Our Understanding

"We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft."

Huck found his home on the raft that floated down the Mississippi River. It was his escape for freedom away from the dangers of the world. Like in chapter 18, Huck has just escaped from the Grangerford-Shepherdson feud and is thoroughly sickened by society. This explains how the raft represents a retreat from the outside world, the site of simple pleasures and good companionship. Huck and Jim do not have to answer to anyone on the raft.  They feel secluded from all outside life. Twain’s portrayal of life on the raft and the river shows how Huck and Jim really think of the raft like their peaceful home.

The last thing to show is the video of our findings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWEVYDesAQ0

Day 4

Wilk's Funeral
This was our final day one the Mississippi, after visiting the town where Bogg's got shot at. Sad times. It makes you remember that you need to keep you families close during times like this. But anyway, we came down here to visit Peter Wilk's grave and to see if the house that Huck stayed in was still there. Once we were there we met the new Wilk family, and they said that its not uncommon for people who have read Huck Finn to come and see the place in real life. They showed us around the house, and let us see where the Duke and King slept, along where Huck slept as well. They then traced the steps of the story around the house, and then eventually lead us around to the grave site. The Wilks said Peter can rest easy knowing that his money was taken back to the right people: his family. This place was a place for Huck to stay, but it was only because he was forced to stay here because of the Duke and King. Huck still preferred the river as his home, but he did make a few new friends while he was at the Wilk's place.

Phelp's Farm

Our last stop is the Phelp's Farm, the longest place

that Huck had stayed at during the story, according to the book. Huck had spent weeks here with Tom, to make a dangerous and adventurous plan to break Jim out of slavery. Huck agreed to do most of what Tom wanted to do because they are the best of friends. The Phelp's family still owns the farm, the even still had the shed where Jim was kept. They showed us the bed he slept on, where the bed was cut, the grindstone with the engravings, even hole that they dug to get into the shed. They said they wanted to keep and preserve the shed because it is an important part in history. In the end, was a good family and friendship that set Jim free. 

Day 3

Camp Meeting

When we reached the camps meeting, it was a really great sight of everyone gathered for festivities. Everyone just having fun and worry free, like one big family enjoying a day. Kind of made me think when i went to kankakee fair as a kid. where everyone was just enjoying the warm summer day with food, fun, and lots of awesome rides. But it ended kind of badly at the camp meeting. King and duke conned some good people out of their money and then took of before anyone could do anything.  Leaving the fun and festivities in a grim event.

Bogg's Shooting.
After that we went to this odd town where a man gets shot! To start from arrival, we see a drunkard stumbling through out the streets yellin for some guy. Now parently the town folk didn't mind it much cause he was a harmless guy and this was most the entertainment they got. But apparently the man he was yelling for wasn't as nice. He warned the man to quit his hollering before he shut him up for good. Well the drunk wouldn't quit till he finally shot him dead! After that the shooter goes home without a care. But the townsfolk were real mad. They started a mob to go after the shooter talking about lynching and killing. But they didn't have the balls to follow through, as seen when the shooter hollered it at em. This reminds me of when growing up, I always had kids trying to use numbers to bully me. But me and my friends called them out for the cowards they were and after that they didn't give no more problems to us much then name callin. All and all, strength may be in numbers if you can follow through with what you say.

Day 2

Cairo

The destination where Huck and Jim need to be in order to be closer to freedom is Cairo. Cairo is a southern town near free states. They believe they will be free if they are living in a free state. However on their journey to Cairo, a major fog storm hits and the boys can only see a couple feet in front of them. During the storm, they unknowingly pass the fork in the river where they need to turn onto in order to reach Cairo. In the morning they are still sailing down the river when finally, miles past their mistake, they realized they passed where they needed to be. Unfortunately, due to the current, there is nothing they can do to go back, besides pick up their canoe and walk back up the river. They decided not to do that and just keep traveling down the river.

Grangerford's vs. Shephardson's
On their voyage down the river, after missing Cairo, the boys come in counter with a steamboat that smashes their raft and separates the two of them. After they are separated, Huck goes on to find the Grangerford's, a very nice family that takes Huck in as one of their own. Huck come particularly close with the family member Buck because they are close in age. They share a room, they share clothes, they share everything. Huck and Buck grow very fond of each other. Unfortunately, to Huck's dismay, there is a major family feud going on between the Grangerford's and the Shephardson's, much like the feud in Romeo and Juliet. Poor Huck wakes up one morning only to find that the feud escalated and all the Grangerford's and Shephardson's were brutally killed in a battle. Huck luckily meets up with Jim again and they continue on their way.

Day 1

St. Petersburg, Missouri 

The journey begins in St. Petersburg, Missouri. This is where Huck explains he's under the gaurdianship of Widow Douglas. She is trying to "civilize" Huck. Through the journey, Huck realizes some of the hypocrisy of a civilized society. Huck and his friends decide to get together and create a gang.  The idea of friendship and the innocence of children is present. The kids can get away with some things that would be socially unnacceptable for adults. The idea of superstition also becomes relevant in St. Petersburg. Jim, the slave, beleives in many superstitions. All of the other slaves come to him for their personal fortunes. Many of us know how it feels to belong and have friends. This is really important because it makes us who we are and mold our character. The innocence of children is also vital because the whole journey is told through a child's perspective. This changes the whole view on the journey.

Jackon's Island

Huck begins to prefer the island over the "civilized life" with Widow Douglass, even though he was with his abusive father. He was locked up in a cabin. One day while Pap was out, Huck escaped and faked his own murder. This is where the first idea of lying comes in.

A Journey Down the River

Welcome. Listen to our story that we have made while traveling down the Mississippi River. We wanted to know what Huck Finn and Jim really meant as their home. We followed the exact path that Huck and Jim took while they traveled down the river. We thought about taking a steamboat, but we wanted to make it the most realistic travel of that they had, so we chose to take a raft like they did. So we started up in St. Petersburg, Missouri. To see what we discovered as their home, keep reading.