Download Mark Twain`s Language

Reflect and Review
1. Why would Twain use colloquial rather
than formal language?
2. How do colloquialisms/regional dialects
make the reading “down to earth” and
“like water,” meant for everyone?
3. Based on what you know about Twain so
far, what kind of person might he have
been?
Mark Twain’s Language
EQ-What is colloquial language
and why does Twain use it?
Twain’s Language Technique
• Colloquial Language: The everyday language we use in
conversation. It is sometimes ungrammatical, and it may
contain slang words and phrases. It varies from place to
place and among ethnic groups.
• Dialect: the way of speaking and writing that is particular
to a specific region of the country. Every dialect differs
from every other dialect in the details of its vocabulary,
grammar and pronunciation. Writers often use dialect to
make their characters seem realistic.
• Regionalism: Words or phrases peculiar to a particular
region. In literature regionalism is the tendency among
certain authors to write about specific geographical
areas. Regional writers present the distinct culture of an
area, including its speech, customs, beliefs and history.
The “incorrectness” is actually
correct.
•YouYou
know
about
without
do not don’t
know about
me if you
have not me
read The
Adventuresyou
of Tom
Sawyer, but that does not matter. That book was written by Mark Twain,
have read a book by the name of The
and most of it was true, even though there may have been a few made up
parts
as well.
Adventures
of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t
no matter. That book was made by Mr.
Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly.
There was things which he stretched, but
mainly he told to truth (Twain 3).
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Why the Controversy?
A FEW QUICK FACTS* ABOUT
HUCK:
• Huck Finn is on the pacing guide of required reading
for eleventh graders in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County school system.
• Huck Finn is the most taught novel and most taught
work of American literature in American schools
from junior high to graduate school.
• After over one hundred years of publication,
worldwide sales of the novel surpass twenty million
copies, in at least twenty-five different languages.
• Huck is called the “great American novel” as early
as 1891.
• A 1900 review dubs it the “most admirable work of
literary art as yet produced on this continent.”
*Information for this handout was obtained from the following sources:
Brown, Robert B. “One Hundred Years of HUCK FINN.” American Heritage Magazine. 35.4 (June/ July 1984). AmericanHeritage.com. (20 Jan.
2008).
“Exploring the Controversy: The ‘N’ Word.” Huck Finn in Context: The Curriculum. Public Broadcasting Service Teacher’s Guide.
<www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/teachers/huck/section1_2.html> 19 Jan. 2008.
Fishkin, Shelley Fisher. “Teaching Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Lecture. Summer Teacher’s Institute, Mark Twain House,
Hartford, CT. July 1995.
Despite the accolades…
– Initial reviews of the book are either
nonexistent or negative.
– What Robert Brown calls “one of the great
ironies of our literary history” occurs in
March of 1885: the book is banned by the
public library system of Concord,
Massachusetts, “the town of Emerson and
Thoreau…the brightest center of intellect
the country ha[s] ever known.”
Major Themes in the Novel
•
an emphasis on realism
•
a basic contempt for organized
society
•
a belief in the superiority of the
individual, particularly during youth
4 Major Points of Emphasis
•
•
reflection on the frontier (Huck escapes society)
the importance of the river (symbolizes 2 things)
–
–
•
the theme of rebirth
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
byway for the hero to travel (not a road, a river)
a security device (provides a haven from the trouble they face
in the towns)
Huck fakes his own death and makes the first step toward being
born again on the river.
His own father dies and he accepts his new father, Jim.
Jim is a guide/protector/teacher
Continually searching for his identity with the theme of freedom
Aunt Polly must reveal Huck’s “true self” before the plot can be
resolved
Huck is reborn in the end and looking toward the west for more
freedom
Twain’s realistic appraisal of man
So, what’s wrong with Huck?
• Initial criticisms center on gentility. Public
libraries in Denver and Omaha ban the
“immoral and sacrilegious” book in 1902 lest
it “put wrong ideas in youngsters’ heads.”
• More recent anti-Huck movements focus on
racial issues: the treatment of Jim in the
novel, the presence of the word “nigger” (213
times, to be exact), and the perceived
ambiguity in both Huck’s and Twain’s
attitudes toward African-Americans.
Literary Critics
And their responses to Huck Finn
How do we handle these hot
topics?
• Read the novel with an understanding that
“Twain’s consciousness and awareness is
larger than that of any of the characters in
the novel, including Huck.” In other words,
analyze Huck’s words carefully in order to
hear Twain’s own perspective peeking
through. Do not make the age-old mistake of
confusing author and narrator!
• How does this change our perception?
How do we handle these hot
topics?
– Consider the fact that in 1885—the year of
Huck’s American debut—Twain writes a
letter to Yale Law School, requesting to
pay the tuition of one of the first black
students. Twain claims, “We have ground
the manhood out of them, and the shame
is ours, not theirs, & we should pay for it.”
– What does this tell us?
How do we handle these hot
topics?
• Remember that Twain is a Realist. He wants to get away
from the genteel, Romantic, British-style novel. He wants
his story to be distinctly American, rugged, earthy, bold,
and even messy. He could use the elision “n—” instead
of the word “nigger,” but he doesn’t. WHY?
– On one hand, Twain wants the speech of his characters to
sound as realistic as possible. That means having them say
some unsavory—and downright offensive things. Mississippi
River culture of the time was far from polished an “PC.”
– Contrary to popular belief, however, Twain knows the power and
the connotation of the “N-word.” He wants to put the issue of
prejudice boldly on the table.
Respond to the following questions
in light of our discussion
• “Sticks and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Respond to this statement.
• How does censoring the novel change
the overall purpose of the author?
Literature Circles
Expectations
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Michael Billups
Tiffany Sheets
Sam Jarvis
Jeffrey Long
Ashley Wilmoth
Haley Jacob
Lucas Rosenblatt
Trey Eller
Richard Portillo
Michael Black
Toni Shelton
Aaron Jones
Falon Maglero
Pam Truell
Karla Huerta
Kali Smith
Luke Macemore
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group 8
Conner Brown
Rachel Silas
Linh Pham
Kindra Golden
Zach Tesh
Deaton Hawley
Nick Kroustalis
Chase Lovelace
Austin Clayton
Kaitlin Sluder
Matt Pennington
Meredith Paige
Antony Squire
Michael Harrington
Brittany LaPorte
Alesha Smith
Discussion Check list
To get full credit students must
3 Questions
Have all 3 questions prepared BEFORE class; all three questions must be
level three questions that elicit thought and discussion
Discussion Participation
Students will lose points for each time they are off task during
the discussion. Ms. Carmichael will also look at the discussion
log and deduct points for students who are not well represented
in the discussion. Ideally the discussion notes should reflect
equal participation among all members of the group. It is up to
the group to encourage equal participation, but it is up the
individual to assert him/herself in the discussion.
5
20
Discussion Notes
Simply based on following the instructions
5
Reflection
Simply based on completion
5
Total_____/35
Letter: A
B
C
D
F