Book review: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and James

I have another twin review for you this month, 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and 'James'. I gave a quick review of James last December (read it here)

James by Percival Everett

James by Percival Everett (published 2024)

Percival Everett is a writer and Professor of English at the University of California. In his novel, James, Everett presents The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim.

Through Jim’s (James) eyes, Everett explores the history and experience of slavery in the United States, the importance of language, education, knowledge, behaviour, and of course racism.

The characters are layered and proficient at hiding behind masks of expectation. The language the enslaved people use in this story is dulled and dumbed down when white people are around, lively and intelligent among themselves (when it is safe to do so). Children are taught from a young age the two languages: that of the enslaved and that of the free.

White characters use language according to their socioeconomic status, which is quite pronounced here due to the lack of education available for poor people as opposed to the libraries overflowing with books for the rich. Education, of course, isn’t the standard of a good person – morality comes from within and is oftentimes tainted by education. Ignorance and bigotry are blind to how much coin is in one’s purse or how many books they’ve had the opportunity to read. We often see and experience the assumption that money equals superiority and even though we may know that not to be true, the stereotype is ingrained.

In James, the reader clearly sees the difference between the haves and the have nots both within enslaved and “free” cultures. We also see cross-over of biased attitude. Not everyone fits within the stereotype.

Everett’s title character, James is forced from his home to save his life and to avoid being sold on. He hopes to bring his family with him but is rudely surprised at the ruthlessness of his “owner” and overseer. He takes time though to help Huckleberry Fin who has escaped his own terror and seeks freedom. James guides Huck in survival techniques and gently encourages the boy’s natural tendency toward a strong moral code. He does not, however, let his mask slip. With Huck, James is always “Jim”

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My copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (originally published 1884)

Mark Twain is the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 to 1910) a prolific American writer and humorist.

The novel starts with a Notice: Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished: persons attempting to find a plot in it will be short.

By order of the author. Per G.G., Chief of Ordnance

Followed by an explanation of the dialects, both of which hint at the humourist side of Twain’s storytelling.

I might put forward though, that there is a moral to the story. Huckleberry Finn’s development of a moral code (even if sometimes it’s a little haphazard). He constantly fights with his attitude toward Jim and therefore slavery, battling against social expectations as he leans in more toward their friendship.

I have to say though that the dialects nearly did me in. There are whole sentences there in which I could not decipher what the characters were talking about. It’s a little like coming to Australia and diving into the deep end of stereotypical Aussie slang and terminology. That I can manage. American not so much.

However, in between the, sometimes unintelligible, dialogues are some beautiful descriptions of Huck and Jim’s life on the island and along the river.

Its lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made, or only just happened. Jim he allowed they was made, but I allowed they happened.

Twain was able to introduce some humorous chat between the two and even more when they were joined by the “Dauphin” and the “King”. Our two heroes knew straight away the pair were not to be trusted yet helped them anyway. Perhaps Jim was swayed by Huck’s love of adventure and natural ability to tell a good story.

Recommendation: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and James

Aside from the difficulty navigating dialogue, I’ve really enjoyed reading Huckleberry Finn. It was a good idea to read James first though as it reacquainted me with the storyline without bombarding with dialect (gave my brain a rest in other words). It also emphasises the difference between language and education of the 1880s and now. I recommend reading them both, one after the other for a deep dive into the life on the Mississippi River in the 19th century.

Trailer from the 1939 version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.