Event+from+Novel

A Tragedy Comes In All Colors, Shapes, And Sizes


There are many characters throughout the novel that Twain emphasizes to be good civilized Christians. However, when reading the novel, one comes to find that there is nothing civilized about a majority of their actions and beliefs. Many of these "good" Christians have a deep-set racism towards blacks, or believe that blacks have been put on the earth to be their slaves, their possessions, theirs forever and ever to hold in eternal bondage.

Huckleberry Finn, the novel's main character, is a boy who, never really having been entitled to a good religious or general education, considers himself at liberty to make his own assumptions and decisions about racism. Throughout the novel, one may find that Huck tends to base his decisions on morality and conscience, a reasoning which allows him to make the best decisions in most situations, even though they may defy society's standards. On the other hand, the adults of the novel are where the readers tend to find a majority of the fault. The respectable adults are the ones portrayed as civilized Christians, who believe themselves to be superior to the less fortunate, such as blacks or bums. A specific character from the novel, Sally Phelps, who Twain portrays to be goodly and virtuous, displays what one could argue to be the most prominent act of hypocrisy of a civilized Christian society, as she claims the death of a black man to be no loss.

'"It warn't the grounding - that didn't keep us back a little. We blowed out a cylinder-head." "Good gracious! anybody hurt?" "No'm. Killed a nigger." "Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt"' (Twain [264]).

This particular event in the novel, defies hopefully all standards in every society. Twain was trying to express what was believed and accepted back then through the words of his characters. However, with a character like Huck, Twain relays to the reader that this was not accepted by all, thus that it was through the ignorance and shortcomings of others that these views were expressed. This particular character Sally Phelps is portrayed in many instances as a kind-hearted human being, but most of all a civilized Christian woman. A statement such as the one above by a Christian woman is hypocritical of her beliefs. The first and foremost hypocritical event that takes place is when Sally prays to the captured slave, Jim. Nevertheless, Sally believed, along with the majority of whites at that time, that slaves were possessions. By praying to Jim and teaching him the word of God, she acknowledged his human identity, because only humans are capable of learning and cherishing the word of God. Sally Phelps attempted to teach a black slave the ways of the Christian religion, yet one cannot teach a possession, something not considered human, the ways of God.

Christians believe that one should obey the [|Ten Commandments] as they were written by God himself. One of the commandments declares, "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Christianity). Figuratively speaking, who has the right to declare the real definition of neighbor? In one viewpoint, we are all neighbors to each other on this planet in some way or another. In this sense, one could argue that blacks are the white man's neighbors, thus not recognizing their death is a sin against the Christian beliefs. Not only is this not accepted in the Christian religion, but a statement such as the one above by a "good" Christian can hardly be referred to as a civilized person. Civilized people know how to pay respects where respects are due, care for the well-being of others, attempt to live by their morals, and make conscience decisions. In no way, shape, or form does the color of your skin make your death any more important or less significant. One cannot go about their whole lives practicing a religion in which they sin against in their own hearts and minds. One cannot declare himself or herself a man or woman of God if he or she do not accept and treat with respect and kindness all of God's men and women.



P5 CO'Toole

[|Christianity]