# Chapter XVII explained — The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

> Chapter companion for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

## What happens

Huck describes the Grangerford home, including the sentimental artwork and poetry of the deceased Emmeline Grangerford. He meets Buck Grangerford, a boy his age, and they become friends. Huck invents a false identity, claiming his name is George Jackson, and is welcomed into the family.

## Themes in this chapter

### Critique of Romanticism

Huck's ironic commentary on Emmeline's maudlin poetry and art highlights the absurdity of excessive sentimentality and romanticized death.

### Hypocrisy of Society

The Grangerfords' refined home and manners contrast with the underlying violence of their feud with the Shepherdsons, hinted at by Buck's eagerness to shoot.

## Character check-ins

### Huckleberry Finn

Narrates the chapter, describes the Grangerford home and Emmeline's art, and assumes the alias George Jackson.

### Buck Grangerford

A boy about Huck's age who welcomes him, shares a room, and tells riddles.

### Emmeline Grangerford

Deceased daughter of the Grangerfords, known for her sentimental poetry and drawings, which Huck describes in detail.

### Colonel Grangerford

The patriarch of the Grangerford family, who reassures Buck about future opportunities for action.

### Stephen Dowling Bots

Subject of Emmeline's poem 'Ode to Stephen Dowling Bots, Dec’d,' who died by falling down a well.

## Key lines

> These was all nice pictures, I reckon, but I didn’t somehow seem to take to them, because if ever I was down a little they always give me the fantods.

Huck admits the pictures were well done, but they made him feel uneasy whenever he was sad.

_Huck's pragmatic view contrasts with the family's sentimental appreciation of Emmeline's art._

> She didn’t ever have to stop to think. He said she would slap down a line, and if she couldn’t find anything to rhyme with it would just scratch it out and slap down another one, and go ahead.

Buck says Emmeline wrote poetry quickly and without hesitation, simply discarding lines that didn't rhyme.

_Highlights the mechanical and formulaic nature of Emmeline's poetic output._

> I set it down, private, because somebody might want me to spell it next, and so I wanted to be handy with it and rattle it off like I was used to it.

Huck memorized the spelling of his false name so he could recite it fluently if asked again.

_Shows Huck's careful attention to maintaining his invented identity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/huckleberry_finn_se/chapters/xvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/huckleberry_finn_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/huckleberry_finn_se/chapters