The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn · Chapter
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn explained
The novel opens with a notice from the author and a brief introduction to the setting: the Mississippi Valley, forty to fifty years before the publication date.
What happens
The novel opens with a notice from the author and a brief introduction to the setting: the Mississippi Valley, forty to fifty years before the publication date. The story is told by Huckleberry Finn, who recounts his adventures with Tom Sawyer and the escaped slave Jim.
Themes in this chapter
Freedom vs. Civilization
Huck's desire to escape the constraints of civilized society is a central conflict from the outset.
Racism and Slavery
The institution of slavery and racial prejudice are pervasive in the setting and drive the plot.
Characters to notice
- Huckleberry Finn
Narrator and protagonist of the story.
- Tom Sawyer
Huck's friend and companion in adventures.
- Jim
Miss Watson's slave who escapes and joins Huck on the raft.
Key passages
“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) Scene: The Mississippi Valley Time: Forty to fifty years ago”
This story is set in the Mississippi Valley, about forty to fifty years before the book was written.
Opening lines establishing the time and place of the narrative.