The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Study questions
Ch. One
1. What is ironic about Tom’s requirement for Huck’s joining the band of robbers?
2. What is ironic about the widow’s thinking Moses’ story is so important for Huck
to learn?
3. What does Huck think of Moses? In whom would Huck “take stock?”
4. Respond to the paragraph beginning on p. 5 with “Miss Watson...” which continues on p.6. What can you tell about Huck from this passage?
Ch. 2
5. What more do we learn about Huck from the last paragraph on p.9?
6. Are the boys serious about the purpose of the gang? Explain.
Ch. 3
7. Explain the difference between the Providence ala the widow and ala Miss Watson.
8. What differences are obvious between Tom and Huck?
Ch. 4
9. Why is Huck alarmed by the footprint with the cross in the heal?
10. Explain Jim’s “fortune telling.”
Ch. 5
11. Characterize Pap.
12. Explain Pap’s “reform.”
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Reading assn. 2
Ch. 6
13. Why does Pap not want Huck to go to school?
14. What does Huck like about life at the cabin with Pap? Why does he ultimately decide to escape?
15. What is the irony of Pap’s attitude about the educated, free black man about
whom he rants?
Ch. 7-8
16. What does Huck find because of “the June rise”? How do his escape plans
change because of this?
17. Explain how Huck plans to keep everyone from trying to find him after he runs off?
18. Explain how Tom Sawyer would have altered the plans had he been there.
19. See the bottom of p. 41 over to 42. Then see p. 44, first paragraph. What do
these observations by Huck tell us about him?
20. What two things do townspeople do to recover “drownded carcasses”?
21. What does Huck believe about prayer in connection with various people?
22. Who is on the island and what is his initial reaction to seeing Huck?
23. Why has Jim run off? What does Huck promise Jim with regard to this?
24. Why does Jim consider himself rich despite his losing money in investments?
Ch. 9
25. Comment on Huck’s observation of the storm on p.58.
26. What two things does the rising river bring Huck and Jim?
27. Read carefully the description of the floating house. What do you think this place was?
Ch. 10
28. What “bad luck” occurs because of Huck’s handling the snake skin? Explain Huck’s ideas about
luck.
Ch. 11
29. What does “Huck” find out from Mrs. Loftus about what happened to Huck and re Jim and his running away?
30. Who are the suspects in the “murder” of Huck Finn?
31. How does Mrs. Loftus know Huck is really a boy (three reasons)?
32. Why do Huck and Jim leave Jackson’s island?
Ch. 12
33. How do Huck and Jim travel in order to avoid being caught?
34. How do the two justify stealing the things they take as they move down the river?
35. What trouble do Jim and Huck get in with regard to the wreck in the river?
Ch. 13
35. Why does Huck go to the trouble of making up a lie to the ferryboat captain?
How does this reveal character?
36. What is the captain’s biggest concern re going to rescue the people on the raft?
What might Twain be saying about humanity with this example?
37. What is the fate of the men on the Walter Scott, and what does Huck’s reaction to
it say about him?
Reading assignment 3
Ch. 14
38. Why would Jim have been in a bigger fix on the wreck if they had not gotten away?
39. Why doesn’t Jim “take stock” in the wisdom of King Solomon?
40. Comment on the discussion of speaking French.
Ch. 15
41. Explain the trick Huck plays on Jim concerning the fog.
42. How does Jim define trash?
43. What is so hard for Huck to do after Jim blasts him?
44. What lesson does Huck learn from the fog-separation incident?
Ch. 16
45. Why is it so important for them to find Cairo, Illinois?
46. Why is Huck’s conscience bothering him?
47. See p. 105, the paragraph beginning “It froze me...” Reflect on the illness of a
society that has taught Huck to view things as he does?
48. See p. 106 where Huck is question by the bounty hunters. Why is his thought that
“I warn’t man enough--hadn’t the spunk of a rabbit” so ironic?
49. How does Huck trick the men into going away?
50. How do the two believe they missed Cairo? To what does Huck attribute their
bad luck?
51. How are Jim and Huck separated again?
Ch. 17-18 Read these two chapters before trying to answer these questions.
52. Discuss the Grangerfords:
a. How are their house and possessions described (117-119)?
b. What books are on their table? Considering the events of these chapters, what
irony exists here.
c. How is Col. Grangerford described (124-125)?
d. Given what goes on in these two chapters, what is Twain’s point in describing
them so?
53. Who is Emmeline? What did she do with her life? How (why) did she die?
54. Why does Miss Sophia “turn pale” when she hears about Huck (George) and
Buck’s encounter with Harney Shepardson?
55. What is the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons about (READ P.
128 CAREFULLY)?
56. What is odd about the way the two families attend church?
57. What is ironic about the sermon and the Grangerfords reaction to it?
58. What classic piece of literature is recalled from the relationship between Sophia
and Harney?
59. Who is Jack and how is he clever about reuniting Jim and Huck? Why is he so
careful?
60. What causes the big battle between the families? What horrible things occur?
Reading assignment 5
Ch. 19
61. Who are the men Huck and Jim encounter, and why are they on the run?
62. Who do the men say they are?
63. How does Huck demonstrate intelligence when the men want to get in his canoe?
64. Since Huck isn’t taken in by their story, why does he let them continue their
pretense?
Ch. 20
65. How does the king make money at the camp meeting?
66. What is the younger man’s plan that enables them to travel in daylight? What is
ironic about it with regard to Jim’s being a runaway slave?
Ch. 21
67. What Shakespearean pieces do the two men plan to perform?
68. Characterize the population of the one-horse Arkansas town to which they arrive
(163-165).
69. a. What occurs between Col. Sherburn and Boggs?
b. What was Boggs’ offense?
c. What is your opinion of Boggs’ fate? Explain.
Ch. 22
70. Characterize Sherburn using at least three examples to demonstrate the kind of man he is.
71. What does Sherburn think of the “average man”?
72. Explain his view on mobs.
73. Why do the king and the duke decide to put on “The Royal Nonesuch”?
Ch. 23
74. Twain called us “the damned human race.” What from the events surrounding
“The Royal Nonesuch” would justify this negative opinion? (What negative
aspects of human nature are revealed?)
75. What does Huck learn about Jim on p.183, second paragraph that “don’t seem natural.”
76. Why is Jim so upset in this scene?
Ch. 24
77. How does the duke arrange for Jim not to be tied up while they are off pulling
their scams and he is alone on the raft?
78. Why does the king question the “country Jake” so thoroughly about the Wilks
family?
79. Why is Huck ashamed of the human race?
Ch. 25
80. Why do the king and duke make up the deficit in the $6,000 and then give it all to the girls?
81. What is strange about the girls putting their faith in the king and duke when Dr.
Robinson says they are frauds?
Complete through Ch. 28 for Thursday 12/11.
Ch 26
82. Why does Huck finally change his mind about going through with the scam?
83. Which of the two con men is more ruthless? Explain.
Ch. 27
84. Where does Huck hide the money? Why is he so troubled on the day of the
burial?
Ch. 28
85. Why does Huck have Mary Jane leave after he tells her the truth about her
“uncles”? What does this reveal about Huck’s knowledge of human nature?
Complete for Monday, 12/15.
Ch. 29
86. Given what you know about Huck thus far, react to Levi Bell’s statement at the
top of p.233 beginning ‘Set down, my boy,...’
87. How does the lawyer, Levi Bell, trick the king into giving away that he is a fraud
(233-234)?
88. How does Huck’s joy at the end of the chapter turn to miserableness?
Chapter 30
89. How does the discussion between the king and duke on p. 242 give credence to
the saying, “There’s no honor among thieves”?
Name______
NOTE: This page is to be turned in for credit.
Ch. 31
90. Read again pp. 247-250 up through “...I might as well go the whole hog.”
a. What does Huck believe about the institution of slavery? Use details and/or
examples from this passage to support your answer. (Ten points)
b. Why does Huck ultimately decide not to send the letter to Miss Watson? Use
all important details and/or examples from the passage to support a complete
answer. (Ten points)