Group Four: Maya, Cassie, Eunace,

Brandon, Sam

Symbolism

Symbol :“A person, place or object which has

a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well. Things, characters and actions can be symbols. Anything that suggests a meaning beyond the

obvious” (Bokesch).

Mississippi River“Soon as it was night, out we shoved; when we got her out to about

the middle, we let her alone, and let her float wherever the current wanted her to; then we lit the pipes, and dangled our legs in the water and talked about all kinds of things– we was always naked, day and night, whenever the mosquitos would let us” (Twain 121)

Freedom

“…We was always naked, day and night…”

•Escape from “sivilization”

•Do whatever they want with no regard to social rules or

customs

Direction of the journey

•South- they made a mistake and are headed toward MORE

slavery and abuse

•Temporary comfort- their fun is coming to an end soon

Theme- Society Vs. Freedom

The Raft“It’s lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky up there, all

speckled with starts, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened” (Twain 64)

Jim and Huck’s Friendship

Brings them closer together•Huck looks beyond Jim’s color

•Sees him as a real person and eventually a fatherly figure

•Leaves behind society’s views on slavery

Safe Haven•The two have a lot of fun being

independent on the raft

Theme- Society vs. Huck’s view on slavery

Sadie’s Knife“They know that. That’s why one of the take my knife. I pretends not

to notice. Acts like that knife ain’t nothing to me. But when I goes in my pocket I can’t feels my mama’s hand and head hurt” (Rawles 70).

Security and Her MotherBelonged to her mother

•Piece of her

•Felt her mother’s strength through the knife

•Has no family, so helped her feel like she does

Protection

•Literary meaning

Connection to Jim

•Cut the umbilical cord

•First meeting

Theme- The importance of family and strength for slaves

The Bowl“See this mark. you can feel it with your fingers. For this bowl broke

that’s the Congo cross. Not a Christian cross. A Congo cross. One line up to the gods one line down to the ancestors in the spirit world. One line over for this life right now and this death too. A circle tying it all together. My mamas mama a healer. She the first doctor in the family this side the water. When my grandmamma give my mama this bowl she know the power in it” (Rawles 101).

African roots/heritage

Her family•Passed down through generations

•Very sentimental•African roots

Healing•More literal meaning

Theme- Heritage is important to preserve

The Quilt“You take that quilt wherever you go. When you old and

wore you think on me and all the others you love. You close your eyes and feel our love coming up behind you. That’s all you got in this world” (Rawles 161).

Connection Past to Present

Granddaughter's future

•Importance of family

bowl, hat, button, Tobacco, knife, tooth, different colors, scarf, pipe

Theme- Past generation’s memories helps present generation’s struggles

Jim“It raining heavy but I knows in my bones Jim coming to me”

(Rawles 94).“I had the middle watch, you know, but I was pretty sleepy by that

time, so Jim he said he would stand the first half of it for me; he was always mighty good, that way, Jim was” (Twain 117)

Father-figure/Slave Hope/Love

•Took care of Huck/protection/sidekick•Represents all of the slaves at this time

•Sadie sees being with him as being free

•Her goal throughout the whole bookTheme- (Huck) Society vs. Slavery

(Jim) Slavery vs. love/family

Literary Criticism

“He has been recognized by critics as a complex character, at once a superstitious and ignorant minstrel-show stereotype but also an intelligent human being who conveys more depth than the narrator, Huck Finn, is aware of” (Telgen 5).

Miss Watson“Well, I got a good going-over, from old Miss Watson, on account of my clothes; but the widow she didn’t scold, but only cleaned off the grease and clay and

looked so sorry that I thought I would behave a while if I could” (Twain 13).

What does she represent?

•Propriety

•“Sivilization”

Huck’s feelings toward this?

•Teenage kid

•Adventure

Theme- Captivity vs. freedom

Civilization

Literary Criticism

“She represents a view of Christianity that is severe and unforgiving. It is her

attempts to ‘sivilize.’ Huck that he finds most

annoying… (Hacht 7)”

Jim’s Hat“White man’s hat. Hat like a bowl. Brown with a yellow sash. No hat for a nigger. Not a free colored either. I wants to say take off that hat fore they catch you boy” (Rawles 60).

Hat for Sadie?

•Fear for safety•A “dreamer”

Pride

Hat for Jim ?

•Pride•Equality

•Independence

Theme- Slavery vs. Freedom

Essential QuestionsWhat does the language allow and encourage?

Twain and Rawles use symbols to make the readers read between the lines. They can interpret the hidden meanings behind different objects and characters to give them more meaning in the story. Symbols give more depth to the plot to

effectively express the overall message that the authors are trying to covey.

Essential Questions• Quilt, Knife, Bowl- Family Tale

• Raft and Mississippi River, Jim’s hate, Jim, Miss Watson- Boy’s tale and Abolitionist’s

tale

Bibliography• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Literary

Themes for Students: The American Dream. Ed. Anne Hacht. Vol. 1. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. p41-55. 2 vols.

• Bokesch, Laura. "Literary Terms." OUSD Online. OUSD. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.

<http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/literary_elements.htm#SYMBOLISM>.

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale. 1997. p1-21.