The Real Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

                One word to describe The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is awful. Honestly I do not like this novel at all. It is very difficult to read and understand, and I do not like the fact that it does not have a defined plot and purpose.

                I think the language barrier is one of the hardest things to overcome in this novel. The vernacular that Mark Twain uses is very, very difficult to comprehend. Even reading aloud does not help me! I grew up in a southern family, so I thought I would be able to understand the language, but I was wrong! I struggle reading the words, which automatically turns the book off for me. I like reading for enjoyment, not for a headache. I think that if the book was written in modern English, I would have an easier time. I think that I would like the book better if it was written in proper English, or if I would have read it 100 years ago.  All in all, I feel that since I have difficulty understanding the words, I also have a hard time understanding the purpose of reading the book.

                Another problem I have with the book is the fact that I cannot tell what is going on! After struggling through the words, I can’t figure it out since I spent so much time on just sounding out the words! I will sit down and physically read the book, and I will finish and not have actually read the book.  This really bothers me because I spend so much time on it, and I feel that I do not gain an ounce from it! I just get really frustrated, which obviously makes me hate the book and want to throw it out the window!

                I also feel that another issue is the fact that I cannot relate to any of the events in the story. I have never been really interested in the wilderness and that particular time period in history. I have always tended to be more intrigued by cities and modern times.  When reading, I have a hard time getting excited about Huck’s adventures, that is if I can even figure out what is adventures are!

                Lastly, I hate the fact that the novel does not have a defined plot nor purpose. In most books, there is always a theme, purpose, and chronology that consume the entire book and wrap together to make a unified piece of literature. In this novel, every chapter is different, and in some cases, they could stand alone as individual stories. I feel that it lacks a sense of unity, which is crucial for a novel to have! At times, I feel that Mark Twain merely wrote down the first things that popped into his head! I think that if he would have eliminated some of Huck’s adventures, and elaborated a bit more on some of them, then it would be a much stronger novel.

                All in all, I do not like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for a variety of reasons. I can honestly say that I dread having to read it, and I cannot wait until we are finished!

Is truth subjective?

            Is truth subjective? That is the question.  By definition, the word subjective means: pertaining to or characteristic of an individual; personal; individual. Judging by this definition, I do not think that truth is subjective.

            Firstly, truth is a fact of reality or a verified and indisputable fact. Therefore by definition it cannot be open to personal opinion, which is subjective. Every person in this world cannot be correct in everything that they think is true. It is completely impossible! People have varying opinions in this world, and even though they believe in what they think is true, they cannot all be correct! Even if many people collectively agree on facts in a subjective manner, the group is not always right.

            A prime example of this is when people thought the world was flat.  Obviously we know now that the globe is in fact round, even though everyone thought differently before. Just because everyone thought the same thing, it did not mean that it was true. Even if only one person thought that the world was flat, it still does not make the statement true! Truth cannot be open to change.

            Subjective truth is a contradiction in itself. If everyone has had their own set of truths, then no one has ever been wrong. But these “unwrong” truths contradict with one another, so it is impossible for both to be correct. An example would be the views of an atheist and a Christian. The first believes that there is no such thing as God, but the later believes that there is. A person cannot both exist and not exist!

            The truth is definite and not open to question. There is only the truth, and the rest is untrue. Therefore, truth is most certainly not subjective.

Middle School Terrors

                Walking down the school hallway is like walking down a fashion catwalk. All eyes are on you; you are constantly judged.  Girls are dressed in mini-skirts, with faces full of caked-on makeup, strutting their stuff in heels high enough to reach the sky. Guys are sporting ironed polo’s with shoes that seem to glisten. All of this is, of course, the best that money can buy.  Nothing less. Then, there is me and my ever so fashionable hand-me-down, faded clothes. I run through the hallways to prevent being crushed by one of those mile high heels…or the ego that goes with them. Welcome to my life.

                I never understood why designer clothes were so special. Apparently it is “fashionable” to wear shirts that do not fit, are embedded with repulsive amounts of perfume, and rip after one wash. Oh and not to mention triple digit price tags! Honestly don’t parents have something better to do with their money!

                I do feel a little left out though. No one notices you unless you are showing off a label. I am the outcast of my school because of what I wear! Or rather what I don’t wear! Your clothes are a symbol of wealth and status at school. If you don’t have the latest and greatest fashions, you are considered to be the scum of the earth.

I look up from up run one of my unfashionable dashes one day, and notice a bright neon poster.  “7^th Grade Dance this Friday! Come out and show your stuff on the dance floor!” Instantly my day becomes one million times better! I have never been to a real middle school dance before! This was the real deal! The epitome of 7^th grade existence!

The entire week was filled with chatter about who was dating who, who was going to the dance with whom, and who was wearing what. If only everyone could hear how ridiculous they sound! They constantly talk about the same things over and over again! It is always clothes, dating, clothes, girlfriends, clothes, clothes, boyfriends, clothes, and more clothes! I did my best to ignore it though; I could only think about the great time I was going to have on Friday!

The days ticked by ever so slowly, and day by day the “dance talk” steadily grew. I was getting ready to leave for the time of my life, when my godmother knocked on my door. She had an early birthday present for me.  I carefully unwrapped the bright packaging, and peeling back the layers revealed a designer box. My heart started pounding. I opened the box, and peered inside. It was a hot pink sweatshirt with hand-sewn flower stitching. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! I couldn’t wait to show it off! It was my time to shine!

When I walked into the dance, the music was blasting loudly out of the DJ’s speakers. Everyone was having a great time. I slowly walked on the dance floor. All eyes turned to me and looked me up and down. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. I stood quietly waiting for their approval. Then something amazing happened; they smiled at me! I had officially been accepted into their "invitation only" cult of coolness. I was overcome with joy! For once in my life I felt accepted and not invisible! I was middle school royalty!  Everyone thought that I was rich and powerful too!

I danced the night away with my newly found friends. I was having the time of my life, when I felt a chilling icy waterfall flow down my back. I turned around and saw that someone had spilt their drink all down the back of my special sweatshirt! Everyone stopped dancing and stared at me. They then started laughing hysterically! I never felt so embarrassed in my life! I ran out of the dance and never looked back. 

True friends would have never do that to me. No matter how hard I tried to fit in, people never accepted me. I stupidly changed myself to try to fit in to no avail. I learned one valuable lesson from this experience, even though I was teased for the remainder of my middle school career. You just have to be yourself and don’t change for other people. People will be people, and if they won’t accept you for who you are, then you shouldn’t waste your time.

My Childhood .vs. Huckleberry Finn's

              
               Everyone has their own unique childhood. Some though are more extreme and different than others. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main character, Huckleberry has a very different childhood than the one I experienced.

               Huckleberry Finn is a very adventurous, rebellious, and outgoing young boy. He and his friend Tom Sawyer always want to be out in the world exploring and finding adventures. He is just like any typical boy that is about the age of 12. Despite this though, he had a very complicated childhood. For most of Huck's life, he actually thought that his father was dead, so he was raised by the local widow. She tried to form him into a prim and proper young gentleman to no avail. Huck was very wilderness-oriented and wanted to escape from all of the fancies of the widow's life. His father does mysteriously show up though, but he isn't a great person. His father is a drunk that beats and abuses Huck and doesn't really appreciate him in the way that a father should. He also ends up abducting him, locking him away in a cabin, and threatens to kill him. During all of this, Huckleberry just wants to be free. Free to explore, have fun, and just be a boy.

              My childhood was very different than Huckelberry's. I lived a very sheltered life in a small suburban neighborhood. My parents loved me dearly and treated me very well. I wasn't spoiled, but I did have a lot of nice things to do and play with. I would have never imagined leaving my family. I loved my life! I was raised to be a proper young lady, but I loved every minute of it! I loved wearing dresses and going to school, and my parents allowed my to be my own person and develop my own identity. I was very girly and loved everything pink and purple, but I also loved playing pretend and exploring. Even though I loved adventure, my idea of adventure was exploring the playground across the cul-de-sac or playing in the treehouse in my back yard. I loved pretending that I was in another world or that I was on a secret mission, but I would never have imagined running away from my family! I wouldn't even dream of entering the woods behind my house!
               As one can see, Huckleberry Finn and I both had very different childhoods. His was of adventure and drama, and mine was of love and happiness. Despite these differences, we both grew up and became great people.