How does Mark Twain portray small-town life in “The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn”?
engtchr5 Teacher High School – 10th Grade eNotes Editor Mark Twain’s portrayal of small-town life is especially accurate for this time period. As he leads us to conclude that the lifestyle of this era and place was rustic, charming, and close-knit. When something happens,the whole community knows about it, for instance. In addition, some characters (especially female characters), have a tendency to diagnose and critique all of the town’s happenings at various points throughout the novel. Some would call it gossip, but most of their facts are pretty straight. Twain shows us that the politics and beliefs of the setting were primarily conservative, as any “rippling of the water” is frowned upon. Beyond the big issue of Jim’s slavery, the lifestyle that is portrayed is one of laid-back southern leisure, where people take care of their families, friends, and neighbors, go to church on Sundays, and live a hard-working but satisfying life. Sources: http://www.enotes.com/finn/setting/ Rate ans
