Study Help
Essay Questions
1. Discuss Injun Joe as the epitome of evil.
2. Discuss the methods in which Twain brings unity to the loose structure of the novel.
3. Compare the characters of Injun Joe and Muff Potter.
4. Why is Huck Finn universally admired by all of the boys in the school, but is also despised by most of the adults.
5. Why is the Widow Douglas so drawn to Huck Finn even before he was discovered to be her protector?
6. How does the Widow Douglas try to regulate Huck's life? Why does Huck want to escape?
7. What qualities does Tom Sawyer possess that make the others always choose him as the Captain, or the Chief or the General or the Number One person in any game?
8. What human qualities does Aunt Polly exhibit in her behavior toward Tom?
9. Discuss Twain's use of superstition throughout the novel and show how these superstitions affect the various actions.
10. Discuss how each of the minor characters is important to the entire novel: Judge Thatcher; Mr. Dobbins, the schoolmaster; Muff Potter; Mr. Jones, the Welshman; Amy Lawrence; and Joe Harper.