Is huckleberry finn good literature?

Question

if so then why?

Answer 1

Huckleberry Finn, in my humble opinion, is the best piece of American Literature. Its themes are universal, and it is a great story too. It takes only a very short time to get use to the style of speech, so it's easy on the eyes. Further, the wit and humor makes the story go by very quickly. I have read it countless times, and I learn something new with every reading. It's hard to ask anything more of a book.

If you haven't read the book, it's about a white boy named Huck who travels down the Mississippi with a black slave named Jim. Along the way, Huck makes some rather simple and seemingly naive observations about his society and the communities he encounters. I won't give away the stories, but because he's a child, his thoughts are not clouded by bigotry, and he thinks very logically about how people behave. The most inflammatory statements were Huck's conclusion that slaves must have a soul. It's easy to have and mistreat others if you think of them as being on a lower level than you. Can you think of a situation today where people do that? Probably you can think of many.

Probably, Mark Twain was not the first to make commentaries based on a child's eye view, but he was very successful at it. And his ideas became very compelling to those who read it. So much so that his book was banned by almost every library in the South at the time. Mr. Twain wrote letters to the libraries thanking them for doing so because people had to go out and buy his book, adding to his profits!

If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend without reservation.

Answer 2

Yes, it is "good literature". I am surprised that some people (including some very lame literature teachers and English professors who should know better) still argue about this subject.

American literature was influenced by European, and especially British writers until Clemens, who developed the first effective use of the ordinary vernacular of Americans to tell a wonderful story of humor and pathos on the Mississippi ,through the words of an un-educated kid living in the middle of the 19th century.

Why is it good literature? Because it achieves its purpose to tell a story in a style and with a viewpoint that is both memorable and classic in its form, yet adding something new to literature. Yes, it is thumbing its nose at the classic forms of novels and stories of its time; but it does so in a unique and timeless way.

If you want to become pretentious, and read the book as metaphor, beware of the warning of Huck in the preface to the work

Answer 3

I read Tom Sawyer when I was about 11-12, and Huck Finn shortly after. I read the books on my own, as a kid (and a girl, too--who said that they were boys' stories?). No literary criticizing, or anything--I just read them because they were good stories.

The good thing about them is that you can read them as adventure stories, *or* you could read them critically to see what methods Twain used to make his writing effective, or to find out his views/commentary on culture and society at the time.

There is some bad words in the story, and some have hinted that Huck Finn, in particular, may expose some of Twain's views that may have not been so "Christian", but overall it's a good read nonetheless. When I was a kid I didn't even know the "n word" was bad, I just thought it was a word they only used in the 1800's; I never notice any anti-christian sentiments, either.... not that I was looking for anything.

Twains books made me love classics. :)

Answer 4

One of the reasons I love Mark Twain's writings is he found a way to comment on the culture around him using humor. This is evident in Huck Finn. By weaving together several interesting and sometimes humorous stories, he is able to show the inequities of the time and that racism must be taught.

The "racism must be taught" point is made by showing that Huck Finn treats Jim as an equal while Tom Sawyer treats him like a second class citizen.

Twain is considered one of the best American writers for a reason.

Answer 5

I think it is great American liturature. It tells us a lot about the people and society of America at the time, and it is entertaining. That is the main purpose of literature, to entertain and inform. Huckleberry Finn does that very well.

Answer 6

Good literature, yes...aesthetically pleasing, depends on your definition of good...a good read for non-critical reading, uhh, maybe
It is good literature because the literary scholars have agreed over the years that it is good literature...yeah, I didn't have a say in it either. It is a book that has "stood the test of time," so to speak, at least in the American literary culture...by an author who has done the same. It is a part of the American literary canon because it is privileged by many scholars for its density (e.g., symbolism, themes, etc.). It is a great social commentary on racism and slavery in America.
It has taken on many forms in literary history. It started out as an adventure novel...then, was considered at one point to be an anti-slavery novel...then, at one point, a racist novel...now, well, it depends on your interpretation.
As a student, I only picked up Mark Twain lit. because it was assigned. As a teacher, I did so because of its historical value in American lit...its great value in understanding that important (as far as remembering) point in American history. As a scholar, I feel like it has been interpreted and reinterpreted so many times that I would be simply repeating others' work...I tend to avoid that genre unless/until new insights can be brought to light from that work.
What about you? Do you think it is "good literature," if such a thing exists?

Answer 7

Huckleberry finn is good literature because it uses strong words that even i, a nerd, don't understand.


Catch ya later!

Answer 8

It is a charming book full of color and life. Tom Sawyer is also a great read. Isn't any book literature? How does one person decide what is GREAT literature. They used to ban both books...and burn them. Any book that is read & enjoyed and treasured by the reader must be Great Literature...don't you think?

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

Yes. It's colorful, It's full of adventure And it speaks volumes for the early American ignorance and superstitions. It's also very funny.