American Experience in Huck Finn Essay Example for Free

American Experience in Huck Finn Essay â€Å"All modern American Literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.. † claimed Ernest Hemingway, a American author and journalist. This quote represents the idea and perception of Huckleberry Finn as a defining moment in American Literature, a time when a new culture was being formed west of the Atlantic that had many different subjects and characteristics than that of the literature in Europe. What makes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so original and such a representation of America is that whatever Huckleberry Finn, the character, is about or can be defined by, is what America was all about. Through this complex character, Mark Twain was able to create a new American experience and show the reader all about it. The main characteristics of the American experience that Mark Twain represented through this character included a social commentary on the southern culture and its response to slavery and its general antebellum culture, the nature that defines America and how America defines its nature and the freedom from it, and the new anti-materialistic hero. The opening of the book deals with the most serious issue depicted; the idea of slavery and the response of the southerners to its injustices. The majority of the American experience of slavery and its response are shown through the relationship between the main protagonist, Huck and his friend Jim. When Jim first approaches Huck to tell him that he has run away from his master Huck replies, â€Å"People would call me a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum- but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t agoing to tell.. † (1379). In a time when it was illegal to aide slaves in their escape, Huck was just beginning to start his moral dilemma of his loyalties to the law, and his friendship with Jim. This brings about a side note on the American experience of slavery that is not as developed as the response to slavery in Huck and that is: how does a person act and feel in a society in which they have friends that can become slaves. In many Abolitionist books and essays at the time, the reader was directed to feel for the slave as a man, as a brother. They used emotions to show the hardships of the slaves and play upon the guilt of the white American to end slavery. In Huckleberry Finn, Twain asked the reader to determine how they would act on slavery when they saw their friends under servitude. This was a large issue because it brings out personal alliances with cultural alliances of the south. However, the main American experience Twain is trying to develop on slavery is not the personal relationship and whether or not slavery was a terrible issue, it was the southerners response to slavery. This is exemplified by two separate cases. The first is with slavery and Jim, and the second is with Huck’s abusive and drunken father who would â€Å"lay drunk with the hogs in the tanyard† (1359). Both of these issues were just symbols of the southern distorted culture of the time. A culture that could enslave a man, calls themselves good Christian men, and then falls asleep drunk. What is peculiar about this novel is not necessarily Twain’s feelings regarding the morality of this culture. It is fairly obvious that he disapproves of such and shows that it is a morally defunct society, but rather what makes this novel truly representative of the American experience is showing how even someone who is not morally corrupted acts upon it. Huck, who is shown through his helping of Jim and his friendship with Jim, clearly understands the injustice of slavery and the immoral acts his father does. What does he do about it though? Does he seek to transform this southern society through work or a mini-revolution? No, he just simply moves along. This is the central irony of the book, and thus represented of one of the ironies of the American experience in the 19th century. Huck Finn chooses to leave intact this society that is clearly in need of change, and just simply leaves the place behind. It shows that he is against slavery and the ideals of the south and thus won’t live in it, but he also won’t change it. This was one of the most prominent experiences of America in the 19th century. Many whites disagreed with slavery, but if it did not affect their lives, as they were not necessarily the culprit or the victim, they just went on living their lives. The most common feature of this novel is movement. While this was crucial in developing the irony that was the southern response to slavery, it is also important in itself. In this novel, the main characters are always going somewhere, leaving a place in which they didn’t like or had a bad experience, and moving on to the next. This sense of freedom from nature was feature that is distinctly American. In the novel, the river was a  central metaphor as it brought them food, their raft, but also gave them a means of transportation. The American experience of traveling for the sake of traveling and expanding yourself in nature is shown from their experiences with movement in the river. Huck Finn was a character who is always in motion, always free. This was seen by the fact that he did start out the trip trying to provide freedom for Jim up the river, but when they passed Cairo he did not stop. In fact, the new route would take them to New Orleans, a slave-trading capital of the south at the time (Johnson). The freedom that nature provided Huck was seen by his depiction of the nights on the raft as â€Å"It’s lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars.. † (1423). This freedom brings a release from the world of land, the towns where people were entrapped in a cycle of guns, alcohol, and racism. He does not see in moral meaning in nature like the transcendentalists of the time, rather it was an escape of the modern world, a place to have pleasant feelings. This freedom is an American experience. In just a purely physical sense, America has the opportunities for freedom. Vast lands, ample rivers, defined seasons all allow the American to seek freedom from society. This is something that was not seen in Europe as you were subjected to just your own country’s land through language, cultural, and physical barriers. This idea of jumping on a raft and finding your freedom, both spiritually as in the case of Huck and physically in the case of Jim, is something that represents a true American experience. This myth of the open frontier continued in writing for decades to come, a myth that would allow the individual American to escape the rapidly growing urban centers that were developing an uneducated middle-class. The last particularly American subject is the hero of the novel himself, Huck. Huck is envisioned as this romantic anti-society anti-inheritance hero. In coming-to-age novels of the time, many were determined to show the process the character mature, moving past their youthful selves and into a role of social acceptance of culture. Huck represents a new American subject, on who speaks as he wishes, and does as he wants. Because of his traveling lifestyle, Huck does not concern himself with inheritance or money for any matter. What mattered most for Huck in the story was the materials that made the journey possible. He was not concerned with his social class, his need for a life with a wife, kids, and money. This metaphor represents the American Anti-materialistic culture that was forming, and thus Twain depicted it as such in his story. The sense of anti-conformity culture was the subject, a view that was depicted primarily by Huck. To combat the idea that Huck was just a child, and this is how he was supposed to act, Twain introduces two characters. The Duke and Dauphin, con-artists who swindle people out of their money by performing productions represent the free nature, the anti-materialistic culture that Huck represents. While these two do act in order to obtain money, the goal of the money is not to obtain a higher social order, but to carry on in life. It supplies their thirst for fun. This was seen when after a heist, the Duke asks to count the money so that they can â€Å"take and give it to the girls† (1451). This shows that they went about their plan yes for the money, but the money was not an object that they desired; it is what it can be immediately used for that defines it. This was against the European experience of inheritance and the desire to better oneself in a Victorian fashion, and represented an American subject. Huck finds out throughout the story and the encounters with the people in the towns, how to live in order to escape the social conformity, thus creating his own identity. This idea of putting your obligations to you self-creation and fun, and not to the creation of a self that is defined by community or cultural standards was an effective approach to an American subject. In an extended metaphor, Huck Finn and his friends and acquaintances represent an American subject. Their reactions to slavery represent the blind eye and unwillingness to put about change in the southern culture of slavery and racism, a subject that would arguably represent the south to this day. At the same time, the river which took them away from their culture as opposed to fighting it, also represents the freedom of America, a subject Twain makes sure he repeats throughout the novel. Lastly, the characters themselves represent a new age of anti-materialism, a staunch contrast to the European idea of self-betterment for the sake of culture and standing. In all, these metaphors all show a new American subject. Cited: Twain, Mark. â€Å" The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. † The Harper Single Volume American Literature. Ed. McQuade et al. New York: Longman. 1999. 1355-1522 Walter Johnson, Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999, p. 2 and 6.

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Cornerstone Graphics What is Web Page Design?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The World Wide Web is comprised of interconnected documents stored on the global network of computers known as the Internet. The documents are called Web pages. Linked pages are called Web sites. Web sites are uniquely formatted to provide information, collect information, and to capture the attention of consumers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today's global marketplace, a presence on the World Wide Web is vital to business success. Creating effective and appealing Web pages is both a skill and an art form that takes technical knowledge, creative abilities, and practice. Reasons for Developing a Web Site   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Studies show that millions of people have access to the Internet at home and/or at work. Forecasts predict that in the near future, Internet access will be as ubiquitous as television and telephones, and those left off the Web will be left behind in competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to the vast numbers of Internet users around the world, it is simple and cost effective to contact customers, suppliers, and others on-line. The cost of maintaining a Web site is minimal, especially in comparison to other types of marketing. Savings are made throughout the organization, including travel and entertainment costs. Expand Customer Base   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These same contacts will lead to business expansion opportunities, with a minimum of actual travel. Another benefit is that a huge amount of information about businesses, markets, regulations, etc. is available on-line. Research can be successfully accomplished from a home office, without requiring costly travel and time spent abroad. Flexibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work can be accomplished regardless of time zone differences and work habits. Not only can your staff use the Web to communicate with others, but also people around the world can contact you even in the middle of the night. Information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Web sites can be created to suit the customers' needs. Information, design, links, and other features can be developed per customer specifications. Sites can include as many or as few pages as the customer requires. Pages may include order forms, product catalogues, general information, contact names, and so on. Sites can link to existing sites, or other newly developed sites.

Assignment; Bias, Rhetorical Devices, Argumentation

An example of bias within this speech would be: â€Å"to point out and make public the dishonesty, the downright villainy, of Boss Jim W. Gettys' political machine — now in complete control of the government of this state! One example of fallacies that I found in this speech was; â€Å"Now, however, I have something more than a hope. And Jim Gettys — Jim Gettys has something less than a chance. Every straw vote, every independent poll shows that I'll be elected. Now I can afford to make some promises! † Some rhetorical devices found in this speech were: †¢Alliteration: â€Å"Now, however, I have something more than a hope. And Jim Gettys — Jim Gettys has something less than a chance. Every straw vote, every independent poll shows that I'll be elected. Now I can afford to make some promises! † †¢Alliteration: †The working man — The working man and the slum child know they can expect my best efforts in their interests. The decent, ordinary citizens know that I'll do everything in my power to protect the underprivileged, the underpaid, and the the underfed! † †¢Alliteration: â€Å"Here's one promise I'll make, and boss Jim Gettys knows I'll keep it:†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢Hyperbole: â€Å"with one purpose only: to point out and make public the dishonesty, the downright villainy, of Boss Jim W. Gettys' political machine — now in complete control of the government of this State! † †¢Paradox: â€Å"Well, I'd make my promises now if I weren't too busy arranging to keep them. † The speaker addressed arguments in the first paragraph of the speech by stating that because of Jim Gettys â€Å"control† he had no hope of being elected. In the second paragraph however, he reinforces that he is being elected by stating, â€Å" Now I can afford to make promises! † By doing this, he is preparing to address any potential counterarguments by shaping his speech to combat what the opposition might say.

Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights

The aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights, is a multi-colored brilliant light show in the Earths atmosphere that is caused by the collision of gas particles in the Earths atmosphere with charged electrons from the suns atmosphere. The aurora borealis is most often viewed at high latitudes close to the magnetic north pole but during times of maximum activity, they can be viewed very far south of the Arctic Circle. Maximum auroral activity is rare however and the aurora borealis is normally only seen in or near the Arctic Circle in places like Alaska, Canada, and Norway. In addition to the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere there is also the aurora australis, sometimes called the Southern Lights, in the southern hemisphere. The aurora australis is created the same way as the aurora borealis and it has the same appearance of dancing, colored lights in the sky. The best time to view the aurora australis is from March to September because the Antarctic Circle experiences the most darkness during this period. The aurora australis is not seen as often as the aurora borealis because they are more concentrated around Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean. How the Aurora Borealis Works The aurora borealis is a beautiful and fascinating occurrence in the Earths atmosphere but its colorful patterns begin with the sun. It occurs when highly charged particles from the suns atmosphere move into the Earths atmosphere via the solar wind. For reference, the solar wind is a stream of electrons and protons made of plasma that flow away from the sun and into the solar system at around 560 miles per second (900 kilometers per second) (Qualitative Reasoning Group). As the solar wind and its charged particles enter the Earths atmosphere they are pulled toward the Earths poles by its magnetic force. While moving through the atmosphere the suns charged particles collide with the oxygen and nitrogen atoms found in the Earths atmosphere and the reaction of this collision forms the aurora borealis. The collisions between the atoms and charged particles occur around 20 to 200 miles (32 to 322 km) above the Earths surface and it is the altitude and type of atom involved in the collision that determines the color of the aurora (How Stuff Works). The following is a list of what causes the different auroral colors and it was obtained from How Stuff Works: Red - oxygen, over 150 miles (241 km) above the Earths surfaceGreen - oxygen, up to 150 miles (241 km) above the Earths surfacePurple/violet - nitrogen, over 60 miles (96 km) above the Earths surfaceBlue - nitrogen, up to 60 miles (96 km) above the Earths surface According to the Northern Lights Centre, green is the most common color for the aurora borealis, while red is the least common. In addition to the lights being these various colors, they also appear to flow, form various shapes and dance in the sky. This is because the collisions between the atoms and the charged particles are constantly shifting along the magnetic currents of the Earths atmosphere and the reactions of these collisions follow the currents. Predicting the Aurora Borealis Today modern technology allows scientists to predict the strength of the aurora borealis because they can monitor the strength of the solar wind. If the solar wind is strong auroral activity will be high because more charged particles from the suns atmosphere will move into the Earths atmosphere and react with the nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Higher auroral activity means that the aurora borealis can be seen over larger areas of the Earths surface. Predictions for the aurora borealis are shown as daily forecasts similar to weather. An interesting forecasting center is provided by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. These forecasts predict the most active locations for the aurora borealis for a specific time and give a range showing the strength of auroral activity. The range begins at 0 which is minimal auroral activity that is only viewed at latitudes above the Arctic Circle. This range ends at 9 which is maximum auroral activity and during these rare times, the aurora borealis can be seen at latitudes much lower than the Arctic Circle. The peak of auroral activity typically follows an eleven-year sunspot cycle. During times of sunspots, the sun has very intense magnetic activity and the solar wind is very strong. As a result, the aurora borealis is also normally very strong at these times. According to this cycle, the peaks for auroral activity should occur in 2013 and 2024. Winter is usually the best time to view the aurora borealis because there are long periods of darkness above the Arctic Circle as well as many clear nights. For those interested in viewing the aurora borealis there are some places that are best for viewing them frequently because they offer long periods of darkness during the winter, clear skies and low light pollution. These locations include places like Denali National Park in Alaska, Yellowknife in Canadas Northwest Territories and Tromsà ¸, Norway. Importance of the Aurora Borealis The aurora borealis has been written about and studied for as long as people have been living in and exploring the polar regions and as such, they have been important to people since ancient times and possibly earlier. For example, many ancient myths talk about the mysterious lights in the sky and some medieval civilizations feared them as they believed that lights were a sign of impending war and/or famine. Other civilizations believed the aurora borealis was the spirit of their people, great hunters and animals like salmon, deer, seals, and whales (Northern Lights Centre). Today the aurora borealis is recognized as an important natural phenomenon and every winter people venture into northern latitudes to watch it and some scientists devote much of their time to studying it. The aurora borealis is also considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.