Huck Finn Post 3

In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck comes across a very unique family during his journey. The Grangerford family, uneasy to accept Huck at first, finally lets him into their home once realizing he is not a "Shepherdson." He somewhat ignores this comment; eager to spend time in such a different lifestyle. Huck finds the home magnificent, " I hadn't seen no house out in the country before that was so nice and had so much style" (Twain 102). A palace compared to what Huck has seen, the Grangerford's large estate with over one hundred slaves pleases him in undoubted ways. Although it is portrayed as a grand, lavish lifestyle, the Grangerfords are one of the most confusing, contradicting, and comical group of people in the novel. Their spontaneous actions towards others and unintentionally comical elements within their home combine to make an underlying theme of humor at this point. Within their home, since never seeing a house such as this before, Huck finds the decorations and works displayed very genuine and grand. Although he portrays it as this way, these elements of the home are unintentionally comical and somewhat tacky. When it comes to the works of art by their late daughter, Emmeline, her frequent themes of dead people represent Twain's mocking of the Victorian Age and his trying to make it humorous. The family's spontaneous actions towards others combine to show humor with a hint of sadness.

Within the Grangerfords' lifestyle, Twain hints at elements of sadness. Included in this part of life is the explanation of Emmeline's works of art and her death. Although many of her works are unintentionally tacky, they are nevertheless sympathetic and a tribute to those who have died. Huck is moved by her works of poetry and art and represents a caring side to him. "Poor Emmeline made poetry about all the dead people when she was alive, and it didn't seem right that there warn't nobody to make some about her now she was gone; so I tried to sweat out a verse or two myself , but I couldn't seem to make it go somehow" (106). Later on Buck, one of the Grangerfords, explains the ongoing feud between their family and the previously mentioned Shepherdsons. Nobody knows how the feud started, but it has been an ongoing event with several killings. When Buck is killed in a gunfight later on, this event brings out the most sadness of this section. Unlike  the works of art, where the over exaggeration of sadness leads to humor, this point in the book is completely serious and shows the confusion in the Grangerfords' world.

Included in the Grangerfords' world of confusion is the references to "Romeo and Juliet." Their undeniable more fortunate lifestyle connects with the rich families in the play, already a foreshadow to the competitiveness. One of the main allusions is the family feud with the Shepherdsons and how it plays out. "'Him? He never done nothing to me.' 'Well, then, what did you want to kill him for?' 'Why, nothing--only it's on account of the feud'" (109). The unknowingness as to why members of each family are killing each other directly relates to the feud in "Romeo and Juliet." The second main allusion is concept of star-crossed lovers and how Sophia Grangerford and Harney Shepherdson are in love. They end up running off; resulting in the gunfight that kills Buck and another Shepherdson. These allusions show Twain's almost mocking of earlier European literature. All of the elements of the Grangerfords' life represent a contradicting, unique experience for Huck during his eventful journey down the Mississippi.