The different themes in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. What Research Paper

The different themes in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. What message was Mark Twain trying to relay to the readers - Research Paper Example It was highly criticized and scrutinized because of its over adventurous nature to the racial content, but anyone who reads and understands will not have any doubt about the intention of the novelist or the novel itself. Even after 200 years of its publication it is still considered as an important part of the American literature which is thought to have been shaped by the presence of it. Huckleberry Finn is described by Twain as â€Å"a book where sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision and conscience suffers a defeat† (Twain, 1992 p xvii). The novel portrays Huck’s moral development as he ends up in different circumstances but is able to maintain his freedom and security The author wants to impose the importance of freedom for every human being and tries to justify it as a basic necessity. However, the novel is also criticized on its racism by few critics because of the use of the racist slur â€Å"nigger†, but author clearly tries to show tha t Jim is a very loving and caring person. Even Huck is also confused sometimes by the voices of his inner conscience that tells him to like Jim but the socially accepted treatment for the slaves at that time, told him to do otherwise. In this way this novel also conveys an idea about the effect of the society in a person’s acts and decisions (Alberti, 1995). Twain’s novel brings into consideration this very important point that one’s opinion must not be influenced by that of society. Twain also demonstrates the psychic struggle going on between the morally right and legally and socially enforced decisions. In the beginning, Huck also considers himself as a slave because he is oppressed by the ideals of society. He is a freedom loving person and enjoys his less restricted life style. He acquires it by means of escape; this is what satisfies Huck (Jarnow, 2004 p 41). In the course of the novel two seemingly opposite people become friends and their friendship prosp ers in the rest of the novel. Their relationship becomes as important as that of a father and son which seems like impossibility in reality. By this portrayal the aim of author was to show the absurdity of the idea that was felt by the society and the reader. It also shows the misjudgment prevailed in the society. Regardless of immorality and inhuman behaviors of white people, they were considered superior and virtuous than black. This is shown when Huck’s drunkard father gets his custody legally. This decision of the society shows its instability in regard of equality and logic. Society’s criteria or priority was laid for only white skin people. The fact was clearly ignored by them that beneath skin, they all are human with same will and passions. Huck realized this after meeting Jim and he wanted to treat him as a person and not as a slave whose only fault was his dark skin (Jarnow, 2004 p 51). The most important dispute in the novel was the use of the word nigger be cause of the sensitivity of the African American towards it. However inhibiting the use of a word for its emotional aversion will only increase its offensive power, although banning a literary novel over this cause while media is embracing the same word is an unjust act. Not only media or modern culture but a lot of other literary novels contain coarse language but still they are a significant part of the literature.

Etty Hillesum & Religion & Holocaust Research Paper

Etty Hillesum & Religion & Holocaust - Research Paper Example The theory that it was God's fault, Etty explained, was an easy way out. Man created this world (1940's) and its atrocities, because of lack of faith in God. Her faith and belief in God helped many get through the horrible times before being transferred to Auschwitz. She did feel life was absurd though there were things each individual person could gain. Religion was not wishful thinking. She had a special religious vocation which was beyond the understanding of the times and a little bit more comprehensible today. "Fear created the first Gods". Perhaps, Etty considered that fear also took spirituality away from most. "Moreover, life itself contradicts the most basic of human aspirations: to live without suffering and cruelty because most are not prepared in "healing the soul". Life require work on the soul. This sound trite as a phrase but it was her aspiration in turning suffering and cruelty into an experience where some benefit could begotten. She made a transition in 1943, as sh e actually felt it was not fair that she did not share the suffering of others and volunteered to be transferred.. There are different explanations of the Holocaust but non like Etty Hillesum. Her diaries written from 1941-1943 give an incredible outlook to how one young women dealt with the atrocities from looking within. She shared her inspirations with others. She inspired many. Ester Hillesum was born in the Netherlands January 15, 1914. She died in Auschwitz November 30 1943. One of the most influential person in her short life taught her the value of looking within for the necessary answers of one's problems . Julias Spier, a psycho-chirologist, studied with Carl Jung the technique of analyzing the lines of the hand. Etty met him in 1941 at a conference and then in therapy. He showed her the value of writing as a part of her therapy. In her letters, she refers to him as .S. Etty became his good friend and secretary. She continued writing her diaries for 3 years. They are writt en in the forms of letters representing a spiritual journey. She wished to become a journalist 'if she made it after the war'. S woke the God in her. She saw that God was omnipresent in all aspects of life. She had two tendencies in her letters: to write of the God within her; and to write of the God of creation and creatures. Towards the end of the diary she converges these two thoughts. "For once you have begun to walk with God, you need only keep on walking with Him and all of life becomes on long stroll ...such a marvellous feeling....(14/07/1942). She continued writing about God until the end of her life. God is within man. Because God could do nothing with what man was doing at this time in life (WWII), she said it was time for man to help God. Take care of his presence. Don't just offer him your tears and sadness but make his time he has with you as agreeable as possible. Hatred and anger are the easy route to take though you have every right to do so. Any element of moral in dignation touches the soul. One element of hatred, one atom more of hatred added to this world renders it even more disagreeable. Life is absurd, but man still has libre-arbitre over his proper soul. "This hatred and animosity which exist in others is also in us. I don't see any other solution other than cleaning our souls of this rot. We cannot improve the outside world without having made progress within ourselves. There is one lesson that can be learned from the war, the need to look within". A lite comparison done in 2011 would be going to a cancer waiting room, seeing everyone with sour faces. Bring a box of chocolates, or tell a joke for