Topic and Foci
Topic: Go Down, Moses, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Focus 1:
Throughout both of these novels, characters are forced to contend with the corrupt legacies of their fathers. Huck's father is an abusive, racist alcoholic, who epitomizes negative stereotypes about white southerners. In Go Down, Moses, Ike McCaslin's grandfather owned a large plantation, which he acquired by cheating natives out of their land, and fathered children with several of his slaves. Both characters are also forced to address the legacies passed on to them through the heritage of the south. Miss Watson attempts to civilize Huck, and force him to conform to southern society, which is deeply racist. Ike is expected to inherit the McCaslin plantation and manage sharecroppers as his father and grandfather managed slaves. Huck and Ike both reject the legacies of their fathers and of the south, Huck by running away and assisting Jim in his escape to freedom, and Ike by repudiating his inheritance. Each character was also strongly influenced in their decision to reject the legacies of their actual fathers by other positive father figures, Jim for Huck and Sam Fathers for Ike.
Focus 2:
Although the expansion of civilization is usually considered to be a positive thing, it often strips individuals of their humanity and leaves them disconnected from what is important. This effect is demonstrated in Huck Finn by the restrictions placed on Huck when he was living with the widow Douglas and how he was able to connect to Jim once he was free of the burdens of civilization. The character Tom Sawyer is used to show the effects being raised within the boundaries of civilization. Tom has unrealistic expectations for his life, and is unable to see Jim's humanity like Huck is. In Go Down, Moses, it is shown that as society expands into the wilderness, humanity is taken away. This is best shown in "The Old People" and "The Bear", where Ike sees the natural order of the wilderness get replaced by the racism and corruption of mankind.
Focus 1:
Throughout both of these novels, characters are forced to contend with the corrupt legacies of their fathers. Huck's father is an abusive, racist alcoholic, who epitomizes negative stereotypes about white southerners. In Go Down, Moses, Ike McCaslin's grandfather owned a large plantation, which he acquired by cheating natives out of their land, and fathered children with several of his slaves. Both characters are also forced to address the legacies passed on to them through the heritage of the south. Miss Watson attempts to civilize Huck, and force him to conform to southern society, which is deeply racist. Ike is expected to inherit the McCaslin plantation and manage sharecroppers as his father and grandfather managed slaves. Huck and Ike both reject the legacies of their fathers and of the south, Huck by running away and assisting Jim in his escape to freedom, and Ike by repudiating his inheritance. Each character was also strongly influenced in their decision to reject the legacies of their actual fathers by other positive father figures, Jim for Huck and Sam Fathers for Ike.
Focus 2:
Although the expansion of civilization is usually considered to be a positive thing, it often strips individuals of their humanity and leaves them disconnected from what is important. This effect is demonstrated in Huck Finn by the restrictions placed on Huck when he was living with the widow Douglas and how he was able to connect to Jim once he was free of the burdens of civilization. The character Tom Sawyer is used to show the effects being raised within the boundaries of civilization. Tom has unrealistic expectations for his life, and is unable to see Jim's humanity like Huck is. In Go Down, Moses, it is shown that as society expands into the wilderness, humanity is taken away. This is best shown in "The Old People" and "The Bear", where Ike sees the natural order of the wilderness get replaced by the racism and corruption of mankind.
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