Adventures Of Huck Finn Essays (616 words) -

Adventures of Huck Finn Mark Twain wrote "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the 1800's. During this time slavery was socially acceptable. Even in the church it was taught that there was nothing wrong with slavery. Black people were often referred to as "niggers". Huck, even though he was a friend of Jim, didn't even think twice about calling a black person a nigger. Huck would say things like "Give a nigger an inch and he'll take an ell."(86) He didn't see anything wrong with using language like this. He didn't see anything wrong with it because he was taught to call black people niggers just like his dad did and everyone else around him did also. During this period in history in the south, that is how people talked. I think the meaning of the word nigger was different then than it is now. The word nigger was used in this book because in the 1800's it was common language. It did not have the same impact on a person back then as it does today. Jim even uses the word nigger freely as if it does not have any meaning to it. He says, "I wouldn't ?low no nigger to call me dat."(77) Jim does not seem to be offended by the word because he uses the word himself. I think that the African Americans at this time are so prone to hearing this word used that they do not even think about what the meaning of the word nigger is. I do not think Huck really knew what the true meaning of the word nigger was. I think he just thought it was another name for a person that was black. If there is anyone in this novel that has an anti-racism attitude, it is Huck. He is the one who helped Jim escape to freedom when nobody else would have cared. Huck was Jim's only friend and I think Jim knew it. When Huck found Jim on Jackson Island, Jim trusted Huck enough to tell him what he had done. Jim said, "...you wouldn't tell on me ef I ?uz to tell you, would you Huck?"(42) Although Huck often pondered about whether or not he should turn Jim in, he never did. Huck stuck by Jim's side the whole time even though Jim was black. Huck looked beyond the color of Jim's skin and saw that he was a real person and not just a nigger. It is kind if ironic that Miss Watson, a proper woman that attends church regularly who calls herself a Christian, owns a slave. This just shows us that during this time people were taught that there was nothing wrong with slavery. The simple fact that Jim belonged to Miss Watson made it hard for Huck's conscience to help him escape from slavery. Huck knew it was wrong to help a slave run away. He always felt bad about helping Miss Watson's slave run away. He kept thinking, "What had poor Miss Watson done to you that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word?"(85) But even knowing this, he helped Jim anyway. Huck had a caring heart, and he cared about Jim. Huck's love and dedication to Jim helps us over look the frequent use of the word nigger. Huck does not pay attention to the fact that Jim is black, and a nigger, and he befriends him. He ignores what his society says at that time period in the 1800's about blacks. The only reason for the use of the nigger in this book is because of the vernacular in this area. Huck does not know that this word is bad because nobody ever told him it wrong to say it. He grew up hearing it used excessively and therefore he used the word nigger in his speech without even thinking twice about it.

Germany and History essays

Germany and History essays World War II started when Adolf Hitler wanted to expand his authority and strengthen German forces. It feels like a good idea for the reason that Hitler wants to protect German-speaking people but he disobeyed the Versailles Treaty and his actions of acquiring those countries were too harsh. Great Britain and France did not have a choice but to attack Germany, the atmosphere all over the world became furious and was ready to face another battle such as World War I. During that time, our region was not ready for another struggle for the reason that we were still in the process of recovering from the loss of our nation during the Great Depression. There were several casualties died, buildings destroyed, but in the beginning of World War II, everything changed. During the war, the economy of the region rose since several jobs offered to men and women. Men asked to work as soldiers while women worked in the factories to build equipments for use in combat. Discrimination rose when the war broke where non-white segregated from whites. Adolf Hitler was an aggressive man; he wants people to adore him in order to rule the world. He successfully convinced people to follow him on his several activities especially in expanding the land area of Germany but then our regions opinion about this is that his plan was not to secure the people and protect them but instead he planned to secure and protect himself. The activities that he made were more on a personal satisfaction. Benito Mussolini was engaged in a Socialists Party but later on became the ruler of Italy where he invaded Ethiopia and other countries. Both men were hungry for power. Soon, the combat operations have ended when the peace treaty initiated but in Germany, it later signed in 1990. The regions have changed and new beginnings formed. Political issues and other difficulties rose but with a proposed long-term solution. The strongest ally during the war were Great Britain a...

Social Class in the US Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social Class in the US - Assignment Example However, as can be gleaned from the lessons and insights provided by the materials in Chapter 8, the belief that the US is the land of opportunity is all but a myth. For, while thousands of opportunities are available for everyone interested, factors like language, educational and cultural factors can severely impede immigrants’ success, including those with professional credentials which they earned from their own homelands. Sawhill, Isabel (2006) in a Policy Brief stated that while the US economy performed well, most of the benefits of such success were reaped by those at half top of the income distribution strata, especially those at the top one percent (or those with income of more than about $400,000 in 2006). Society, stressing that it takes at least five generations to totally free one from circumstances of birth or family background. Sawhill adds that as the gap widens among the income levels or groups, it has become harder for people to move up, as the topmost of the ladder becomes more and more solid and strong, accumulating more and more wealth. Immigrants, illegal or otherwise, represent cheap, reliable labor for the American businesses. The documented and legal immigrants mostly have no education or reached only high school level, which makes it harder for them to land on high-paying jobs. Even their children tend to not continue to go to school but instead engage in jobs to augment their families’ incomes. Education, they say, is the great leveler. However, the US does not provide equal access to quality education to its people. Majority of the immigrants’ kids go to public schools which are below par the other schools across the nation. Even the funding for Bilingual Education has been debated upon, most probably towards its abolition. It is therefore no wonder that recent trends had been that these immigrants are going back to their homes, primarily to seek better opportunities