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Huck Finn Chapter 19
Summary • Huck and Jim have left the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons and they are now floating down the river. Life is really simple and pleasant on the river. One day, Huck goes ashore; while he about to leave, he sees two men running towards his canoe—and there is an angry mob following them. They all jump aboard the canoe. One of the men was about 70 years old and was wearing raggedly blue jeans and a greasy blue woolen shirt. The other man was about 30 years old and dressed in an equally messy manner.
Summary Continued • They share the reasons why they were both “in trouble.” They reveal how they swindled the people of the town: the older man sold a product to whiten teeth that actually ruined people’s teeth. The younger man was running a temperance revival but was discovered to have stolen the money and used it to get drunk. While they were all floating down the river, both men claim that they are actually long lost royalty. They want to be called “The Duke” and “The Dauphin” because they are secretly royalty. Jim believes them wholeheartedly, but Huck is pretty skeptical of their professed identity.
Theme Connection • One theme that is explored within the text is the idea of morality and ethics. The Duke and the Dauphin are presented as immoral because they have cheated others: “Well, I’d been selling an article to take the tartar off the teeth—and it does take it off, too, and generally the enamel along with it” (120). This demonstrates immoral behavior because the Duke sold an item he knew would cause people harm, but did not care. He simply wanted to make money.
Summary Continued • A second example that shows Twain’s exploration of immoral behavior is with the Dauphin: “Well, I’d ben a-runnin’ a little temperance revival that ‘bout a week…when somehow or another a little report got around last night that I had a way of puttin in my time with a private jug on the sly” (121). This demonstrates immoral behavior because the Dauphin was hypocritical. He was asking people to contribute money to prevent drinking while he was getting drunk with the money on the side.
Quote to Illustrate • “One of these fellows was about seventy or upwards and had a bald head and very gray whiskers. He had an old battered-up slouch hat on, and a greasy blue woolen shirt, and ragged old blue jeans britches stuffed into his boottops, and home-knit galluses—no, he only had one” (120).
Three Review Questions • True or False: Life is less complicated for Huck and Jim on the raft versus on land. • True or False: Huck and Jim both believe that the men are royalty. • How did the two men end up on the raft?
