Learn to TEACH English with TECHNOLOGY. Free course for American TESOL students.


TESOL certification course online recognized by TESL Canada & ACTDEC UK.

Visit Driven Coffee Fundraising for unique school fundraising ideas.





Texas ISD School Guide
Texas ISD School Guide







Short Stories for Teachers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Plot Summary
By:Darrell Victor

Although the author known as Mark Twain may have preferred if we sought not to discern a plot in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we could still make an attempt to reveal a summary of a plot in his extensive narrative. This novel is a continuation of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, in which Huckleberry Finn was a sidekick to the mischievous Sawyer.

Huck, somewhat wealthy from his previous adventures with Tom, resides with the Widow Douglas. The widow and her sister try to civilize Finn, but he resists this attempt to change his nature. His father, Pap Finn, kidnaps Finn and takes him into the woods. Huck is unyielding to this change as well, being the free spirit that he is. Huck escapes from his father's cabin, fakes his own death, and travels down the Mississippi River.

At the beginning of his adventures, Huck meets and befriends Jim- an escaped slave. After Huck visits his old hometown, he and Jim make their way north into the free states to avoid Jim's recapture. During this journey, Huck begins to view Jim as a friend instead of just a slave. Jim and Huckleberry miss their destination and inadvertently head further south, into pro-slavery territory.

Soon after missing the stop-off, Huck and Jim are separated by a passing steam ship. Huck receives shelter from the prosperous Grangerfords. He befriends Buck Grangerford; a boy of his age. This adventure turns into a misadventure as Huck sees Buck's corpse- a victim of a long-running blood feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons. Although Huck is saddened by the loss, he barely escapes becoming a victim of this conflict and reunites with Jim.

They continue to make their way down the river and rescue two con men, who facetiously introduce themselves as the Duke and Dauphin respectively. These two men add to the adventures of Huck. The group witness the attempted lynching of a gentleman over the killing of a town drunk.

The Duke and Dauphin also manage to hold a three-night show with half-baked performances on the first two nights. On the third night, long before the crowd could deal them fresh fruits and vegetables on the stage, they flee the town. The two show no disinclination for more serious fraud either. They impersonate two British relatives of a deceased asset-rich man. When the con men start to liquidate the property and sell slaves, Huck deliberately thwarts their unscrupulous plan.

The four continue on the raft. The Dauphin captures Jim and sells him to none other than Tom Sawyer's uncle. Huck attempts to free him once more and is conveniently mistaken for Tom by Tom's Aunt Sally. Tom arrives afterwards and joins Huck in his scheme, posing as his own brother. Jim decides to warn the townspeople about the stage act of the Duke and Dauphin before they can work their magic. The Duke and Dauphin are subsequently chased out of town (and the adventure) in disgrace.

Tom Sawyer tries to develop an intricate scheme to free Jim. Ultimately, the result of his extensive planning is that he helps Jim to escape, but is shot in the process. Jim and Huck are recaptured. In the end, Jim is a free man and Huck, although Tom's aunt plans to adopt him, declares his intention to head further west.

Darrell Victor is a freelance writer from the Caribbean
http://www.helium.com/user/show_articles/338815






Go to another board -