Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Boggs/Sherburn/Lynching Bee
In this section of the novel, Col. Sherburn says flatly "The average man's a coward." In what way are these scenes a commentary on society? What does it say about man's essential nature?How does the mob scene apply to Twain's broader criticism of slavery and the unwillingness of individuals to think independently and stand up for what is right, even if the views expressed are unpopular? What does Huck learn, if anything, from this experience?
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26 comments:
Melanie Smith:
I feel this is really showing that people in our society, tere tnd to be more "followers" compared to "leaders". Everybody in this scene was only doing what they were told, they were getting angry and violent, yet they easily backed down when Col.Sherburn started challenging them and calling them all cowards. There was only "half a man in that criwd" and that was the person who orignally started the mob. Man's essential nature is to fit in, they wanted to be a part of something bigger; they were included in a group. I think it is human nature to want to be accepted and a part of something. They had the chance to unify for one cause instead of being isolated in their feelings. I think this relates to Twain's view on slavery because there were plenty of people in history who were against slavery but nobody had the gutys to go against society. They were afriad to speak up their own opinions and views because they were unpopular. I think that Huck learns that it's not always beneficial or even effective to go with what everyboy else says, just because you people want to fit into a larger group. It might be better to stand up for your own individuals views and in the end be more effective.
I disagree with the fact that this particular scene was ment to symbolize slavery. i think it is a more general topic talking about the coruption of man in general.
I feel this is really showing that people in our society, tere tnd to be more "followers" compared to "leaders". Everybody in this scene was only doing what they were told, they were getting angry and violent, yet they easily backed down when Col.Sherburn started challenging them and calling them all cowards. There was only "half a man in that criwd" and that was the person who orignally started the mob. Man's essential nature is to fit in, they wanted to be a part of something bigger; they were included in a group. I think it is human nature to want to be accepted and a part of something. They had the chance to unify for one cause instead of being isolated in their feelings. I think this relates to Twain's view on slavery because there were plenty of people in history who were against slavery but nobody had the gutys to go against society. They were afriad to speak up their own opinions and views because they were unpopular. I think that Huck learns that it's not always beneficial or even effective to go with what everyboy else says, just because you people want to fit into a larger group. It might be better to stand up for your own individuals views and in the end be more effective.
I give all the credit too Melanie smith thanks Babe
Laura Singer =] :
i have to agree with melanie here
huck is basicallly saying that no man has the courage to stand up for what he believes when it comes to black men. They can't speek the truth because they are too afraid of what their race will think of them. the average man is a coward! they may think to themselves that slavery is bad, but if you can't admit that to the world then whats the point in thinking it? like mel said, people tend to go with what the larger group thinks rather than be an individual which in the long run isn't always best.
this is so true.
Sam Dennis
In this chapter Twain is criticizing society in informing that peer pressure plays a major role in peoples' everyday lives. Everybody wants to be a part of the crowd and to blend in. Very few of us are strong enough to be like Sherburn and stand for what we believe in. Huck learns that sometimes going against that crowd is necessary to make the right decision.
Mariel Schofield
At this time, white men do not have the courage to stick up for a blakc man because it's not their business.
This part in the book shows how a group of people can be swayed to do something or believe in something by one persons quick remark. This starts the lynching mob. Then when Sherburn gives his little speech, everyone in the mob just dissapates because they didnt have a good way of justifing what they wanted to do. Once that one person yelled "lynch him" everyone just went ahead and jumped on the bandwagon.
Sorry comment number two, but I'm going to have to agree with Melanie on this one. The mob forms together as unified group against something that they all believe in. In many cases, many people joined together against slavery, (like Abraham Lincoln; who wrote the emancipation proclamtion to end slavery and Rosa Parks; who refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man), so in this case, the mob was forming together to fight for their beliefs, and more people should learn to express themselves more and fight for what they believe in. ~Morgan Eggink
I think that this speech is truely telling people and making people notice that in our world people are just followers rather then leaders. When i say this i mean that if you actually read into the book, all are being told what to do and they do it. Not one man stands up for what is right. Therefor all a just followers, and without leaders who knows how things will end up. People in this scene do not speek up because if they go against their own race, their affraid their race might go against them. Which is why this has to in a way be with slavory.
I agree what melanie had to say that it is showing people in our society, there are more "followers" compared to "leaders". In this scene everyone was only doing what they were suppose to or what they were told to. When Col. Sherburn told them they were all cowards it was much easier for everyone to be able to give up and step away because they were getting so angry with themselves and eachother. Also picking fight with other people. I believe that it is human nature to be wanted to be accepted into something. Huck learn that you don't always have to go with what everybody says you can stand up for yourself.
Twain is saying that "men" in today's society can't stick up for what they want and believe in by themselves. They are too afraid of rejection to say what they want to say. On the other hand if they have a group of people they are not afraid because everyone else will fall with them if they fall.
Twain is saying that "men" in today's society can't stick up for what they want and believe in by themselves. They are too afraid of rejection to say what they want to say. On the other hand if they have a group of people they are not afraid because everyone else will fall with them if they fall.
Patrick Roderick
Throughout the entire story everyone Huck meets is a coward. The Grangerford/Shepherdson feud is a huge part of this issue. Buck says that the shepherdson are not cowards but at the same time explains to his grandfather that he hid in the bush when he shot harney because the shepherdsons do it all the time. In both instances Buck is a coward. Buck is a coward in his explanation to his grandfather and to his explanation to Huck. While Buck may seem like a minor character in reality he is actually another example of the average coward.
I would even go as far as saying Huck is a coward.
Everyone had a mob mentality when they went to go "lynch" Sherburn. They only did it because they had eachother to back them up. No one would have gone by themselves and said anything. We all want to fit in with eachother and everyone is used to people fitting in. If there is someone who is different or thinks differently then they are looked upon in a different light. Whether or not someone agrees with everyone else they are not likely to go and stand up for what they think is right. They don't want to be "different" because they are scared. Huck is exactly like this through most of the book. He goes along with the Duke and the King when he doesn't want to. He doesn't say anything to Tom Sawyer when he plays a trick on Jim. Huck also just goes along with society in thinking that slaves are not equal to the normal white person. In the end he gradually starts to realize that he needs to stand up for what he knows is right even if it means something as big as going to hell.
This scene is showing that more people in society is a follower, rather than a leader. Twain shows this because everyone wanted to hang Col. Sherburn for shooting Boggs, but they wouldn't have said anything if nobody was there to support their ideas. Also, slavery supports the fact that people are followers, not leaders, because everybody supports slavery and if you were to stand up against it you'd be made fun of. That's why everybody stood up for slavery, and hanging Col. Sherburn.
I disagree with the statement,"the average man's a coward." Instead I would say, (The extraordinary man is not afraid to be named "a coward.") In other words he must be able to hold strong in his beliefs, no matter how unpopular.
Natalie Hockey
I think that the statement "The average man's a coward" to be very true and representative of both modern and past society. In the days of slavery, many men were too cowardly to stand up for equal rights and fair treatment. However, there were extraordinary people like Abraham Lincoln who exceeded this average standard. But, for the most part people continued to follow the crowd and not stray from what they grew up with.
I honestly do not think that Huck learned anything from this experience. Like the others, he was lost in the haze of ignorance.
This statement really does comment on society. It is true that people do things that others are doing, even if they don't fully believe in it. Some people truely do believe in the cause, but others just want to be accepted. They can't even make decisions for themselves. Besides, even if they did believe in the cause, they probably wouldn't take action on it if they were by themselves. They would be too afraid of what others would think of them if they did. It just comes to show how it is a person's instinct to follow along with others rather than stand up for what they truely believe in. In the scene with the mob, the same concept applied. Some of the men probably didn't fully agree with what the others wanted to do, but they wanted to be accepted. This unwillingness to be an individual and stand up for what a person believed in, is most likely the reason why so many concepts were left undealt with and accepted for so long. Except for a few courageous people, most were too frightened to oppose the views of society. Only a few could stand up and tell the community that it was wrong to be doing what they were. It was those few that made our country what it is today. Hopefully through experiences such as these, Huck learned that nobody gets anywhere without independent and unique ideas and that he should follow through with what he thinks is right, even though others may not.
jessie kamachaitis
This passage from the book clearly demonstrates Mark Twain's view of our society. He is saying that people naturally follow the crowd. Twain sees our society as a bunch of wimps who can't think for themselves. Through this book he shows that people of our society are too scared to be individuals and stand above the crowd to lead. This scene not only relates to man's essential nature but also to the topic of slavery. When slavery first began, not everyone was for it. Soon enough the idea caught on and of course human nature kicked in, and everyone followed. When Huck experiences listening to Sherburns speech he kind of catches on to the idea that being an individual is not so bad. The concept of befriending Jim (maybe) wasn't so hard to grasp anymore.
This scene shows that Huck isn't the only one who isn't a leader but a follower and sometimes a coward.These scenes are a commentary on society because they represent how most people tend to follow the beliefs or ideas of others and not stand up for what they truly beleive in. This is because they are afraid that their beliefs aren't "right" or cool.I know I don't raise my hand sometimes because I don't think that my answer is accurate or that my question might be perceived as dumb.This scene applies to Twain's criticism since most people were against the idea of slavery but were just too afraid to stand up and protest against society.
Adam Krop
This scene shows that society sometimes goes with the crowd just for the sake of acceptance. Sherburn says the average man is a coward because people often do not have the courage to stand up for what they think. Instead they are sucked in by society and take up their beliefs even if they do not agree with them. Huck i feel is not a coward. You see this in the I can't pray a lie chapter. Here he rips up the letter going against traditional ethics of society and he begins to base his beliefs on his own morals and instincts.
"The average man's a coward" is a very strong statement to say to someone. The commentary this quote and this scene has on their society is that gives a broad look on how people are today, and how much courage they really do have, without following the "band wagon." It says that the nature of how a man will react to such a situation is very un profesionally done. Twain is trying to teach and show everyone that people are not able to stand up for themselves in the society and this has to do with slavery, and other people having to do their work, and speak for them. Huck learns that following the rest of the crowd isn't going to get him anywhere and in this society, he is just like any other person, "a coward", "a slave", and townsperson who has no say on anything.
In this scene Huck learn that people are cowards because they are affraid of what is different and something that they don't know. Not only are they affraid of thing that are different, but it would be even worse for them themselves to be different. This does not mean something as simple as wearing different make-up or tring a new style, but comtradiction society. The treatment of african americans has clearly changed over the years. howver, now a days, it just seems right to speek out aganist discrimination and segregation. But what we forget is people such as Huck in this book or MLK in real life were the first ones to break the barrier, no president had been set when they spoke out for or underminded the social system.
Gretchen Heine
In this scene Twain is further expanding on his theory that man is naturaly corrupt. Throughout the book it is evident that Twain sees human nature as corrupt such as in the Shepfordson-Grangerford feud. Here twain is saying the the true reason for a mans corrupt behavior is that he is a coward. and that few men have the courage to step out and fight the corruption. instead we all stay in our cozy little boxs conforming to the rest of society. Fundamentaly because we are afraid.
In this scene you will notice that the people just without thinking join in the mob. Because that is what everyone else is douing at the time. That is identical to what happened with slavery in that society. A group of people decide they should treat blacks this way, and that led to this whole contraversy in American history. If people were more willing to be indviduals then who knows? Maybe people would fight for what was wrong. However, they did not and that's Twain critism of American society.
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