Here are two questions that can prepare you for the upcoming test. The latter one follows the phrasing of the second question in the test:
1. At the end of Huck Finn’s chapter 33, we have an episode of “mob behaviour”. Do you remember any previous one? Can you establish a contrast between this kind of behaviour and that of the (self-)reliant (wo)man
2. Consider the following quote by the American Studies scholar Richard Slotkin. Produce an argumentative text commenting on the sentence, and relating it with at least two texts belonging to this subject.. You can write either in Portuguese or in English:
“The evolution of the American myth was a synthetic process of reconciling the romantic-conventional myths of Europe to American experience – a process which, by an almost revolutionary turn, became an analytical attempt to (...) get back to the primary source of blood-knowledge of the wilderness, (...) the basic (...) myth-generating psychology of man.”
Richard Slotkin, Regeneration through Violence: the Mythology of the American Frontier, 1600-1860 (Wesleyan UP, 1973), 17.
6 comments:
Carolina Amaro
The second statement reflects the trajectory of the American myth-making, that borrowed from European traditions and transformed them into something American. So, he argues that the evolution of these myths involves the reconciliation of the European ideals with the raw experiences and life’s of the New World. This creates a uniquely American mythology that seeks to reconnect with this idea of wilderness-based instincts, tied to survival, exploration, nature, etc.
This concept can be analyzed in the context of texts like Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” and Henry David Thoreau “Walden, or Life in the Woods”, both exemplify the tension and synthesis between this inherited European ideals and the wanting and reality of the American wilderness experience. These works also reflect on the transformative power of the nature itself, on national identity, on change, tradition, etc
1.
The episode of mob behavior at the end of Chapter 33 can be compared to chapters 21 and 22. In these chapters, a mob gathers to lynch Sherburn after he murdered Boggs: "Well, by-and-by somebody said Sherburn ought to be lynched. In about a minute everybody was saying it,”. In this chapter there is clear criticism regarding the mob mentality and the lack of individualism. Sherburn directly addresses the crowd and condemns it: "The pitifulest thing out is a mob; that's what an army is - a mob; they don't fight with courage that's born in them, but with courage that's borrowed from their mass, and from their officers." (Chapter 22).
The opposite of a mob mentality is a self-reliant one that prioritizes individualism and their own beliefs. Huck can be described as a self-reliant character. Despite not agreeing and denouncing the king's and duke's scams ("Well, if ever I struck anys thing like it (...) It was enough to make a body ashamed of the human race." Chapter 25), Huck still feels sorry for them and laments the actions of the mob: "It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another." (Chapter 33).
A self-reliant person embodies independence, individualism, critical thought and, most importantly, self-trust. This is a contrasted by the mob who don't make decisions based on their own values, but instead make decisions without much thought and simply follow each other.
Huck's self reliance, however, goes beyond his criticism of the mob. Despite being raised in a society that would punish him for helping Jim, he decides to help him because he believes it is the right thing to do. Huck’s decisions are guided by a personal moral compass rather than the collective opinion.
Matilde Ribeiro 161233
Chapter 33 presents an episode of “mob behaviour”, just like in chapter 22. In this chapter we see a mob raging over Colonel Sherburn’s actions, but when they reach him he calls out their cowardice (Pp. 182-183)
Comparatively, the self-reliant man or woman does the opposite. This type of person is one that is not moved by the crowd’s opinion, and one that does not conform to society - as seen in Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” essay (p. 31). As seen The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is uninterested or questions what society presents as the correct way of acting, hence he is self-reliant.
Carolina Santos
1. Throughout Mark Twain's 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' I do in fact see a stark comparison in mob reaction and individual self-reliance. Another example occurs in Chapter 22, during the confrontation between Colonel Sherburn and the lynch mob. The mob forms to lynch a man named Sherburn for the murder of Boggs. But when Sherburn threatens them with a rifle and makes a fiery speech about their cowardice, the mob instantly scatters.
This is a stark contrast with the characterists of Huck and Jim of self-reliance. Huck is still very young, but he often exhibits extraordinary independence, guided by his instincts a Jim also illustrates self-reliance as he seeks freedom, making sacrifices to protect himself and Huck on their adventures. Mobs are shown to be irrational, cowardly and vulnerable to group-think. By contrast, self-sufficient types are portrayed as contemplative, daring, and guided by their morals and inner power.
The author seems to prefer the virtue of self-reliance, emphasizing that individual moral integrity matters more than collective actions that may stem from fear or conformity. This theme challenges readers to question the impact of individual belief and the consequences of group think.
Ana Beatriz Gonçalves
1. In Chapter 33 of Huckleberry Finn, the mob’s behavior, which is driven by hysteria and blind conformity, contrasts with Huck's self-reliant nature. In previous episodes, such as the attempted lynching of Sherburn in Chapter 22, the mob's irrational actions are fueled by collective fear, and therefore shows a lack of independent thought. In contrast, Huck, as an individual, often acts based on personal experience and judgment and shows self-reliance that is opposite to the mindless, crowd-driven actions of the mob.
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