In the meantime Sam was invited to spend two days with the Langdon family. Everyone was happy to see him. For two days he tried to lure Olivia towards engag?in her in some personal conversation (186 Eaton). Within a short period of time Sam had convinced Olivia into marry?in him (187). February 2, 1870 was the day that Sam finally got married, well I can say it was bout time! He did not want to separate the Langdon family so Sam decided to move nearby to Olivia?s home town, Elmira, so Sam and his new wife moved to Buffalo, New York (190).
Almost as soon as the couple moved in they experienced themselves some problems. Olivia?s father passed away leav?in her grief stricken. Olivia got herself into a state of depression, mak?in her weak and confined her to her bed. In November the couple had a premature baby boy named Langdon. But instead of bring?in the family joy it worsened them. Because the baby was born early it was weak and sickly, not to good. How could a man possibly concentrate in such a mess? Well he simply could?nt! Sam noticed that ever since they moved to Buffalo his wife and himself were not the happy people they used to be (192).
So when Sam received the invitation to spend the summer at Quarry Farm from Mrs. Crane there was no doubt in his mind to accept. Mrs. Crane was the sister of Olivia?s mama. She lived on a farm that had huge views of roll?in green hills which helped to inspire Sam an his write?in (186 Paine). By the end of the summer, Sam had finished his book, Roughing It. It was bout his adventures out in the western territory.
At the summer?s end the family chose on mov?in to Hartford, Connecticut, a thriv?in city that was filled with literary publishers and clubs of that sort (Paine 189).
1872 was a year of change for Sam and his family. In March his second child was born Susy Clemens. But three months later Langdon died of a heavy cold (198). Later that year Sam?s adventures spanned to England, his mission was to collect information bout their customs for a new book that he planned to start. He returned in November that same year. His plans changed, Sam abandoned his idea and started a new fiction book called The Gilded Age. It was well known and loved by many people, jus like all of his other write?ins of course.
Lov?in England so much, Sam returned there with his family. He stayed himself there for a complete two years. Dur?in this time he had met with many famous authors and lectured all over England (199). On his arrival home Sam started write?in Tom Sawyer. It was bout his child hood :grow?in up on the Mississippi. It was to be one of his most famous books (200). I guess he must ?av been feel?in mighty high spirited cause Sam continued on write?in. He wrote Sketches New and Old which would have been a tremendous seller if it were by any other author, but for Sam it was a relatively ?small potatoes? (209).
Sam?s next big accomplishment was The Prince and the Pauper , his first play. The story was bout Henry VIII. Sam got the idea after read?in The Prince and the Page, a well known story (219).
By now Sam had himself three children Susy, Clara and Jean (Howard 157). It was at this time when Sam decided to write The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (Eaton 217). Now Sam wrote many a books but this was by far the most excellent thing that was ever written, and I can?t help lik?in the name of it! It sold like a madman, bring?in Sam tons of letters and comments bout his novel.
After write?in many famous books Sam did someth?in he had been long?in for. Sam returned to the Mississippi. There he met up with some ole friends and saw ole sites. For a moment Sam was liv?in his child hood. Everybody he knew had read all of his books and the all the people decorated their town for Sam?s return. As Sam stepped off the boat he said ?Has Missouri changed the date of the 4th of July?? (Howard 166). The next day Sam was invited to attend the christen?in of a new steam boat. The champagne bottle cracked and the wooden planks that held it in place slipped off the ship reveal?in the name ?MARK TWAIN? (168).
Years later Sam laid in his bed. He was now an old man with only Clara left. His whole family had died. He sat in bed remember?in how he had seen Halley?s comet when he was little. Now 77 years later Sam saw the comet again on the night of April 21, 1910. This was one of the lasts things he saw. Cause that night Sam passed into a long sleep that still has yet to end (173).
I went on bein? a sheriff in Montana. But this story ain?t bout myself, it?s bout my friend Sam.
-Tom Blankenship
a.k.a.: Huckleberry Finn
Note: This paper was written in a dialect used by Huck. There are many spelling and grammatical errors but all are intessional (just kidding, bout ?–). They are there to represent the dialogue of Huck. I have edited it many times to be sure ALL the errors now in the paper are intentional! I have sat through my spell check alerting me that almost every word was spelled wrong just to eliminate unintentional errors.
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
II
In the novel The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn the setting has a large influence on Huck?s character. The period of time that Huck lived in was a distinct era. The country was changing rapidly. During this period steam engines enabled rivers to be used as mass transportation, an idea that had never been explored until now. Waterways were the first way in which large amounts of goods could be transported efficiently. This drastically changed much of the nation?s economy. Huge factories were built in the north and southern plantations tripled their production by using machines. There were many traits of this era that can be seen by looking at the components of Huck?s character, his language, actions and thoughts. Some of these traits are sutle and can be easily missed but others are very obvious and powerful. This period of change was the setting of Huck?s childhood.
One trait that is indicative of the era is the social class of Huck and Huck?s language. It is greatly affected by his social class and setting. The broken English is a sign of Huck?s low social class. In addition it also shows that he is from a southern river town. This can be seen from his expressions and accent. The language of the novel also assists the reader to get into the laid back, southern mood of the book. By doing so the story is brought to life. It seems as if someone were to bring you back to the time when the novel and the events in it occurred.
Because of the rules of the time that Huck?s character is governed upon, Huck was never educated. During the early 1800s there was no law that required children to go to school, therefore his low intellect has a strong impact on Huck?s character. It gives him a ?plain and simple? outlook on life, this trait can been seen throughout the book in Huck?s character. One specific area it affects is Huck?s plans for his future. Huck only thought about what he was going to do for present. Huck had an incapable father. He was thought of as the town drunk, and would often come home intoxicated and abuse Huck. At one point his father locked Huck up in a small room without food or water for days. The setting is important here because if Huck?s father were to treat his son in an abusive manner today, he would lose custody of his child. A good example of Huck?s unloving relationship was Huck?s reaction to his father?s death. When notified of his death he was relieved and felt safe! This detail can be used to illustrate the abuse that Huck went through in the beginning of the book, while living with his father. Because of Huck?s father?s irresponsible actions, Huck ran away at a young age in the hope that someday he would find freedom from his father and society. By running away Huck saved himself from abuse and being taken advantage of. One of the things Huck saved himself from was having 6,000 dollars, that Huck was awarded for the capture of two criminals in Tom Sawyer, being stolen from him by his father.
Huck?s separation from his father is also the reason for his free thinking, responsibility and innocence. These times of hardship formed him into a mature person and helped contribute to his independent personality. Without the influence of the setting Huck would have never been able to achieve the freedom that he had by being independent.
When Huck ran away he joined up with Jim, who was also running away, but from something different. Jim was fleeing from slavery, a common practice of the time. Huck?s relationship with Jim contributed to Huck?s non-prejudice thinking. Another factor that gave Huck a understanding of how the slaves must have felt was the prejudice that he experienced himself , being part of the lower class. Huck was infuriated when people looked down upon him for something that was no fault of his, he was born into the class because of his father?s social status. For these reasons Huck always treated Jim as an equal, making Huck ahead of his time. Jim knew that Huck respected him, as a result Jim risked his own life to save Huck.
Huck?s independence and lack of education resulted in a mind that was never influenced by adult?s beliefs. This allowed Huck to have thoughts based on what he believed in, not traditions that are simply carried on by messengers of the past?s beliefs. Although traditions are often good they prevent new ideas from entering people?s minds. This made Huck original, this individuality could be seen with his relationship with Jim. During this period of American history slaves were looked down upon, but Huck, being an independent thinker, looked up to Jim for who he was, not for the color of his skin. This was made obvious by their moon lit conversations on the raft. On the raft Huck and Jim talked about their past and future, friends and how they planned to avoid trouble that could result from their next adventure. From the raft conversations the reader was able to see how Jim longed for freedom and had feelings just like everyone else, especially Huck.
As the novel progressed Huck?s relationship with Jim grew stronger. In the beginning of the book Huck often called Jim ?Nigger Jim.” This was not because of any hatred that Huck had towards Jim. It was only a term commonly used to refer to blacks. But by the end of the book Huck would only call Jim by his name. This change in dialogue clearly illustrates how the relationship grew stronger during their adventures. By the end of the novel Huck risked his own life to free Jim in the final escape attempt. This happened when Huck and Tom freed Jim from a holding cell. They were spotted, chased and then shot at by the men who had captured Jim. If the story were to take place in another time, where slavery did not exist, it could have hid Huck?s individuality that slavery shed light on.
During the river adventures that Huck and Jim shared Huck realized that because of his economic status he was dependent on the river to survive. This can clearly be seen by looking at the origin of his name ?Huckleberry?. He was given this name because at a young age he had been eating huckleberries. His dependence made him loyal to the Mississippi River. The personification of the river that Huck uses clearly shows his feelings and thankfulness to the river. The personification also helped show how important the river was to not only Huck but to all of the river towns and