Attempting to Find a Structure

The idea of teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain in classrooms across America may be shocking and forward to some; however, outdated and excessively structured to others. In a close review of the writing, context, language and overall benefits that reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has the potential to bring to a classroom, I will express how greatly the disadvantages out way the benefits.
Many individuals and teachers a like will argue that the use of the vernacular and coarse language is enough to exclude The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from student curriculum until college level. However, the use of the vernacular and dialect throughout the novel is actually the novels strongest learning tool. Individuals looking to strengthen their vocabulary and learn from their reading would find the use of local language to be a huge benefit and very stimulating. The challenge that Twain presents the reader with through the attempt to understand and comprehend the dialect is a masterful work. However, dialect and vernacular alone are not enough to encourage a school to teach a novel. If that were the case, books from regions like Mexico, Hindi and Tagalog would be enough to meet this criteria. A good novel which is taught in high school courses should include interesting strong vocabulary but also have a thorough topic, clear thesis and themes and an easy to follow plot line. After all, isn’t that what we are attempting to teach new writers?
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is filled with themes, however has no clear direction or point by the end of the story. The many side tales told by the narrator and various characters are a distraction to the overall plot of the novel and encourage scattered, uncontrolled, poorly structured writing. One such example is the “Raft Passage”. The footnote to this section of the novel states “The passage that follows was part of the final autograph manuscript for Huck Finn that Twain sent…the cut was made to save space and not on literary or aesthetic grounds,” (161). This portion of the novel was removed from the original publishing to save space; however, being that it was off topic and lacked the consistency that is found within the remaining portion of the novel, the cutting of this portion is understandable. There are several other sub-stories within the novel that if cut, would not remove from the quality or complexity of the novel. The overall length and structure does not promote the style of writing frequently taught in the classroom and would be detrimental to the ideas being taught.
Although Twain warns readers that the story holds no plot, individuals within high schools and most college students read stories almost exclusively for the overall plot. In reading the novel from start to finish, there is clearly a lack of plot. The story does not hold true to the standard writings structure of protagonist, climax, and resolution. One might attempt to argue that the story does resolve itself; however, if the ending had been thorough and complete rather than cut short, there is no telling where the story would have gone. It is a poor influence to present our educated youth. Encouraging youth to end their writing pieces short and simple without a thorough, expanded and complete conclusion is a major fault; especially as thorough conclusions are often a weakness within high school writing.
Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a popular historical piece of writing, there are many other stories which would be used to teach the same things within the classroom. Such pieces include Life In The Iron Mills by Rebecca Harding Davis and The Trail of the Goldseekers by Hamlin Garland. Both of these stories are by American realist writers who have strong writings skills, use of the vernacular and would be a great contribution to any high school curriculum.

The Taming of the Shrew

In William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, Kate and Petruchio are seen as equal sparing partners. They are both smart, cunning individuals who make a rather comical pairing. However, by the end of the novel, Shakespeare has indeed, tamed the shrew and Kate is no longer the quick to judge, angry girl we see in the beginning of the novel.
Although Kate’s character progresses in various directions throughout The Taming of the Shrew, Kate ultimately becomes an obedient wife to Petruchio. Kate’s final speech in the novel addresses many key areas of her final transformation. In the beginning lines, Kate addresses the fact that disobedience makes a woman ugly. Here Kate says “And dart not scornful glances from those eyes To Wound thy lord, thy kind, thy governor. It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,” (219). This expression is addressed to the group of woman who did not come when called by their husbands. Kate is arguing that disobedience and the “scornful glances” make the woman unattractive. She continues on to express how unpleasing angry women are. “A woman moved is like a fountain troubled,” 219). This expression shows that a woman who is angry is like a muddy, unused water hole. Such a woman can not be seen for her beauty in the eyes of viewers.
The introduction of Kate’s speech is very focused on the ugliness of anger and disobedience. However, quickly Kate turns the cards and addresses wit and cunning. Kate speaks to the women and tells them that their lack of obedience to their husbands is foolish on their part. Kate says, “And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel and graceless traitor to her loving lord?” (219). Although this line addresses grace as a form of beauty, Kate’s focus is on the foolishness associated with disobedience to a loving and caring husband. Throughout The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is supposed to be seen as the soul provider of their family, and as such he has earned the respect of his wife. In “A Homily of the State of Matrimony,” the various reasons for marriage are reviewed. It is stated that marriage “does not emphasize pleasure or happiness as a reasons to marry,” (171). This philosophy holds true in The Taming of the Shrew. At no point in Kate’s address to the other women does she address the fact that obedience is due because of love. Kate in fact never uses the word.
Strangely enough, Kate brings God into the mix when she says “Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,” (221). Kate is telling her listening ears that God has created women (in their essential form as soft and smooth) to be looked after by their husbands. Had God intended woman to care for themselves or provide for their families through various chores and hard labor, he would have made their bodies more conducive to work. This ideology is repeated in “A Homily of the State of Matrimony.” In “A Homily of the State of Matrimony,” it is said “For the woman is a weak creature, not endued with like strength and constancy of mind,” (174). There are many similarities in philosophy seen between the Homily and The Taming of the Shrew. The ideas and values of the 1600s are clearly noted and supported throughout various works of the time period.
In Kate’s final act of obedience she places her hand under the foot of Petruchio, “And place your hands below your husband’s foot,” (221). This puts him in the position to step on her if he so chooses and she knows this, as she says “My hand is ready, may it do him ease,” (221). In this scene, Kate is entirely at the will and whim of her husband. This act shows her as confident of his care and trusting of her position within the relationship.
Although Shakespeare initially creates Kate as a shrew and hateful woman, he is able to progress her character to much more. Kate in essence because the ideal wife and is found to be preaching to what once would have been the choir. Through the finale speech in The Taming of the Shrew, it is clear that Kate is in fact, a tamed woman.