Coming of Age: Huckleberry Fin's Hope for Jim

Huckleberry Fin seeks for hope throughout the book. His hope relies on companionship and his friends. For example, his friendship with the character, Jim. Jim is a African-American slave who escapes from his owner. Many confederate people are after him, but Huckleberry feels that Jim deserves kindness and not hatred. Also, as Huckleberry seeks for hope, his character does change a little bit throughout the book.

            In the beginning of the book, he lives around the world of discrimination because his father was a racist drunken wreck and Huckleberry was also living around people who were slave owners. Huckleberry was never racist from the start. He didn’t really have anything against African-Americans, but never got acquainted with people who are black. For example, Huckleberry was suppose to live with a women name Ms. Watson, after his father died. Ms. Watson wanted to turn Huckleberry into a good boy, but she nagged him so much that it was hard to live with. Huckleberry runs away from Ms. Watson and in sometime, he meets up with Jim who was also running away from Ms. Watson. Huckleberry actually said that he was happy to see him, even though he didn’t feel 100% comfortable around him. It’s probably because Huckleberry’s traveling with a African-American escaped slave.

            Later in the book, Huckleberry creates an interesting friendship with Jim. He found Jim’s stories to be fun to listen to and he relates to him. They both lived with racist people and how they both had to deal with Ms. Watson’s nagging tone. Huckleberry’s character changes to a more dynamic and kind person. His kindness also helps him seek his hope. He hopes for Jim to be treated respectfully and not bashed on for his skin color. Huckleberry cares for Jim not because he feels that slavery is wrong and no one should be judged by their skin color, but because of his personality and how friendly he is.

Huckleberry Fin lives with a racist father and racist people who are against African-Americans, but then his lifestyle changes to a more anti-racist perspective. He seeks hope for Jim and he wishes for him to not be bashed or discriminated on. Huckleberry Fin’s character represents good intentions about moral value and it’s one of the reasons Mark Twain created this character. The book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin was written during the time of slavery. Huckleberry Fin was the underpowered character because he was a child. Jim was also an underpowered character because he was black. But the author was trying to prove that just because other people have better freedom than they do, it doesn’t mean that their actually good people. Huckleberry and Jim’s personality should deserve them the upper hand and the better freedom because they act like kind, interesting, and caring people. 

Coming of Age: The Childhood of Huckleberry Fin

There’s one thing you should understand about the character, Huckleberry Fin. He acts like your typical kid. When you were a child, don’t you remember your parents bossing you around, being grounded for doing bad stuff, or even being embarrassed by your elders? Well, if you do, you probably can relate to Huck heavily and even differ from him at the same time. Well, it matters who you are.

            Huckleberry Fin is a boy who lives in a childhood of racism and discrimination. But there are things in his childhood life that are typical. For example, Huck gets bossed around a lot from Miss Watson and he deals with a lot of bickering and nagging from his elders. Huckleberry Fin is always being bugged around like the underpowered pawn he’s treated as. You relate to him because some time in our childhood life, we’ve been nagged and bugged by our parents. Some kids even been grounded and punished. Many children try to live a life that’s not so dependent on their parents and some try to act less independent. Like spending most of your time with your elders than kids around your age.

 When it comes to Huckleberry, he’s actually both independent and dependent. After his father died, Huckleberry lives his life as a recluse. In my opinion, it’s strange to hear that. In the beginning of the book, you picture Huckleberry Fin being dependent towards adults and being bugged around. Miss Watson, the tolerable slim old maid, treats Huckleberry like a computer program. “Don’t put your feet up there… don’t scrunch up like that… don’t gap and stretch like that… sit up straight, Huckleberry! Why don’t you try to behave?” says Miss Watson, (chapter one, page six). Now, that is typical nagging behavior from adults! (No offence to adults). With evidence shown, Huckleberry’s childhood life was filled with his elders bossing him around. You can easily relate to Huckleberry’s childhood life because your parents nagging you around is very predictable.

            Although some may relate to Huckleberry Fin when it comes to childhood, but in some circumstances, you differ to Huck. He’s raised my a drunken racist father and it’s painful to Huckleberry. He needs to put up with so much of his father taunting African-Americans and nigger calling. Even though the book takes place during slavery, it was a bold choice for Mark Twain to show how slave owners are reminded by. Ignorant, racist, idiotic people who has no moral value whatsoever. You can differ from Huckleberry in this situation because in the year we live in, 2011, there is not much kids in the United States who live with extremely bad-mouthing, racist families. There might be some, but not as much as a human being would expect. Huckleberry’s childhood lives around people of hatred that’s against others with different race, especially African-Americans. But the question is: Is Huckleberry a racist person? No, he’s not. While on his adventure after his father’s death, he finds a run-away slave, Jim. Jim escaped from his slave owner the same day Huckleberry’s father died and that made people suspicious. When confederate men asked Huckleberry about his father’s death and the run-away slave, he didn’t want to confess that Jim was traveling with him the entire time. He doesn’t want him to get in trouble. But if Huck told, it would probably be more than trouble for Jim, he would be lynched! And Huck would get into a lot of trouble too. During the time when slavery was active, helping a slave escape would be a huge risk. Even though Huck says nigger when talking about an African-American, it doesn’t exactly make him racist. You would expect for him to be racist because it’s a really powerful and shocking word to say. But remember that he’s a young child. Everyone else said nigger, especially his elders that he had to look up to. That’s the word Huck gets used to and learns when talking about blacks. It’s like young children being raised by parents that have heavy Russian accents, for example. There’s a big chance that the child will also have a Russian accent as well, because it’s what he/she is used to when being talked to. Therefore, Huckleberry’s childhood was filled with mockery and racism, but it didn’t make him racist pig.

            In conclusion, many people can relate to Huckleberry’s childhood, but differ from it at the same time. You relate to it because Huckleberry dealt with a lot of bugging, nagging, and bossing around from elders. Just like how many kids were bossed around by their parents. You may differ from his childhood because Huckleberry lived with elders who were racist and bitter. Today, racism and pure discrimination in America is still mildly active. But many parents I know of, take the idea of racism as bad as a sin and try to teach their children to avoid it. This all relates to coming of age because connecting to Huckleberry’s childhood is interesting. It’s a huge variety of children dealing with typical parent behavior, that’s usually normal. And shocking conflicts that a young child needs to face. Mark Twain focused on the moral value of racism and takes an interesting approach on childhood life. The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin proves that two important issues can be easily relatable. They both blend in perfectly.

Memorable Books are Cherishing

While we’re kids, we read books for multiple reasons. Kids read because it’s entertaining or they read because they were told to read. In my opinion, that’s the number one thing adults will tell children. Reading everyday is always best for you. During young childhood, we read these elementary level books, but when we get older, we don’t want to read them again because it’s too easy. That’s okay, but trying to forget books you read while you were much younger isn’t the right choice. Reading books can be memorable. You might love a specific book when you were younger, but you don’t want to ignore it the rest of your life. I think it’s important to remember books you read at a younger age because it may be cherishing and memorable. But if you hated it, there’s no need to remember it. Keep the precious memories of loveable books with you. Don’t try to forget them.

            When I was in fourth grade, I saw the movie, “The Lord of the Rings”, so I wanted to read the book. When my teacher found out that I was reading that trilogy, she said I couldn’t read it anymore because it was above my reading level. Actually, I don’t disagree with the fact that the book is too hard for me. Any ELA teacher will try to get kids to read books their own level, so it’s not too hard or too easy for them to read. So then, for the next four to five years, I tried to read books that were easier for me just so I can keep up with my reading level. But unfortunately, I’ve been trying a little too hard on reading books that are easier than, let’s say, “Lord of the Rings” because I’m currently in eighth grade, and now, I’m being told I’m reading books that are far to easy for my reading level.

            Let’s take the book “Holes” by Louis Sachar, for example. This is one of the best stories ever told to me, but I haven’t read the books since I was about six years old. (Well, my father read it to me. It was like a bed time story) When I was younger, I loved the book for it’s entertainment, but I didn’t fully appreciated it for it’s excellent literature. That’s why I want to read the book again. I want to relive the past when I read this book, but enjoy it for a different reason. I really wanted to know what I thought about this book since I’m an older person. Would I still love it for it’s entertainment or would I love it because it’s so well written? But now, since I found out that Holes is below my reading level, I can’t read the book. I’ve been told to read a book that’s more challenging because when I get into high school, where my ELA teachers will probably smother me with reading assignments that include reading a book that’s harder than Holes, I would be prepared. Like said before, I don’t disagree that teachers are making me read challenging books. They want me to feel ready for high school, which is perfectly fine. I just don’t want to be limited with the types of books I read.

            What I’m trying to say is that there should be nothing wrong with reading books that are below your level. It should never be a problem. If the book took a unique perspective on your childhood memory that’s related to reading, remember to read it again when your older. Memories won’t last forever if you won't care about them. It’s important to relive the past when it comes to books. Like the book Holes. It’s an amazing book and that’s why I wanted to read it again. I don’t care if it’s below my reading level because no matter what, the book is memorable and special to me. It’s good to try to read books that’s just right for your reading level, but don’t use the system to limit the types of books you read.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid isn't a Wimpy Book

Based off the cover of the book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney, it looks like a typical kiddy, dessert book that was only read for fun. I’ve completed the whole series and that’s not entirely true. Dairy of a Wimpy Kid is about a middle school kid named Gregory Heffley and as a kid, you relate to him in many ways. Every once and a while from most middle school kids, they eventually get picked on, they rarely feel like doing their school work and get bossed around far too much by their parents. This book also takes some heavy focuses on some issues many young children face today, like friendship. The book does a fantastic job restating the lives of children and speaks in the voice of a child. Even the book’s targeted audience is children, adults can enjoy it just as much. Therefore, Diary of a Wimpy Kid isn’t a wimpy book.

            When teenagers start to turn older, they start to look at the past. Some feel that the younger version of themselves isn’t as mature as what they are now. They could possibly be fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, etc. But the book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid helps remember past childhood for older people, because typical childhood depends and relates to the book so heavily. Greg Heffley is the most typical teenager you can think of. Once he enters sixth grade, his mood changes, like almost every other kid. Greg concentrates on being so uptight about being cool and start living the life as a teenager. For example, Greg hates when his friend Rowley says, “Hey, do you want to come to my house and plaaaayyyy??!!” Greg then starts talking to him like if he was being embarrassed. He tells him the middle school kids don’t say “play” or “play date”. They say hang out. Although, that does sound really obnoxious, it’s kind of a spark that many middle school kids feel once they want to start acting like older kids. Kids may feel that the younger version of themselves is immature in a kind of way, but it’s still important to cherish the memories. It’s fine for older children to think that saying play or play date is wimpy, but the days when they were younger are precious and started saying all that, it’s precious. You can only live as a kid once.            

Diary of a Wimpy Kid doesn’t exactly tell you that childhood memories are precious. The reader needs to find that out themselves. Although, the look of the book tells the moral. It’s in a format of a journal and it makes the reader feel like the whole book is a memory. Greg may seem to hate his memories because it’s mostly scenes where he’s getting annoyed by his friends or family. But Greg’s passion for writing all it down in a diary shows how much he would probably care about his childhood. He would want to remember all the past experiences he had, even if it was lame. To many readers, that could show how much you need to love your childhood memories because they don’t last for long.

In conclusion, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is not a wimpy book. Just because the look of the book seems like a cheesy children’s book, it tells why childhood memories are important. Never judge a book by it’s cover! The look of the book has a nice feeling and touch to it about childhood memories, that it helps the reader think about his/her past. Even if someone felt that their childhood was annoying, being an adult isn’t that cool. Being a young child only happens once. Enjoy it while it’s there!

The Child Decides

Parents think they have complete control over their children, and I understand why they feel that way. They’re the parent, and they feel that their child should obey them in all cause. I don’t disagree with that matter, but some parents abuse their control for their child a little too much. I’m talking about parents who are overprotected for the child, don’t give much freedom, and especially, they don’t allow any choices. Parents feel that they need to make all the choices for they’re children, and to me, that makes no sense.

         Romeo and Juliet is an extremely famous story, and that seems to be pretty obvious. For many people I know who love this story, they enjoy it because of its strong compassion for young love. I totally agree with that because the story does have a huge impact on two people fighting for a little love. But I enjoy the story because of how William Shakespeare delivers a message about self-indulgent parents making stupid choices for their child. This is the scenario, Juliet’s parents want Juliet to marry Count Paris. Juliet doesn’t even know the guy, so why does her parents force her to marry him? Anyway, she doesn’t exactly agree to the deal then, but when she meets Romeo at the party, they both go nuts for each other. But the father doesn’t like it, he still wants Juliet to marry Paris.

         The moral about parents that Shakespeare delivers has just as much of an impact about the love between Romeo and Juliet. Sure, it’s not exactly the main plot of the story and you also have to think about it a little, but to me, it means a lot. If you’re a parent, it’s good to be active around your child’s decisions, but don’t go to hard on them about you making choices. Just like adults, children have feelings. You don’t need to tell them what to do, 24/7. They’re not a computer. Kids need to learn how to make choices for themselves, and marriage is a big example for that. There are many traditions about arranged marriages, but this is completely different. If Juliet loves Romeo more than anything and they want to marry, why can’t they? It’s a lot more honest than her marrying some other person she never met before. True love is when you love someone and you want to be with them forever. Juliet found it, so it’s healthy for her to make up her own choice instead of her parents making if for her. This can also be related to one’s dream. Your parents shouldn’t have to tell you what your dream job is, your dream is your choice, your decision, something that you want to do with your life. Mom shouldn’t have to decide and so as your dad or anybody. That’s what Romeo and Juliet represents to me. To make up your own choice without your parents telling you.

Elementary School Memories? BLECH!

I’ve read, “There’s A Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom” about a million times and I feel that this book deserves to be a classic. Why do I praise it? Why do I love it so much? I relate to it in so many ways. The main character, Bradley Chalkers is a fifth grade, stubborn moron who bully’s other kids and everyone in the school hates him. Carla Davis, the school counselor tries to help him so he acts a little more pleasant. I relate to Bradley more than anything in the book. I mean, that I relate to him as if I was still in Elementary school

            In my opinion, I think I was a self-centered, willful brat in Elementary school. When I remember my behavior and how I acted three years ago, it just sickens me. When I talked about this with my father, he strongly disagreed with me. I’m not going to get into a bunch of examples and reasons why I felt that I was a brat in Elementary school, but this is some reasons why There’s A Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom was so relevant to me.

            First, Bradley Chalkers behavior is unbearable. He talks rudely to his teacher, to other kids, and his family. Bradley lies and blindly makes his mother look like the scapegoat. He’s mean for no reason, he loves to pick on other kids, and he NEVER does his homework. Then later, Bradley acts cocky and tells his mother that he got an A+ on his test, for example.

 Okay, maybe I didn’t act that badly when I was younger, but what makes me feel so related, is how I evolved into more of a mature person, like Bradley Chalkers. All he needed was some discipline, but no teacher could do that because he was such a pain. That’s what makes Carla Davis a special character. Unlike everyone else, she had the patience and knew how to take it slow, to help Bradley become a better person. Instead of yelling and lecturing Bradley, Carla had the capability to talk to him and know him more of a friend than a student.

            Back in Elementary school, I was oblivious and that caused me to be so bullheaded. I was never aware of my actions, so I would ignore how I behaved in the past. When it came to future expectations, I would act like the same facetious moron. Yeah I know, it sounds like I’m being a little to hard on myself. But hey, this is really how I feel about my younger childhood memories. Today, I’m not perfect at all, but I’m not so damn annoying like I was a few years back. I didn’t really need a teacher to talk to me in a genial, patient tone to turn me into a better person, like Bradley Chalkers. I talked to kids who were my age and notice how they normally acted, so then I tried to do the same. Then later, I knew how to be cautious about my actions and was a little more careful what I do. This is another reason why I really love, There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom. It teaches kids that how ever you act in the past, it can’t change your personality in the future. You have the power to change who you are because we all have hope. Hope, meaning that you have the right to do what you do best and we all have courage to make our own choices in life. 

My Wacky Response Blog to Other Blogs :)

http://me-blog-explosion.blogspot.com/2010/11/reality-blows.html?

"Reality Blows" by Louis Bonnet (ME + BLOG = EXPLOSION)

http://benselablog.blogspot.com/2011/01/lady-looking-through-telescope-while.html?

"Telescope" by Ben Futterman (Ben's E.L.A Blog)

http://nukethatblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-can-write-reasonably-good-article.html?

"I can write a reasonably good article about this now" by Jack Cassidy (Angry Twinkie Blog)

Louis wrote a sensible and meaningful blog, and deserves to be a mentor text. He explains how silly it is, to ask a young child what they want to be when they grow up. Why is it pointless? Why is meaningless? Well, asking the question is fine, but being concerned about what they say is just dumb. Louis elaborates on his opinion with understandable logic. A person's idea to figure out what their occupation is going to be when they grow up, will change once they become older and older. This may not happen with every child on the planet. Who knows? Maybe a person stuck to their dream when they were five years old. I really enjoyed reading this blog because Louis made good connections with the character he talks about, and lots of his writing shows good examples of a legible blog.

Telescope, a poem written by Ben Futterman, is a perfect mentor text for me, especially, because he uses certain technique skills I could learn when writing poetry. For example, he uses smoother rhythm and rhyming. He also knows how to end a poem, without leaving the reader confused. Something else I could relate to Ben’s poetry, is his humbleness. When I read the comments below of his poetry blog, lots of people compliment or even praise it. Letting him know that he wrote a really good poem. Then, Ben replies back saying he hates the poem and he feels that it’s the worse poem he ever wrote. In my opinion, my poems is really nothing special. When other people tell me that they enjoyed my work, I usually reply back saying something like, “It wasn’t all that good”.

I really admire Jack’s blog here, because the voice and tone can really match what he’s trying to point out. His words articulate well and doesn’t sound like the voice of a recorder messaging machine. Also, he speaks in the tone of a professional book reviewer, or something related to that. Jack is descriptive and creative with his choice of vocabulary. I’m kind of into reviews and since this blog has the voice of it, I think it’s perfect for a mentor text.