12.31.2019

Classics Challenge: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

11 hrs. I finished the Challenge with 11 hours to spare! I really didn't think I would but I actually got into the story towards the end. It took me a while, mostly because of ebook formatting options. I read a lot faster when I found a good hardcopy at my dad's house over the holidays. Then I was close enough to the end that I powered through on my annoying ebook once we came home.

I used this for my Classic from a Place You've Lived seeing as how Hannibal MO (aka Mark Twain country) is not too far from us. I actually would like to go visit this spring if I can fit it into the schedule. So it's from here - and yet it's not. The world Huck Finn lives in is so different from what I live in day to day that I think it would be easy to dismiss parts of it or at least some of the ideas its sharing. It's tempting to read this in a less than humble way. In other words, to use it as a way to pat yourself on the back for being so woke. Which would be a mistake. But having said that, it's one I would have loved to read at the time because I think it would have been almost a different book. Of course, one can never really do that and I suppose that is one of the best reasons to read it now. To try and see from that point of view. Both the ideas that were prevelent then - and the way people fought them.  I wish I could articulate more but I think I need a few more weeks (months?) to think on it. And the idea of it being banned because of racial slurs - well, that's a whole 'nother post that I don't even have the desire to write anytime soon! But it's all interesting to think about.

On a less "educational" level, it was also just enjoyable. Having a little boy in my life probably made certain parts more humorous too. Little boys are their own type of creature - and one that I think Mark Twain was familiar with.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was my Back to the Classics Challenge Classic From a Place You've Lived selection.

No comments :

Post a Comment