Dialectic Journal 2

Chapter 16
P. 141: “It most froze me to hear such talk. He wouldn't ever dared to talk such talk in his life before. Just see what a difference it made in him the minute he judged he was about free.”

Comments and Questions
This passage shows how freedom can truly change a person's personality. Jim, and ordinary slave lived his whole life not really standing up to people and doing what he's told because he was a slave. But when he was given freedom the person inside him was let out making him a more courageous person. I wonder what kind of person would come out of me if I was a slave then suddenly free.
Also I believe the purpose of this passage is to help explain some human behaviors.

Chapter 17
P. 158: “It didn't have an iron latch on the front door, nor a wooden one with a buckskin string, but a brass knob to turn, the same as houses in town.”

Comments and Questions
This passage and this chapter altogether help show the other side of the south during this time period. There was the side that had been previously explored quite a bit which was he side that was dirt poor, then there was the rich side where there were people that owned huge plantations with a bunch of slaves. One of the main things in the passage that shows this difference is Huck being fascinated by a door knob. I think a door knob is definelty something we all take for granted but I definelty think its better then a latch. I wonder if more the novel will go deeper into the lives of the rich during this time period.

Chapter 19
P. 195: “It didn't take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn't no kings nor dukes at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds. But I never said nothing, never let on; kept it to myself; it's the best way; then you don't have no quarrels, and don't get into no trouble.”

Comments and Questions
This passage shows how Huck is beginning to mature. He of course knew the king and duke were frauds but instead of creating a fight or telling Jim he just kept it to himself. I'm not very sure if Huck would have done that in the beginning of the book especially if he was in the group of pirates with Tom Sawyer. Perhaps he's finally become above Tom and now he no longer lives in his shadow like he did in the beginning of the book. But the question is if he had seen Tom again right then would he stand strong like the person he has become, or would he revert to hi original self?

Chapter 22
P. 228: “The pitifulest thing out is a mob; that's what an army is—a mob; they don't fight with courage that's born in them, but with courage that's borrowed from their mass, and from their officers. But a mob without any man at the head of it is beneath pitifulness. Now the thing for you to do is to droop your tails and go home and crawl in a hole. If any real lynching's going to be done it will be done in the dark, Southern fashion; and when they come they'll bring their masks, and fetch a man along.”

Comments and Questions
This passage addresses a conflict in the book, and what makes an army. The conflict in the book shown here is the conflict between the North and the South. The authors tone and attitude towards the South, implies that they are tough and a lot more tough then the South. Also he talks about how an army is a mob. I find it ironic how the author has these things so closely together because soon there is going to be a war between the North and South with 2 "mobs" fighting each other. Perhaps that's what the author saw the civil war as, 2 "mobs" fighting each other. I wonder if that's true.

Chapter 23
P. 238: “Well, that's what I'm a-saying; all kings is mostly rapscallions, as fur as I can make out.”

Comments and Questions
Huck believes that Kings are nothing more then rapscallions. He also believes that the man who is pretending to be a King really isn't that different from a real one. They're both greedy, they both lie, and they both are rapscallions. I believe Huck believes that all kings are like that because,  during this time period the South sees the North as kings. In the southerners minds they're the ones in charge and are being oppressive of the south.

Chapter 26
P. 268: “Honest injun, now, hain't you been telling me a lot of lies?”

Comments and Questions
This is one of the first times someone has been this close to finding out Huckelberry is lying. Before Huck had been so smooth and was able to not be discovered until now. For whatever reason, the people Huck is with now are throwing off his game. I wonder why that is?

Chapter 28
P. 293: “I'm afraid it ain't there no more. I'm awful sorry, Miss Mary Jane, I'm just as sorry as I can be; but I done the best I could; I did honest. I come nigh getting caught, and I had to shove it into the first place I come to, and run—and it warn't a good place.”

Comments and Questions
This is probably the first time Huck has told the truth ending one of his schemes. Earlier in the book Huck was so cold hearted he didn't even tell the truth to an old lady willing to help him. The girls Huck has meet has caused him to tell the truth and be sorry he had lied. This shows how during the book Huck has matured and changed for the better. The question is will he go back to his old self, or have the girls changed him and he is going to stay the person e girls turned him into.

Chapter 29
P. 305: “One man asked me if I see the niggers steal it.”

This sentence helps show what people thought of Africn Americans in those days. They truly saw them as lesser people and would automatically assume they had done done the wrong thing that has occurred. The thing is I don't really think this has changed. Manny people still assume an African American has done thing like stealing, because there are manny that do steal. Do you believe differently or do you think this hasn't changed?