9. Discuss the place of morality in Huckleberry Finn. Full question inside

[Jen]

9. Discuss the place of morality in Huckleberry Finn. In the world of the novel, where do moral values come from? The community? The family? The church? One’s experiences? Which of these potential sources does Twain privilege over the others? Which does he mock, or describe disapprovingly?

[Lynn]

Twain seems to portray an internal sense of morality. He does seem to mock the mob mentality.

[John]

I think Twain would identify all of these are sources of morality, but he privilege's personal experience and to a lesser extent family, and mock's most savagely the community.

[Kristel]

Huck distrusts society. It has treated him as an outcast. He has been abused by a man who is considered his father. He questions the "rules" such as church and society as he gets to know Jim. Huck is maturing and developing his own sense of right and wrong. And this is contrasted against Tom who withholds the truth about Jim for the sake of a lark.