SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - Huckleberry Finn

 

Chapters 1-3

1. Identify: Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Jim, Miss Watson and Widow Douglas.

2. Why doesn't Huck get along with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas?

3. What does Huck think about religion -- specifically the good place, the bad place and prayer?

4. Give at least two examples of superstition in this section of the novel.

5. Contrast Huck and Tom. What are their main differences?

 

Chapters 4-7

1. Why did Huck give his money to Judge Thatcher?

2. Describe Pap Finn. What kind of a person is he?

3. What is Huck's attitude towards his father?

4. Why does Pap yell at Huck for becoming civilized? Is he right?

5. What was Huck's plan of escape from his father?

6. How do you know that material things don't matter to Huck?

 

Chapters 8 - 11

1. What purpose(s) does Huck's death serve?

2. How does Huck meet Jim on Jackson's Island? Why is Jim there?

3. What is in the two story house that floats by?

4. Give three examples of Man vs. Society in this section.

5. How are the townspeople superstitious? Jim? Huck? Give examples.

6. Compare/contrast Huck & Jim.

7. Why does Huck dress as a girl to go ashore? Why does he go? What does he find out?

8. How do you know Huck and Jim are friends by the end of Chapter XI?

 

Chapters 12-14

1. Why do Huck and Jim begin their journey down the Mississippi?

2. Why do Huck and Jim board the Walter Scott?

3. Why does Huck want to save Jim Turner?

4. How does Huck send help to the Walter Scott?

5. What do we learn about Jim from his talking about "King Sollermun"?

 

Chapters 15-18

1. What trick does Huck play on Jim?

2. Why doesn't Huck turn in Jim?

3. Why don't the slave hunters get Jim?

4. Explain the differences between Huck and the hunters.

5. What is the bad luck in Chapter 16?

6. How does Huck get to the Grangerfords?

7. Why did Twain include this adventure with the Grangerfords?

 

Chapters 19-25

 

1. How did Jim and Huck meet the king and duke?

2. Does Huck believe their story?

3. Give two examples of the "cleverness" of the king and duke.

4. Why did the people return to the show?

5. What's the point of the incident of the shooting of Boggs?

6. Why do we hear about Jim's daughter "'Lizabeth"?

7. Where did the king and duke get their plan about being the Wilks brothers?

 

Chapters 26-31

 

1. How do the king and duke get the money?

2. Why does Huck steal the money from the mattress?

3. Why doesn't Huck's conscience bother him when he lies so much?

4. What things give away the king and duke?

5. Why is Huck upset when Jim is sold?

6. Why it is important that Huck says, "All right, then, I'll go to hell."?

 

Chapters 32-39

 

1. Why does Huck assume Tom Sawyer's identity?

2. What happens when Tom appears on the scene?

3. What's the difference between Tom's plan for freeing Jim and Huck's?

4. How does Huck change when Tom comes?

5. Tom's plan is actually cruel. Why?

6. What more do we learn about Tom in these chapters?

 

Chapters 40-43

1. How does Huck appear to be superior to Tom?

2. What happens to Jim?

3. What happens to Tom?