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Post by Mr. Thomas on Dec 4, 2013 9:32:01 GMT -5
The Beginning of the Journey
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Post by johnmarano on Dec 4, 2013 17:18:26 GMT -5
John Marano
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
B. I want to comment on the significance of the reading, so far anyway. We know that Huck is not fully there. We know that Jim and many other slaves are desirable to be set free. I want to point out that individual freedom is a main theme in this story. The characters were both searching freedom in that society is preventing them. Huck is not a boy who can look up to his dad or family, so he is fighting that each day and developing as a person from that. He is still looking for his true self as he grows older.
D. I really enjoyed reading these 3 of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” because I feel I have gotten a smooth foundation for the rest of the story. I learned of Huck’s pessimistic attitude toward life and his background as well. I specifically enjoyed when we find out that Widow Douglas takes Huck in. “The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me” (CH 1). This quote really has a significant meaning because Huck doesn’t have a family. Widow Douglas was his “mom”. She works her best to teach him about discipline and about their faith. She puts up with Huck’s bad behavior and, just like a mom, works with him and doesn’t give up.
E. Tom Sawyer seems a little strange to me. I feel like he is that friend that everyone has that our mothers do not approve of. I mean he is such a daredevil. I can already see his importance to the story because I know he is going to take Huck on harmful adventures. I mean he already starts his own gang and talks about killing, although he never does so. Huck even says he is a liar. Tom Sawyer is that kid that you can’t get away from.
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Post by joeroperti on Dec 4, 2013 17:28:38 GMT -5
Joseph Roperti
Mr. Thomas
English 11
December 4, 2013
A. In the first chapter I was sort of able to relate to the story by fin and tom finding Gold. I once found a Old 1980 Louisville Slugger in a dugout before one of my games. It was like my Gold, I always wanted to see what vintage baseball equipment looked like. As a Player your Equipment "game" is one of the most important things, having the newest and coolest things always puts you on top. When Fin and Tom found Gold it put them on top because they were now rich.
B. A Part I found interesting was when Jim told everyone that witches flew around them and put his top hat on. As soon as I saw the word witch it jogged my memory straight to the Crucible. It still amazes me to this day in how people had the ability to actually believe in witches.
C. I have so far enjoyed this book, even though we only read the first 3 chapters. Almost all American classics are great books so i am really looking forward to continue on reading this book and let the plot pick up some steam.
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Post by matthewsegarra on Dec 4, 2013 19:26:03 GMT -5
Matthew Segarra
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
B. I like how we see a situation where slaves are going to be set free. Usually when we have stories with slaves, it does not involve freedom. I think in the story, or these three chapters at least, freedom is a motif. Both Huck and Jim are fighting for their freedom. Huck is trying to gain freedom from a racist family and their immoral ideals. Jim is fighting for his literal freedom from slavery.
D. I liked these three chapters of the story because I thought it was a good introduction for the rest of the book. It showed me a lot about Huck; like his character traits and his background. I liked the part when the Widow Douglas took him in. “The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me” (CH 1). I like this quote because we see a character who plays an important role in Huck's life.
E. I do not think Tom Sawyer is a good character. I think he is a very bad influence and he is crazy. I think later on in the story he will do something that will tragically affect Huck's future. He even starts his own gang. I have a bad feeling about Tom Sawyer, he seems like trouble.
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Post by georgebaroudos on Dec 4, 2013 19:56:38 GMT -5
George Baroudos
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
A – I’ve noticed that through out history of people, there are uneducated people who have great influence over people. Tom Sawyer is honestly so uneducated that it hurts. It’s a shame that he is able to convince them to make their commitment. Honestly I do think there is something wrong with him. Some things that he says are disturbing to say the least. Once again, they are kids and they do not know what its like to kill a man. I certainly don’t, but it seems life the guilt eats away at you. These kids are not able to see the consequences. They know the difference between right and wrong, they just disregard them. That is a common theme today in all neighborhoods. Degenerates influencing the masses and changing people.
D – “All I wanted was a change” (4). This is a very brave thing for anyone to say. As humans often times we are afraid of change. When things remain constant we usually realize and anticipate the consequence. We are all afraid of major change in all honesty. For Huck too say that he wants change honestly speaks to his hardship. When we experience hardship, change is inevitable. When we experience more change we honestly fear change less. It still fazes those who change, but more hardships make it easier. Change can be for the better or worse, we can’t know unless we try. Unfortunately Huck does not have guidance.
I – I’ve noticed that throughout the stories we have read, the main characters do not particularly have guidance. Guidance is honestly such a big part in shaping our character. At the moment Huck does not have guidance and fends for himself in a way. You can take the kid out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the kid. If we look at the transcendentalists they don’t have guidance, they are testing. Life is full of tests but sometimes we just have to make the right decision. Huck should never have split his blood on that paper.
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Post by johnrice on Dec 4, 2013 20:56:01 GMT -5
John Rice
Mr. Thomas
English 11
December 4 2013
Discussion Board.
A. Tom Sawyers Gang is a pretty motley crew, and they aren't as bad as they appear to be. Tom Sawyer is such an overly ambitious soul that thinks about all different scenarios, none of which see the light of reality. He says "Everybody that wants to join has got to take an oath, and write his name with blood." Although this sounds very gruesome and insane, most teenage boys have secret pacts, handshakes, promises ect. when they make a club with their friends. I think this is relatable to any group of teenage boys. They always imagine things, and talk about really "cool" things they could do together (not murder), most of which are just pretend situations. I think Tom Sawyers Gang is portrayed very well by Mark Twain to emulate groups of boys during this time period that holds true today.
D. "But Tom wanted to resk it; so we slid in there and got three candles, and Tom put down five cents for pay." This seems like a very trivial quote in the beginning of the story but I feel in actuality it is not. Tom Sawyer is a risk taker, he like to do things with a sense of danger or do things that have high stakes as we saw throughout chapter one two and three. I think this quote shows the first time that Tom Sawyer takes a risk and I believe it is foreshadowing for more risks to be take by Tom Sawyer and by association Huckleberry Finn.
E. I want to agree with what George said in his discussion board post. Huckleberry FInn has not seen his father in over a year and his mother is never mentioned. I assumed she died or just is not around. He is living with a widow with whom he argues with a lot, and doesn't want to live with her. George did make a point to that the main characters in the pieces we have been reading do not have direction or guidance in their lives. At such a young age I believe that Huckleberry Finn really should have some guidance in his life or else he will lose his path in the mix with the crazy things that I believe Huckleberry Finn will do.
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Post by seandelossantos on Dec 4, 2013 21:07:37 GMT -5
Sean de los Santos
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
Huck Finn Discussion
A. This part of Huckleberry Finn is very similar to a present issue in which some people in the world aren’t truly educated in the way they do their work. Huck Finn is a boy who the people try to teach many simple values about god and the world. He is very innocent in the world and he is a boy who isn’t truly educated like others are. This goes the same with many people out in the world. Many people in the world go into work without any education. This is a huge issue because he and his gang members don’t even know what the word ransom means.
C. There are many things I question about the story in the first three chapters of Huckleberry Finn. First off, why is he still with an unloving family? Huckleberry is always complaining about the widow who adopted him. That is why she doesn’t really care about him. It doesn’t really seem that she is thankful because of the fact she complains about him all the time.
E. The idea I came up with in reading Huckleberry Finn is the idea of being uneducated. All of these kids want to make a band of robbers when they don’t even know what the word ransom means. This is demonstrated when one of the boys asked, “Ransomed, what does that mean,(pg11)” and a boy replies with, “ I don’t know, but that’s what they do.” These kids are getting themselves into something they have no idea how to do it. It’s funny and it is sad how they want to be a band of criminals.
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Post by eointunney on Dec 4, 2013 21:13:19 GMT -5
Eoin Tunney
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
A. I felt that these three chapters really related to me when I was younger, and probably relates to most people as well. In these three chapters Huck and his friends created a “gang” where they go around robbing people. I felt that almost any person could relate to this because most people acted like this when they were younger. I felt this kids perfectly illustrated what it meant to be a kid.
D. I feel Tom Sawyer is a very idiotic kid, simply because of what he says. He seems like an extremely uneducated kid, and seems to be one of those kids who would skip school to do whatever he wants. I also feel like he is a very dangerous person. I think that he will eventually drag Huck into his problems, especially since Huck doesn’t have a father figure who can guide him.
E. I was a lot more interested in these few chapters than I was compared to the other short reading that we have read. The major reason why I didn’t like the other short stories was because they were very complex, and every single one of them had a deeper meaning. This book seems a lot more relaxed and straightforward. I also feel that this book will be a lot more exciting than the other stories that we have read.
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Post by bourdonm15 on Dec 4, 2013 21:25:23 GMT -5
Matthew Bourdon
Mr. Thomas
English 11
12/4/13
E. I found it interesting how the story begins. It begins as if this book was a sequel to another story of Mark Twain’s. “That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly.” (Page 1) Mark Twain puts himself as if this was a true story and the narrator knows who he is. That is very peculiar considering that I haven’t read any books that start off this way. It was something that stood out immediately after I started reading the story. Mark Twain already into the first couple of lines has made the story intriguing for me!
F. In Chapter 2, we find out more about the relationship between Huck and Tom Sawyer. “When we was ten foot off Tom whispered to me, and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun. But I said no; he might wake and make a disturbance, and then they’d find out I warn’t it.” (Page 4) In this quote we get the sense of what kind of character Tom really is. He is a mischievous kid who likes to get himself into what he shouldn’t get himself into. Huck has more sense but feels comfortable around Tom and thinks he is cool so somewhat goes with the flow on most things. The relationship between these two is shown to be a dynamic one in the beginning of the reading.
I. I agree with John’s comment of Tom. I feel like Huck hanging around with Tom might get himself into some pretty big trouble as well. But that is for us to find out.
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Post by matthewchan on Dec 4, 2013 21:53:06 GMT -5
Matthew Chan
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
E. I find Huck and Tom to be complete opposites. Huck cares less about many things such as not caring about praying and that praying is useless, rather go to hell than heaven, and is uncomfortable with all the restrictions in his life with Widow Douglas buying him new clothes and teaching him the Bible. On the other hand, Tom is more of an imagination mastermind, pranker, and cares a lot about being the best robber band and leader.
A. In chapter two when Jim wakes up after his “prank” by Tom, he believes he has been bewitched and keeps the nickel from the prank. Jim also tells his other slaves that he was ridden around the world with witches and that the nickel was given to him by the devils. This reminds me of The Crucible where it talked about witches and being bewitched.
I. Responding to Sean’s question, I think he is still staying with Widow Douglas because he has nowhere to go except maybe to his robber band. However, he might not trust any of them including Tom. I think he just wants a roof on top of his head and to be cared for.
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Post by Sgarlato on Dec 4, 2013 21:55:29 GMT -5
Stephen Sgarlato
Mr. Thomas
English 11
12/4/13
A. In the beginning chapters it is extremely noticeable to see that Tom Sawyer is a conniving person. He tricks people into thinking anything is reality and possible. While this is true, these things might not always be safe or the most beneficial. This relates to today’s world because many low lives and bad people try to trick morally sound people into doing bad things.
C. A part of the story that I had trouble understanding was why the kids didn’t know what they got themselves getting into. They don’t know what robbing is really and the repercussions from it. The kids think it’s all fun and games because no one got into trouble yet but when someone does they will realize.
I. To answer Sean’s question about why Huckleberry stays with the unloving family, I would say it is because he really needs them. He needs his resources and without the family he has nothing. He has no backup if he does not have the family.
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Post by scanley73 on Dec 4, 2013 22:59:40 GMT -5
E. The whole reading was difficult. This time however it wasn’t because the language was too sophisticated. In fact the language was too dumbed down for me to understand. I would often find myself having to reread something three or four times because it didn’t make sense the first time I read it. I don’t really like this about it because I feel like I’m going to have an incredibly hard time reading this book.
I. To answer Sean’s question and respond to Stephen, I think she does love him but the way he perceives it is how we often act towards our parents. When they are stern with us we think that they don’t love us and this and that. But in actuality they are just trying to teach us. “The widow she cried over me, called me a poor lost lamb” (page 1). That doesn’t sound like something insulting. Plus she is crying because he came back and she was worried about him. He definitely does stay because he needs her. But she does love him.
A. The relationship between Huckleberry Finn and Widow Douglas reminds me a lot of modern day teen’s relationship with their parents. We often think that they don’t love us but in actuality they are looking out for us even if we don’t want to admit it. Plus we often threaten by saying “I’m going to run away!” But in this case Huck Finn really does but he eventually comes back just like any other teen who actually goes through with the threat.
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Post by rodriguezj15 on Dec 5, 2013 23:24:42 GMT -5
Joel Rodriguez Mr. Thomas English 11 December 5, 2013 The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn 1-3 F. I think Huck Finn needs Tom Sawyer. They are obviously different, they are almost the opposite of each other, but the book wouldn’t continue without the other one. Huck Finn is more mature and has a better formed conscience than Tom Sawyer. This difference can be seen in “Tim whispered to me and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun. But I said no (pg. 9)…” Tom doesn’t really understand right and wrong like his mind is stuck in the books he read. Also Tom Sawyer seems like the popular kid everyone follows, especially by being the leader of the gang, but Huck Finn is the kid struggling to fit in. But they are both southern troublemakers doing no good. Their relationship is like a yin-yan symbol. E. The oath of the “Tom Sawyer’s Gang” is hilarious. Tom Sawyer, a teenager out of his mind, is making up rules for the gang of teenage kidnappers and robbers, involving killing their family and suing people for using a cross. I think this blood pact is just a display of their immaturity and it meant to be ridiculously idiotic. Also this oath can be making fun of all those romantic classic novels. Tom Sawyer does say, “Don’t you reckon that the people that made the books knows what’s the correct thing to do (pg. 12)?” C. What was the importance in mentioning all these depictions of death? Like in the lines, “I wish I was dead…I heard an owl whooing about somebody that was dead…a dog crying about somebody that was going to die(pg. 9).” Was there a deeper meaning in this or it just making fun of romanticism? |
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Post by michaelannunziata on Dec 6, 2013 9:44:43 GMT -5
Michael Annunziata
Mr. Thomas
English 11
13, 5, 13
A. One of the things that stood out to me most when relating to these chapters was when Huck and his friends made a gang. When I was little I always thought that every gang was bad and that every gang went around robbing people. That is exactly what Huck and his friends did. Because of the strong relation this reminds me of so many childhood memories of when I used to run away from any group of older kids even if they were innocent, and I used to run away just because I didn’t know what to expect.
E. One thing that I found very interesting about these chapters was that Huck and Tom are really good friends but they are pretty much complete opposites. Huck is more of the less caring person who doesn’t really care about anything and just “wings” everything and specifically doesn’t care about making a good relationship with god. . With that being said Tom; although his actions are not the best, he still cares about what he does and takes everything he does into consideration. That is what I felt was very interesting about these three chapters.
C. One thing that I had confusion with was the kid’s keep robbing people and not expecting to get caught. I mean I know that they are just kids and they don’t know what there doing but still, when you commit a crime that frequently you have to be caught sometime.
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Post by etiennem15 on Dec 11, 2013 19:51:14 GMT -5
Marvin Etienne
Mr. Thomas
English 11
4 December 2013
Huck Finn Chapters 1-3
Right off the bat, I can relate to the first three chapters. When I was younger, I was arrogant, foolish, and hard-headed, just like Tom and Huck. When they make up their gang, I laughed because that sounded like something I would do as a child. Have fantasies about something I knew absolutely nothing about.
I like the relationship between Huck and Tom. They bring out each other's qualities. I think that they need each other around in order to feel good. Huck does not really have anyone in his life that he can really relate and talk to. His father is a complete scumbag and I think that plays a roll in the way Huck acts. Usually, kids pick up a certain behavior from the way they are raised. I think Huck acts the way he does because of his father. I feel that Huck will end up in some sort of trouble because he apparently likes to act out. The influence of Tom is also not a good thing for Huck.
E. I like the start of this book. I like seeing how Huck acts in certain scenarios. I also like the way he thinks about things such as prayer and God. He does not have any hope in himself. For example, when he does not get what he prayed for, he finds that praying is pointless. He is really impatient.
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