Huckleberry Finn is a book that contains elements of romantic and realistic
fiction; even though it contains both these elements, it is a book on realistic
fiction, and that is how it was written to be. Mark Twain used historical facts
and data to make this story realistic, it used situations that would normally
happen in the time the novel takes place in. Huckleberry Finn's father is a
vagrant and a despicable person; his actions are written to how a man of that
characteristic would act. Two more characters in this novel also act
accordingly; the Duke and the Dauphin. A couple of crooks and frauds who are ill
at heart and produce no good at all. A kind man Jim, a black slave at the
beginning of this novel, goes through much and many people go through much for
him. Of these characters I have just mentioned, Jim is the only considerate one,
and the Duke and the Dauphin and Huckleberry Finn's father are evil. Huckleberry
Finn has no strong feelings for his father except that of resentment. His father
abandoned him when he was a child and come backs to town once in a while. His
father would beat Huck many times usually because he was drunk. This is not
unusual for someone drunk to do if that person is a beater. I used to be scared
of him all the time, he tanned me so much. (Twain, p. 25)
Besides him beating Huck, his father has put fear into Huck, which is sad,
but is realistic. Besides beating Huck, he also scolded him for trying to get an
education; he though Huck was trying to become smarter than his father, and he
wouldn't have that. You're educated, too, they say -- can read and write. You
think you're better'n your father, now, don't you, because he can't? I'll take
it out of you. (Twain, pg. 26) Not only is Huck's father mean and petty, he is
also greedy. 'I've been in town two days, and I hain't heard nothing but about
you bein' rich. I heard about it away down the river, too. That's why I come.
You git me that money to-morrow -- I want it.'(Twain, pg. 27) But Huck's father
isn't the only greedy character in this play, there are two men that pose as the
Duke and the Dauphin (who are obviously not really who they claim to be). These
were two men that were frauds, they would scam people out of their money and
move along to the next town as swiftly as possible. Occasionally they were,
caught, which is quite realistic. 'Well, I'd been selling an article to take the
tartar off the teeth -- and it does take it off, too, and generly the enamel
along with it -- but I stayed about one night longer than I ought to, and was
just in the act of sliding out when I ran across you on the trail this side of
town, and you told me they were coming, and begged me to help you to get off. So
I told you I was expecting trouble myself, and would scatter out with you.'
