The term homosexual is defined as being sexually attracted to someone of one’s own sex. For the purpose of this essay, it can be defined as a romantic love between two people of the same gender. In his essay, “Come Back to the Raft Ag’in, Huck Honey!,” Leslie Fiedler suggests that the relationship between Huck and Jim is expressed as homosexual attraction involving a young White boy and an older African-American man. Although Mr. Fiedler writes that Huck and Jim’s activities translate to a homoerotic relationship, I disagree with him because Huck and Jim’s relationship is more like one between a father and son. They have a certain love for one another but without romantic connections.
In the book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is a character who most of the time depends on someone who is older than him. Huck is only fourteen years old, and he needs someone to support him and provide him love. Huck has gone through many problems in his life. He doesn’t have a mother, who is usually one of the main positive influential persons, and even though Huck has a father, he has never been a good father for him. For this reason, he doesn’t know what is right or wrong. Huck makes a choice from what he feels is right. His father is the worst father that anyone could have. The only thing that Huck learns from his father is not to be a successful person.
Throughout the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck and Jim’s relationship is growing during their struggle and dangerous voyage. They support each other throughout their journey. Moreover, they both have the same general goal, which is to get away from bad things in their lives. Each experience between these two builds a stronger and deeper relationship. For example, one day, Huck is forced to make a decision whether or not to turn Jim in. At the end, Huck decides against turning Jim in, which Huck thinks is the right thing for him to do; even though, he knows the law. Huck says, “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (Twain 201). This action shows that Huck will sacrifice for Jim, like a son who tries to protect his father, or a friend who cares for his own companion.
While Huck and Jim are traveling down the river, it appears that Jim is becoming more of a father figure to Huck. For example, one night, they find a house floating down the river and a dead body inside the house. It appears that the dead man is Huck’s father. Jim tries to protect Huck from feeling pain and being depressed like a father would do for his son. Jim knows that if Huck sees his real father’s dead body, Huck will get scared. Jim puts a rag over Huck’s father and tells Huck not to look at the dead man. This is an example of a good parenting, not homosexuality between Huck and Jim as Mr. Fiedler writes.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Blog #10
The term homosexual is defined as being sexually attracted to someone of one’s own sex. It’s a romantic love between two people of the same gender. In his essay, Come Back to the Raft Ag’in, Huck Honey!, Leslie Fiedler suggests that the relationship between Huck and Jim is expressed as homosexual attraction involving a young White boy and an older African-American man. Although Mr. Fiedler thinks that Huck and Jim’s activities translate to a homoerotic relationship, I disagree with him because Huck and Jim’s relationship is more like one between a father and son. They have a certain love for one another but without romantic connections.
In the story, Jim calls Huck, “honey,” which signifies the way old people talk to younger children. It shows a stronger development relationship between two people. Moreover, Jim is using the word, “honey” because Huck is more like a son to Jim. Mr. Fiedler is overstating his case that the word “honey” expresses homosexual behavior. He says, “. . .he will fold us in his arms saying “Honey” or “Aikane!”, he will comfort us, as if our offense against him were long ago remitted, . . .” (525). Mr. Fiedler is using the word “Aikane,” which is a traditional Hawaiian same-sex relationship or extended family often including same-sex relationships, to support his point of view. The word “honey” that Jim uses to call Huck has completely opposite meanings from the word “Aikane.” “Honey” for Jim is just how he expresses his feelings toward Huck like a father-figure. Jim doesn’t do anything else or have a physical attachment to Huck but just treat Huck well.
In the story, Jim calls Huck, “honey,” which signifies the way old people talk to younger children. It shows a stronger development relationship between two people. Moreover, Jim is using the word, “honey” because Huck is more like a son to Jim. Mr. Fiedler is overstating his case that the word “honey” expresses homosexual behavior. He says, “. . .he will fold us in his arms saying “Honey” or “Aikane!”, he will comfort us, as if our offense against him were long ago remitted, . . .” (525). Mr. Fiedler is using the word “Aikane,” which is a traditional Hawaiian same-sex relationship or extended family often including same-sex relationships, to support his point of view. The word “honey” that Jim uses to call Huck has completely opposite meanings from the word “Aikane.” “Honey” for Jim is just how he expresses his feelings toward Huck like a father-figure. Jim doesn’t do anything else or have a physical attachment to Huck but just treat Huck well.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
blog #9
Wow, this is very messed up. I can’t believe he is a councilman and represents himself that way. He suppose to be a role model for the city, Cotati, a person who everyone can count on. I think George Barich is races and narrow-minded. He's not deserve to be a councilman of Cotati.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Essay #4
In the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain represents Huck as a fourteen-year old boy who is very brave and intelligent. Huck is running away just to have his own freedom as if Jim. Over time Huck’s friendship with Jim changes his thoughts about how humanity have nothing to do with race. His internal conflict about which loyalty to follow allows him to make an important decision based on his true feelings and his heart. At the end, Huck sees Jim as a human being and a real person, not a slave.
Huck doesn’t want to be restricted by anyone such as his father or Miss Widow Douglas, who attempts to "sivilize" Huck. She is trying to tell him what is good or bad, and what to believe. On the other hand, Miss Douglas is the one whom Huck fears disappointing. Huck learns many things from her, but he doesn’t believe in everything she teaches him. Miss Douglas tries to educate Huck on how to read and write. Huck is always open to learn, but he never accepts any new ideas without questioning. From his behavior towards Miss Douglas and her teachings, I can conclude that Huck is a very open-minded person who is able to absorb information given to him; however, there is a fine line between what he learns and what he actually believes. Through Miss Douglas’s teaching, Huck grasps a better understanding of the middle class society he grew up in but was never a part of.
As the story begins, Huck meets Jim, the runaway slave, who will change Huck’s perspective about slaves over time. Huck and Jim’s meeting, on Jackson’s island, is the first time that they are spending intimate time together. They are frightened, trying to run away, at the same time, hiding from people, who are trying to catch them. Jim decides to reveal to Huck that he has run away from Miss Watson. Huck is immediately facing a great decision: Should he go back to town and tell Miss Watson, or should he choose to stay with Jim? From his point of view, Huck is only a young boy, and he wants to have company or someone to talk to. He says, “I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome, now” (P. 64). He doesn’t quite understand yet about the consequences of helping a slave run away during that period of time. He decides to stay with Jim and not turn him in.
While they are on the island, Huck and Jim try to develop a relationship toward each other. One night, Huck puts a rattlesnake on Jim’s blanket, just to have some fun. In this part of the story, Huck acts like a little child and doesn’t care about the consequences of his behavior. As a result, the snake’s mate bites Jim. Huck is still a kid in his manner and actions. He doesn’t think carefully before his foolish act. Jim doesn’t blame Huck at all, rather he tells Huck that next time don’t hold a snakeskin with his hand again. From Jim’s reaction, he seems like a caring person for his family, and he uses the same attitude toward Huck.
During a thick foggy night, Jim and Huck get separated from each other. When Huck finally finds the raft, Jim is very excited to see Huck alive. However, Huck acts like nothing terrible has happened; moreover, he makes fun of Jim. Huck still has some Southern White conception of the human race. He acts like Jim doesn’t have feelings like White people do. Yet, at the end, he realizes that he hurts Jim’s feelings. He feels guilty for making Jim worry. He says, “I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way” (P. 100). Huck starts to see Jim not as a slave but as a man. This new knowledge for Huck lets him reach his realization about Jim, and how Huck has been raised in the Southern White society believing that slaves are invisible and undervalued.
The time comes when Huck needs to decide whether or not to turn over Jim to the white men who ask if he was seen any runaway slaves. He also struggles with the thoughts that Miss Douglas and Miss Watson own Jim, and what is the right thing to do for the society. Miss Douglas is a good woman and has never done anything bad to Huck. So, he thinks that she doesn’t deserve to have her slave run away. The decision he is going to make represents a big step for Huck’s consciousness and his loyalty to Jim and Miss Douglas.
On the other hand, Huck has spent more time with Jim and understands what Jim has been through. Jim says to Huck that he is the only White man ever to keep his promise to Jim. At the same time, Huck tries to find someone who will care for him as a person rather than just a friend and that person is Jim. Moreover, Huck believes that Jim cares just as much as White people do. Huck says, “I knowed he was White inside, . . .” (P. 249). From this, Huck follows his heart about what is the right thing for him to do. He chooses to spend time with Jim for the rest of his journeys.
Huck doesn’t want to be restricted by anyone such as his father or Miss Widow Douglas, who attempts to "sivilize" Huck. She is trying to tell him what is good or bad, and what to believe. On the other hand, Miss Douglas is the one whom Huck fears disappointing. Huck learns many things from her, but he doesn’t believe in everything she teaches him. Miss Douglas tries to educate Huck on how to read and write. Huck is always open to learn, but he never accepts any new ideas without questioning. From his behavior towards Miss Douglas and her teachings, I can conclude that Huck is a very open-minded person who is able to absorb information given to him; however, there is a fine line between what he learns and what he actually believes. Through Miss Douglas’s teaching, Huck grasps a better understanding of the middle class society he grew up in but was never a part of.
As the story begins, Huck meets Jim, the runaway slave, who will change Huck’s perspective about slaves over time. Huck and Jim’s meeting, on Jackson’s island, is the first time that they are spending intimate time together. They are frightened, trying to run away, at the same time, hiding from people, who are trying to catch them. Jim decides to reveal to Huck that he has run away from Miss Watson. Huck is immediately facing a great decision: Should he go back to town and tell Miss Watson, or should he choose to stay with Jim? From his point of view, Huck is only a young boy, and he wants to have company or someone to talk to. He says, “I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome, now” (P. 64). He doesn’t quite understand yet about the consequences of helping a slave run away during that period of time. He decides to stay with Jim and not turn him in.
While they are on the island, Huck and Jim try to develop a relationship toward each other. One night, Huck puts a rattlesnake on Jim’s blanket, just to have some fun. In this part of the story, Huck acts like a little child and doesn’t care about the consequences of his behavior. As a result, the snake’s mate bites Jim. Huck is still a kid in his manner and actions. He doesn’t think carefully before his foolish act. Jim doesn’t blame Huck at all, rather he tells Huck that next time don’t hold a snakeskin with his hand again. From Jim’s reaction, he seems like a caring person for his family, and he uses the same attitude toward Huck.
During a thick foggy night, Jim and Huck get separated from each other. When Huck finally finds the raft, Jim is very excited to see Huck alive. However, Huck acts like nothing terrible has happened; moreover, he makes fun of Jim. Huck still has some Southern White conception of the human race. He acts like Jim doesn’t have feelings like White people do. Yet, at the end, he realizes that he hurts Jim’s feelings. He feels guilty for making Jim worry. He says, “I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way” (P. 100). Huck starts to see Jim not as a slave but as a man. This new knowledge for Huck lets him reach his realization about Jim, and how Huck has been raised in the Southern White society believing that slaves are invisible and undervalued.
The time comes when Huck needs to decide whether or not to turn over Jim to the white men who ask if he was seen any runaway slaves. He also struggles with the thoughts that Miss Douglas and Miss Watson own Jim, and what is the right thing to do for the society. Miss Douglas is a good woman and has never done anything bad to Huck. So, he thinks that she doesn’t deserve to have her slave run away. The decision he is going to make represents a big step for Huck’s consciousness and his loyalty to Jim and Miss Douglas.
On the other hand, Huck has spent more time with Jim and understands what Jim has been through. Jim says to Huck that he is the only White man ever to keep his promise to Jim. At the same time, Huck tries to find someone who will care for him as a person rather than just a friend and that person is Jim. Moreover, Huck believes that Jim cares just as much as White people do. Huck says, “I knowed he was White inside, . . .” (P. 249). From this, Huck follows his heart about what is the right thing for him to do. He chooses to spend time with Jim for the rest of his journeys.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blog #8
I’m choosing topic number 3, which is about Huck.
I think my thesis going to be “Huck’s friendship with Jim shifts his thought about humanity has nothing to do with race. His internal conflict allows him to make an important decision base on his true feeling and his heart. At the end, Huck sees Jim as human being and a real person, not a slave.”
I’m going to talk about Huck’s though and feeling before he really gets to know Jim and after he gets know Jim. I’m not sure which part in the essay I’m going to talk about yet?
What do u think?? Or should i focus on something else?
I think my thesis going to be “Huck’s friendship with Jim shifts his thought about humanity has nothing to do with race. His internal conflict allows him to make an important decision base on his true feeling and his heart. At the end, Huck sees Jim as human being and a real person, not a slave.”
I’m going to talk about Huck’s though and feeling before he really gets to know Jim and after he gets know Jim. I’m not sure which part in the essay I’m going to talk about yet?
What do u think?? Or should i focus on something else?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Blog #7
In my opinion, I think satire is like someone is being sarcasm, or someone using words, which have an opposite meaning of its really mean. I'm not sure that's the right explanation, but this is what I think the word satire is.
For example, I says "How nice!" when I have a LOT of homework to finish during the weekend.
This example shows satire because I'm joking about it, instead of going to the movie and have fun, I have to do my homework during my free time.
The word satire can have a lot of meanings. For example, the article that we read last Tuesday about "Kim Jim Young," the writer using the words: "Chinaman","Asianfication" which, i believe, are satire. So, Satire can have many meanings; it depends on how they use it.
For example, I says "How nice!" when I have a LOT of homework to finish during the weekend.
This example shows satire because I'm joking about it, instead of going to the movie and have fun, I have to do my homework during my free time.
The word satire can have a lot of meanings. For example, the article that we read last Tuesday about "Kim Jim Young," the writer using the words: "Chinaman","Asianfication" which, i believe, are satire. So, Satire can have many meanings; it depends on how they use it.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blog #6
I don’t think Jim represents a minstrel because minstrel is a mirror image of someone.
I think that Jim might be a real person. The way he talks to people was real, and he believes in certain things. He knows what to do and what not to do.
I really like the part when Huck asks Jim when Jim going to be rich. Jim said that he’s already rich because he owns himself and he’s worth $800.
From this conversation makes me think that he can be a real person. Because Jim was a slave and now he’s free. He doesn’t have to obey to anyone anymore.
I think that Jim might be a real person. The way he talks to people was real, and he believes in certain things. He knows what to do and what not to do.
I really like the part when Huck asks Jim when Jim going to be rich. Jim said that he’s already rich because he owns himself and he’s worth $800.
From this conversation makes me think that he can be a real person. Because Jim was a slave and now he’s free. He doesn’t have to obey to anyone anymore.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
