The theme where one gradually matures and grows to
understand the depth of the world and every aspect of it is referred to as “Coming-of-Age”.
One major factor of this type of development would be “enlightenment”, or
seeing situations for what they really are, with a clear, unbiased mentality.
In the first five chapters of this novel,
Huckleberry Finn experiences the beginnings of this transformation, having been
taken in by a devout Christian woman who strives to turn him into the ideal
Christian boy. The first signs of Huckleberry’s evolving awareness include his skepticism
towards the widow and her beliefs. She is supposedly a good Christian woman,
yet, she is also a slave owner. This comes off as a form of contradiction to
Huck Finn, since Christians are supposed to treat everyone equally and/or the
way they wish to be treated.
At the moment, he chooses to remain
a skeptic when it comes to religion because he does not necessarily agree with
the principles in regard to “certain people” (slaves). The fact that a boy as
young as Huckleberry Finn is actually taking time to truly think deeply about
these aspects of life most definitely displays signs of spiritual growth in his
character. He is undergoing the primary stages of “Coming-of-Age”.
In a traditional bildungsroman (coming-of-age) the protagonist (almost always male) needs to journey away from his home in order to go through a life changing experience in order to mature. Do you think that there is hope for true maturation fro Huck if he stays in town? Or do you think he would most likely turn out like Pap?
ReplyDeleteHuckleberry Finn is capable of becoming more mature just by being surrounded by people who are not like his father, first of all. However, he already seems to reject the teachings and beliefs within his town, so a journey outside the homeland with different "life-changing" experiences would definitely aid in his quest for maturity.
DeleteDo you think that coming of age, in terms of Huck, means becoming more independent? When you talk about how Huck was skeptical of the widow's actions and beliefs, that to me is Huck thinking carefully about every situation and rather than absorbing everyone else's opinion, he is forming one on his own.
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily becoming more independent, though that is part of it, but developing a wise, more mature mindset. And yes, that was the message I was trying to send.
DeleteI agree with you, dood! I think "coming of age" also entails looking at things with a clear and unbiased head!
ReplyDeleteTo add with some science-y stuffy-fluffy to reinforce this, the Prefrontal Cortex in the brain is the part of the brain associated with rational thinking and problem solving. It is also one of the LAST parts of the brains to be developed; finishing completion in the 20's range.
People also grow at different rates, some faster than others, meaning that's why some are smarter than others!
Perhaps our growth rates is why we're honor students~
;3c
Exactly. And nice job with the "science-y stuffy-fluffy" lol
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