The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain

RATING

2 stars

N/A = good but not on the scale

1 star = perspective supplementing

2 stars = perspective influencing

3 stars = perspective altering

SHORT SUMMARY (272 words or less)

It takes a special type of arrogance (or ignorance) to rate the most popular work by Mark Twain as “2 stars.” But this isn’t an indictment of the book. I found it incredibly enjoyable and insightful–it just didn’t alter my perspective like other books have. The book was interesting in a several ways to me: the parallels of Huck and Jim’s journey as being a journey through American History (both physical expansion and expansion on and limitations on race); the fact that this book was published in the time period that it was, and the ensuing social commentary of it; the evolution of the story from a simple children’s book (like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) to a serious literary work; a footnote in the book that said that when Huck and Jim were on the boat, Twain initially had planned for them to turn North towards Ohio where Jim would receive his freedom, but after pausing from writing for several years, he picked his manuscript back up and had Huck and Jim go down south. That last element was insightful for me–Twain’s masterpiece came not in an instant strike of genius, but as something he worked and toiled over for years, taking long breaks and picking things back up.

Surprisingly I did not read this book when I was younger. But I see why it is such an keystone piece of American literature.

I’m glad I read this book.