, and even though it is a generic ending, (everyone lives happily ever after) I was just glad that this whole thing was over with. I really just wanted to shank Tom during the last portion of the book *glare*, and it was nice to be done with all of the pointless antics.
The focus in the last portion of the novel shifts to satire of romanticism. Tom's antics satirize and exaggerate the ideal of romantic novels, and it is painfully obvious that Twain absolutely HATES romanticism.
Huck's inherited prejudice overrides his value of human dignity in this part of the novel. Even though he is trying to help Jim escape, he is allowing Tom to put Jim through so much trouble to gain freedom he already has *rolls eyes*.
I agree, pretty much all of Tom's ideas were ridiculous. Why would you even want to do some of those things? For example, dig the hole into the cabin with knives. Tom and Huck already had all of the necessary and easy tools they could have used in the shed, yet Tom, who was full of stubborness and desire for adventure, decided they would use the knives instead. It was not until the two were in pain and realized that it would take 37 years to dig the hole that Tom decided they could use the shovel and pick. Oh yeah, and Tom already knew that Jim was free! Why would someone go through all the trouble and danger to free a slave who was already free? It would have been so much easier, and less repetitive, if Tom would have told Huck that Jim was free in the first place.
Also, Huck once again stood aside and let others decided what he would do. Even though he went through with his decision to free Jim, he seemed to backtrack in this section. Huck simply sat back and let Tom rule everything, just like the king and duke had done earlier in the novel.
Twain just takes the idea of ramonticism and tears it up during Huck and Tom's plans to save Jim. He makes Tom turn everything little aspect of the plan a complicated adventure, and never really ends up working, so they resort to more realistic methods. Also, Huck was the more realistic one this time, and wanted to contribute to the ideas, but was held back by Tom, who actually acted like the idiot and was kind of portrayed as one in these chapters.
The ending is nice, but it's nothing really special or with a twist. It's like a sundae, without the cherry on top; it's there and gives to something to eat, but doesnt give you the whole "shabang" of extra flavor.
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