Opinions

Before reading
I've been told Huck Finn is a classic, but have never thought about reading it. Hope it doesnt let me down. (Kyle D)

Is Huckleberry Finn only about slavery and race? Is Tom Sawyer a major character in the book? Just wondering... (Shelby K. )

I look forward to reading //Huckleberry Finn//. I've read //Tom Sawyer// and enjoyed it. But that was meant for younger people and I was in 5th grade. I really enjoyed the freedom of the characters. How they didn't listen to their elders and went out into the wilderness, sort of what I wanted to do as well. ([|Caron])

I have read a version of Tom Sawyer, when I was young- probably around nine or so. My dad would read it to me every night before bed. Of course it was an abridged version, but I have very good memories of that book, so I am excited about reading Huck Finn. (CarolineLassiter)

I wonder how the adventures of Tom Sawyer compare to this book and which one is considered better and why? Did it also deal with issues of race and feature satire? (A.J.)

When my brother read the book two years ago, he always started laughing every once in a while, but never told me what he was actually laughing about, just said that I would read it some day and figure it out myself. Nice... isn't he? Well, I have been waiting to read the book to figure out what it is all about.

While reading
I like Huck Finn, though I find it kind of confusing and hard to understand at some points. Especially the slang they use. (jenna pelletier)

I really like Huck Finn. I tried not to listen to anything I heard about it before reading because I was determined not to let other's opinions influence how much I liked it. Usually reading books for school feels like a chore, no matter how good the book is. I don't feel that way about Huck Finn. It's so easy to get caught up in the story right away. Twain never lets go of the reader's attention. The dialect hasn't really made it more difficult for me to understand. I guess its the drama geek in me, but I usually read the assigned chapters out loud in my room so I can get a better feel for it. It really helps and is totally fun. My sister walked in on me once and just looked at me like I was crazy. I just laughed and kept going. (Amy)

I am usually not for American classics, I am more of an Austen fan, but i do like this book. It's very funny, satire is in every line if you really understand what's going on during each scene. Huck makes me laugh, he is so naive but thinks he knows best, but i guess that is the appeal of the book. And you have to love Jim, even through Huck's hazy eyes you can tell he knows Huck is just full of it sometimes. (alex j)

I've enjoyed reading HF but i find the dialect hard to read because its so off. I know they say you write like you talk and talk like you write but ive never seen such an example as i have in Twain's book. I dont really like Huck at the moment, i dont think he has a right to be treating Jim the way he does but im still early in the book and i hope to see a change. Im beginning to see the racism of the novel. (Elisabeth Webster)

I never would have thought that I would enjoy reading this book. Usually, when the author uses "different" dialect its hard for me to understand. However, I really enjoy reading Huck Finn. I like the dialect because its realistic in the location and time period of the story. I sorta feel like I'm a part of the book sometimes because the dialect is so strong and the characters are so vivid. (Laura)

After reading the first 15 chapters of Huckleberry Finn (I forgot to stop at chapter 12), I am enjoying the book because of the dialect, ideas, and the idea of a child running away and having adventures. Twain makes the characters come alive with all these and in no other book I have ever read does the author use this much dialect. It gives the story voice and makes it fun to read. (Caron)

I was skeptical about Huck Finn before reading it, I've heard various opinions and stereotypes that portrayed the book as long and tedious. I have found after reading the first 75 pages that the book is thoroughly enjoyable and an overall fun read. Twain really makes you feel as if the characters are real and that you yourself are on the Mississippi with Huck and Jim. The Dialect was difficult at first to understand but once you catch on to the most commonly used phrases it becomes second nature. (William)

Huck Finn has been a huge eyeopener for me. I normally just blow off school required books but I decided to actually read this one because of all the great rumors about it. I was afraid that the book would be very racial and unpleasing, thankfully it's definately not. There are two sides to Huck which makes you fall inlove with his character. It is very true that Mark Twain couldn't write a single dull sentence, it keeps you more than entertained. Even though the dialect is very hard to understand at times, it doesn't keep you from reading forward. I can't wait to see what will happen to Huck and Jim, and even Pap. (EmilyBarden)

I've heard a lot about this being considered a 'racist' novel (due to its now-racist term 'the 'n' word' used so many times), however, while reading it, I came upon a conclusion. To properly understand a book, it helps to look at the time period in which it is written or what time period is referenced. In this novel's society, that particular term was not a 'racist' term, it was what people called slaves. Who knows, someday future societies may believe a term we use today is racist or sexist or something else offensive. I believe it would be much more mature to, instead of ban or label the book for being 'racist,' look at the time period and not superimpose everything on our society today. (Emily Brown)  I understand that Pap influenced Huck a lot and gave him a hint of Racist veiws, but i don't think that he is as big a racsist as is depicted. Most of the things doen to Jim that are said to be racist are to me just a kid playing a trick on someone, not a big racist act. Now Jim does show how Huck should act around friends, and not to be so bad, but Huck had a the same disrespect to the Widow. He just has a lack of authority and a source of discipline; which is Jim's active role to provide. (Hayden )

For the most part, I've really enjoyed reading Huck Finn. Personally, I think the dialogue itself is what I've enjoyed the most. Though it may be troublesome for people to understand, I think it just adds so much more entertainment to the novel. It amuses me how I can so easily understand what the characters are saying, without pausing to figure out what certain words are. I guess that's what happens when you're born and raised in the South! (Lizzie)

Huck Finn is completely different from what i expected. At first i thought it was a simple story of Huck finding his inner freedom from the world. However, Twain expertly teaches his readers about the reality of slavery and the ideas towards blacks during this time period. Also, Huck doesnt try to paint a perfect scene. He usually bluntly describes the events. However, Huck is naive in many areas and i believe he will start to mature as the book progresses (Tony)

I have enjoyed reading Huck Finn, and i like to see what new adventures they go on. Twain made this book so you don't know what is going to happen next and i really like that. So far it has been different than what i expected, i didn't think there was as much to do with slavery and racism as there actually is. However, even though there is slavery, Twain made sure that Huck did rescue Jim, and he helped a slave, so as to portray that there are some people that are willing to help slaves. (Kristin)

Tom Sawyer is crazzzay haha. (A.J.)

Huck Finn is truly an American classic. It presents all aspects of slavery and American society. It provides an example of a great bond between a slave and a young boy and the impact that they had on each other's lives. There are large amounts of racism, but i think that is necessary to illustrate the true meaning of the novel. So far i have greatly enjoyed reading Huck Finn and I am very excited for the ending! (Taryn)

After Reading
I really enjoyed the book. It was fun to read yet still had deep meanings that usually make books boring and lame. Many school books focus on these meanings and make it horrible for the student. Mark Twain didn't do this. He wanted people to enjoy the book but learn from it at the same time. The dialect and the many funny pranks, lies, etc. that Huck and the other characters did made me love the book. One of my favorite parts is where Huck and Tom, pretending to be Tom and Sid, respectively, plan and plan and plan on how to break Jim out of prison the hardest but coolest way possible. Huck continually tries to get some sense into Tom but Tom doesn't listen. Huck wants to get it done as quick as possible while Tom only thinks about how to make it into an infamous jailbreak. It is great to read about Tom continually adding things to the plan, like getting Jim to write mournful phrases on a millstone, and getting a rope ladder even though there is no use for it. He even wants to dig a moat around the building. All in all, the book was one of my favorites and I would definitely read the sequel. Sadly, I don't think there is one. :'( Caron

I liked this book. Huck is an interesting character and it was quite enjoyable to hear his story. Twain did a good job capturing the essence of the south, creating a scenery you could imagine, including the vivid characters. The ending was in Huck fashion by not commenting on his father's death. It shows even though Huck grew in maturity, by (some what) excepting Jim, he still is the same guy we found in the begginng of the story. It's surprisingly comforting to know even though he went through an ordeal he still holds part of himself, even if he is only editing. (alex j)