The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Expectation: To be wowed by this stalwart of American literature.
Reality: A bit let down, and not just because of the terrible racism. Essentially this is a story of vignettes with a very loose plot.
My Take:
While I had little desire to read Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” after being less than charmed by “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” as a pre-teen, the buzz around Percival Everett’s “James” — a reimagining of the story from the perspective of Jim, the runaway slave – prompted me to read it before tackling the new release.
There’s little commentary I can add to the discourse about “Huckleberry Finn,” but I do want to call out how reading “James” immediately after finishing this novel changed my perception of the book.
Perceptions on “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” Before Reading “James”
Thoughts that come to mind while reading the novel as a standalone:
Kids were heartier back in the 1800s, but I was shocked murder and death played such an important role in the plot.
Speaking of plot, Jim is central to it, but he’s given very little character development or personality. He’s portrayed as a simpleton with paralyzing phasmophobia. It’s understandable why Twain — even though known for his liberal views – had to lean into these stereotypes at the time of publication, it’s disappointing this novel has endured for centuries and continues to reaffirm racist beliefs.
While “woke” for the time period given its social commentary on class, race and wealth, it really hasn’t aged well. That racial slurs were common needs to be acknowledged, but I think most kids would find it jarring and miss the intent of the story — fidelity.
When Twain leans into hijinks the story is at its best. Huck dressing in drag to get intel on his “murder” and Jim’s escape — classic. The King and Duke conning their way across the south — engaging. Still, these elements felt like vignettes versus a cohesive narrative.
Can we please start using “by and by” and “rapscallion” more frequently?
It still deserves a place in the canon of classic American literature, but it seems maybe this has run its course of required reading and should be considered extra credit instead.
I finished the novel feeling frustrated more than anything. Tom knew that Jim had already been freed, but still decided to put forth a ridiculous plan — for his own benefit — that put Jim in mortal danger.
For a person they claimed to respect — and who saved both his and Huck’s lives — it was somewhat deranged. Even without modern sensibilities applied, were people really supposed to root for the kids after a stunt like that?
Perceptions on “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” After Reading “James”
I’m glad to have tackled these novels back-to-back, because it helped soften the edges of the terrible racism present in “Huckleberry Finn.” Evertt presents a more nuanced picture of the relationship between James and Huck centered around one thing: safety.
Understated in Twain’s telling but overt in Everett’s re-telling, is James’ role as father-figure versus sidekick, which gave Huck runway for creativity and adventure. Sure, James leveraged Huck’s whiteness to ensure his own protection, but it was never through the lens of manipulation.
Conversely, upon finishing “James,” I view Huck as less of a precocious rascal and more as a child trying to find his place in the world after suffering repeated trauma. He may not have understood or appreciated that stabilizing force that James was in his life, but he certainly felt it.
Finally, a Note on the Audiobook
There are several versions of the audiobook available, but the version my library had at the ready was narrated by Tom Parker. Last year, he turned in a delightfully unhinged performance in a less than stellar book, and he did much of the same here.
While the audio quality wasn’t great — lots of pops and cracks — it’s understandable given it was initially recorded in the early 2000s. If you can, I’d seek out the version performed by Elijah Wood.
Rating (story): 3/5 stars
Rating (narration): 3/5 stars
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: April 17 – April 21, 2024
Multi-tasking: Good to go. If you aren’t paying close enough attention, you may get lost once a new scheme starts, but since this is for younger readers, Twain makes it a point to revisit key details.
