Huckleberry Finn And The Gold Rush - 1726 Words

Over the past two centuries, America has been plagued by a sharply contrasting vision of what is and what should be. Since the Civil War, and even decades before the conflict began, authors and filmmakers have attempted to highlight problems that exist in society and cast them under a critical spotlight. They criticize and mock society’s faults and urge their respective audiences to enact positive change. Although one may see Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush as two completely separate and different works of high comedy, their similarities are much more visible upon analysis. Using satire as a critical tool, Twain and Chaplin call for social change that fits in line with the ideals of America, such as justice, equality and respect. By using satire in Huckleberry Finn and The Gold Rush, Twain and Chaplin argue that real American life is so far from being idealistic that the gap between the real and the ideal is shocking, unnerving a nd a cause for immediate reflection on behalf of audiences. Although Huckleberry Finn and The Gold Rush may seem very different in terms of plot, character development and setting, it’s worth noting that the two are very similar in their use of satire. In both works, one could define the type of high comedy used as that of social satire. A social satire is the criticism of society for its less than ideal traits, in hopes that audiences will recognize the faults and attempt to eradicate them. Social satirists, suchShow MoreRelatedRealism in 19th Century American Fiction1014 Words   |  5 Pagestruth, which is derived from observation and documentation. Realism urged at pragmatism in facing reality. It is thus to write about environment one knew, with strict regard to its actual properties as speech, behavior, scene. The adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain The realists believed that the central issues of life tend to be ethical – i.e., issues of conduct. Fiction therefore should concern itself with such issues and present these issues accurately as they affect us in actual situationsRead MoreThe Adventures Of Tom Sawyer2307 Words   |  10 PagesIn the first chapter Huckleberry Finn relays his version of the events that transpired in the conclusion of The Adventure of Tom Sawyer. He explains that he and Tom Sawyer became very wealthy after uncovering a cache of gold that was hidden by a band of local robbers, and how after this, under the supervision of Judge Thatcher, Huckleberry’s money was invested and he was placed into the care of the Widow Douglas to be â€Å"civilized†. Huckleberry reveals that Judge Thatcher and the Widow Douglas’s justificationRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn3310 Words   |  14 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn opens by acquainting us with the occasions of the n ovel that went before it, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Both books are situated in the town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, which sits on the banks of the Mississippi River. Toward the end of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, who is the protagonist, narrator is a poor kid with a drunken father, and his companion Tom Sawyer, a working class kid, discovered a robber’s stash of gold. As a result, Huck picked up a considerableRead MoreEssay on Brown Vs. Board of Education1458 Words   |  6 Pageslist for many years that has been banned or is banned from people or more likely children under the age of 17. These books were banned because one of the many officials, parents or censors considered it objectionable. A few of these books are Huckleberry Finn a novel by Mark Twain that was challenged by the NAACP because it contains the word `nigger 39 times. They felt that the use of such an insulting word is harmful to the self-esteem of young African-American children. However the NAAC P areRead MoreThe Mark Twain s The Celebrated Jumping Frog Of Calaveras County2391 Words   |  10 Pagestraumaticâ€Å"Angel Camp†. Throughout the story, Mark Twain justifies where each setting takes place. Mark Twain wanted to give the story an informal feeling, so he decided to set the story in the far west, choosing California. California had experienced a gold rush around this time, drawing a wide range of people from all over the world. Choosing California gave credence to the various characters introduced to the readers in â€Å"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County†. Moreover, by choosing this timeRead MoreEssay on Silent Spring - Rachel Carson30092 Words   |  121 Pagesof the pesticides Carson has been discussing are carcinogens. Others are thought to produce leukemia in humans. Still others may be indirect causes of malignancy. Arsenic is one cancer-causing substance. It has entered water supplies as a result of gold and silver mining and has c aused regional outbreaks of numerous disorders, including malignant tumors. The widespread use of arsenic compounds as pesticides begs the question of when more such regional outbreaks of arsenic-related cancers and otherRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesdemonstrates an understanding of the fact that weaker reasons require a more cautious conclusion; he doesnt overstate his conclusion. He is careful to follow the principle: Dont draw a conclusion until youve gotten enough evidence; he doesn’t rush to judgment. Jones obeys another principle of logical reasoning: Stick to the subject. White goes off on a tangent, talking about alcoholism and whether Mayfield looked the judge and DA in the eye. The comment about the clerk being white is also