Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - A Controversial Novel :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Huckleberry Finn – Controversial Novel A well-studied piece of American literature was written by Mark Twain and is known as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It is an adventure story, as the title suggests, about a boy who escapes his abusive father and finds himself in the company of a runaway slave as they head down the Mississippi together to find freedom. Along the way, they become equals in their venture and Huck's belief system that was formed by the society he lives in is shattered. Not only is this book, one of the most controversial novels of all time, but it is true American ideals and flaws. The fact that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most widely taught books in American literature classrooms across the country speak of its greatness. But what exactly is it about the book that makes it so great? First, the use of satire throughout the book gives different parts of action irony. Satire is a literary work in which vices, follies, stupidities, abuses, etc. are held up to ridicule and contempt. Twain uses satire through the story to poke fun at the society in which he grew up. Satire is useful because it makes the readers truly think about what Twain has said, and at the same time, the irony of it is based on truth and can be used to force the readers to think about society today. By stepping back, they realize the modern irony that they live by. The examples that Twain used in Huck Finn range from Jim, the runaway slave calling Huck white trash, to the people on the river abandoning Huck when they think "his father" is ill with small pox. But the best use of satire in the book is when the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons go to church: Next Sunday we all went to church, about three mile, everybody a-horseback. The men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall. The Shepardsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching-all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith and good works and free grace and preforeordestination, and I don't know what at all, that it did seem to me to be one of the roughest Sundays I had run across yet.

grendelbeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf from Grendels Perspective :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf from Grendel's Perspective One night, as Grendel was sleeping soundly in his home in the swamplands, he was suddenly awakened by the sound of music. The music angered Grendel because he had been up late the night before entertaining his monster friends and was in need of his beauty rest. So he headed out the front door and headed to see what the commotion is all about. ] Upon arrival at the mead hall, Grendel notices the door is much to small for him to enter through it easily. This does not make him happy because it happens everywhere he goes in the little human towns. So he squeezes his shoulders through the small opening and manages to ask the man at the nearest table what was going on. The man, being exhausted from his own celebrations, was to tired to even notice the beast standing over him. Monsters of Grendel's type are not used to be ignored and see it as disrespectful and so do not like to be ignored. Which is why Grendel pulled his head from the doorway and reached his claw in to snatch up unsuspecting man. Everyone else in the room was too busy to even notice the man being lifted from his place behind his drink. With the first man out of the way, Grendel decided to try a different approach. Again, scrunching himself down partway through the door, Grendel looked for someone to tell him what was going on. He cleared his throat an d said with a rough, gravelly voice, "Excuse me!" No one noticed. So he said it louder, "Excuse me!" A few heads turned. After a number of astonished gasps, more turned to see. Detecting he was now the center of attention, Grendel asked what they were all doing making so much noise so late at night. The men only stared at him. So he asked more simply and slowly, not knowing if they were intelligent or not, "What are you doing?" The only response this time was an echoed "Get him!" This surprised Grendel because they seemed to say it in unison. He jumped slightly and hit his head on the doorway. He stood up and rubbed his head and knocked over a horse and its cart with his foot.

Character Study: Scott Hastings Essay

The film strictly ballroom directed by Baz Lurmann is a drama/comedy about peoples attitudes towards dance and other cultures. A character that makes a dramatic change is Scott Hastings. He changes from being smug and self centred to being accepting of other cultures and that other people can be successful with the help of family and friends. Scott is a very arrogant, self centred person before he properly meets Fran. His mother Shirley has a great influence on his behaviour. â€Å"Half of the trophies in this room were won by Scott.† Shirley shows Scott that is alright to be rude to people and that the world only revolves around him. In Les Kendall’s dance studio, Scott is irritated by les and Shirley because they showed their disgust about Scott dancing his own steps and rebelling against Les and Shirley. This causes Scott’s partner Liz start dancing with the dancing champion Ken Railings, also Scott’s arch enemy. â€Å"I don’t want us to end up like that drunk Ken Railings. The director shows Scott’s reaction to this by using extreme close ups to show his facial expressions and mid shots to show his body language to the people around him. At the end of the scene Fran approaches Scott and asks to dance with him. This triggers the changes that Scott starts to make. Scott changes due to Fran approaching him and asking o dance with him, â€Å"Look what you’re carrying on about? You’re going to wake up tomorrow and feel like a real idiot about it.† Scott decides to give Fran a chance at dancing and realises that Fran can really dance. In the Fiesta scene Baz Lurmann uses the opportunity to reveal Scott. Rico confronts Scott about the kind of dancing Scott is doing with Fran and Scott lies to Rico and says that he has been practising the Pasa Doble, Scott then tries dancing the Pasa Doble, but soon learns that it is the wrong dance because the people at the Fiesta start to laugh at Scott for dancing the wrong dance. â€Å"What, why are you all  laughing at me?† Rico starts to dance the Pasa Doble and Scott joins in. The director uses this dance off to reveal the fact that Rico is Scott’s contrast and the extreme close ups on both of the dancers feet. This symbolises that Scott respects Rico and learns that he has to earn respect and not be given it like a handout. In this scene Rico is wearing a genuine matador’s jacket to show Rico has an upper hand on dancing the Pasa Doble. Scott also realises how he acted before he met Fran and Rico and his behaviour towards people ho he thinks are ‘below’ him. The ending sequence is another sequence that also changes Scott. This is the scene where Shirley pressures Scott into dancing with Liz after her new partner Ken Railings dumps her. Fran sees Scott and starts dancing in beginners dancing. â€Å"Fran is back in beginners where she belongs. Scott sees Fran upset and shows his true colours and feelings about Fran. Finally Scott realises Fran is the right dancer for him and this is also the time when Doug tells Scott the truth about his and Shirley’s past. â€Å"Son, can I bend your ear for a tick.† In the dance sequence following what Doug revealed to Scott, he realises that Fran and her culture is important. The matador jacket which Rico wears in the earlier Fiesta scene is now worn by Scott to symbolise the respect and knowledge he has gained through Rico and Fran. Scott now reveals his feelings for Fran by kissing her. Therefore the character Scott changes from an arrogant self-centred boy to a courageous admiral character. This is shown though the three main scenes when Scott feels challenged. In the opening scene Scott thinks of Fran and all of the people who cannot dance as good as him like they should look up to him but in the Fiesta scene, Rico and the Spanish community laugh at Scott proving his theory wrong. Scott’s new sense of respect leads through to the ending sequence when Scott portrays freedom and the sense to respect everyone, no matter what culture they are.