Mullins_ProjectEssay

Kalynn Mullins

Rossi per. 9

January 31, 2012

Douglass and Twain

Fredrick Douglass is a former slave, and leader of the abolitionist movement. Mark Twain wrote “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. These two men have an important role in slavery and racism in the United States. When people break away from the expectations of their settings, Douglass gains self respect and Huck, Twains’ character in the story, gains friendship.

Douglass is one of the only free slaves that stood up for himself to a white man. He shows others a new way to be a slave; he shows others that he is a proud slave. He proved to himself that he is more than a slave, that he is a man that deserves respect as well. While Douglass breaks away from being a slave, he gains his own self respect for no one else but for himself. Douglass clearly suggests that slavery and racism is wrong in the Unites States.

In the novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, the setting changes when Huck and Jim become close and try to run away together. In the text, Huck and Jim's conversation goes.. “Well, I b’lieve you,Huck. I -- run off.” “Jim!” “But mind, you said you wouldn’ tell -- you know you said you wouldn’ tell, Huck.” (50) They then become friends and carried on the same way.

Twain suggests that slavery and racism wasn’t an easy thing to escape from. He suggests that the white man must be superior to the black. Just like in the novel, Huck needed to report that Jim was a runaway because during that time period that was how Huck was raised. Turning Jim in to his owner was morally right even though Huck knew that in his heart it was the right thing to do. Huck still had to tell on Jim.

When people break away from the expectations of their settings, Douglass gains self respect and Huck, Twains character gains a new buddy. These men suggest that slavery and racism was very common. And whether you were a slave, an owner, or a child of an owner, there was plenty of ways to look at slavery and racism. It all depended on how they were brought up to the subject.