Literature

The story of Huck Finn is one of the literary pieces that has become a cornerstone or foundation of American Literature. The book, written by Mark Twain, has become one of the most acknowledge yet controversial classic literatures ever written in the history of world literature. This argument has been emphasized further by a well  known writer, Ernest Hemingway, who argued that majority of the contemporary literatures in American literature has been inspired by the story of Huckleberry Finn (Johnson xi). Another author, Walter Dean Howells has stated that What Twain has given America in Huckleberry Finn is nothing more or less than its first indigenous literary masterpiece(105). This would imply that authors have recognized the important role of the book in the history of American literatures. However, despite its contributions, the book has been criticized, banned and was poorly acknowledged due to certain issues. Contrasting facts, opinions and articles have been read in connection with this literary piece which has triggered the researcher to study further how the book has been considered as a cornerstone of American Literature.

The goal of this research was to address the main thesis of the paper How does the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been considered as a Cornerstone of American Literature In order to prove this thesis statement, the following framework has been used Literary Analysis of the book which would cover the plot summary, the author and issues American Literature in terms of the trends, history and evolution  Huck Finn and the American Literature Discussion of the main thesis based from the literature review and Conclusion.

Literary Analysis of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book that revolves to the story of Huck, a fourteen year- old boy, who has been seeking for adventure and freedom (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn). In the story, it has been narrated that Huck has been kidnapped by his very own father because of the 6000 dollars treasure. His adventures have started from his escape to his father and live alone in the forest near the river to find freedom from his imprisonment and civilization that he has experienced. He came across the people who have been together in search of freedom (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn).

Huck and Jim has experience things and circumstances that were not naturally experienced by young boys of their age. Along with the negative experiences that these young boys have experienced, Huck has been able to learn lessons that have improved his personality and attitudes. He was able to develop good character and conscience that made him a better person (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn).

This short plot summary of the adventures of Huck in the Mississippi River has shown that the novel was not a typical book for young boys nor can be describe as an innocent and happy tale (Johnson xiii). Taking into consideration the tranquility of the river were most scenes has took place, it could not replace the fact of a brutal world of Huck and Jim which has been described by the following scenes a mistakenly identified drowned person who has been believed as the father of Huck Hucks capability to fake his own murder and drag a dead body in the river Hucks cruelty the murder of Hucks friends and others with his naked eye torture or cruelty done with animals a discovered naked body of a man who has been shot on his back in a shack that has been used by prostitutes and thieves the thieves threatened one of their gang members with pistol in a boat that has drowned them all shooting or killing of a drunk man who was unarmed during the daylight and many more (Johnson xiii). It could be inferred that though the novel has a good ending that shows reformation or change of personality, the negative aspect of the novel has a bigger impact to the readers.

In terms of structure, Johnson has written that the novel lacks unity on its characters, plot and setting. It does not conform to a dramatic structure which most novels follow (2). The novel has many characters, different settings and subplots on which the actions has become randomly episodic. The episodes which have been presented randomly were held together or tied together by Huckleberry Finn as the narrator and the Mississippi river (2). This implies that the novel has poor but unique structure of plot which has been new in American Literature.

The uniqueness in the style of plot structure has been traced by Johnson who has stated that Mark Twain, the author, has his own ways of putting together the various stories a repudiation of traditional forms of plot structure, the rules and manners of genteel society, and the restraints civilization places upon the free spirit (1). This could be seen in the tight dispensing of the episodic narrative in the form derived from nature the Mississippi River (1).

Henry Nash Smith in his book Mark Twain The Development of a Writer, states that the struggles or difficulties encountered by Mark Twain as a writer has emerged from the conflict between the gentility cult (the dominant culture during his time) and the evolving attitudes of the Americans rooted to the developing vernacular language. This conflict has

been traced from Twains individual works that has resulted to his problems on structure and style in writing. Furthermore, it has been argued that his progress as a writer was an interplay of dialects on which his imaginations has brought strain or problems in his innovations or creativeness, resources and technical method (Champion 61). This would imply that the author of the book, though successful in tying up its several episodes in unusual plot in the form of river, has his own struggle that has been apparent in his style of writing.

Huckleberry Finn has been condemned by reviewers of the book because it has been seen as an immoral that should not be read by young boys. The issues of immorality has been rooted on the attitude or behavior that has been portrayed by Huck for his smoking, repeated lying, stealing, no interest of going to school and church, drunkenness, atrocious grammar, joining unauthorized associations or gangs in the society and many more (Johnson xii). This would imply that the book has been banned and considered as a poison to young boys minds has been based on the attitudes portrait by the main character. These are attitudes that have not to be followed and not a good influence to the developing minds of youth because of its nature. This was the primary reason why the group of Concord Library Committee (The Concord Library Committees Banning of Huckleberry Finn 6, Mark Twains Last Book Excluded from a Public Library, 1).

Immoral, irreligious, obsolete, inaccurate, racist, mindless, and etc, these were only some of the words that the critics of the novel have used in describing it (Leonard et al 2). However, to an extent the book has tackled social issues that has been happening or experience during this time. This argument has been supported by Barbara Jackson who has emphasized that the story of Huck Finn has shown the dilemmas or problems in American society. These dilemmas were related to issues on the language use, race, labeling and hypocrisy during the 19th century (63). In fact, the novel has been a subject of debate for decades.
Thus, the book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been both controversial, banned and was poorly recognized because it has touched social issues that has arise during this period in the American society. Despite these critics, the novel still has been recognized as a cornerstone in American Literature.

Huck Finn and American Literature
George Garza has stated that Mark Twains Adventure of Huckleberry Finn has been considered as one of the best written literary piece in the Great American Novel. It has been considered as the first American novel that has used ordinary speech, first person and vernacular or dialects. This has been supported by Johnson which states that the book was considered the first true American novel. This has been claimed not because the novel was the first to have an American setting nor the very first American novel. This has become the big question Why does it have become the first truly American Novel

There are many factors that could lead to the answer of this question. One could be the language used in the novel. Mark Twain was the first American writer who has used vernacular language in his novel. The language as vernacular or natural language that has been spoken by Americans is different from a literary language that has been used by majority of the writers. The used of such language is a representation of the various dialects from differing races, classes, cultures, etc (Jordan 5).

This would imply that the book conveys universal meaning. Furthermore, the author has expressed clearly that the novel was uniquely American in nature. This is one of the major contributions of the novel in American Literature a shift from a literary language to a vernacular language that has touch the dialects spoken by Americans that came from differing classes, races and cultures. This has happen despite the fact that during this period, the use of such language was not allowed. It was during this era that sameness of language or the uniformity of language contributes to the political harmony (Webster 1920).

Another interesting point that has to be considered was the main setting of the novel the Mississippi River. During the period of the novel, the river has become the boundary of society were in slavery, feuding, gambling, outlaws and many more happens. The river, situated at the heart of America, has become the symbol of tranquility and freedom for the main characters in the novel. The river has reflected the bad or negative situations and the slavery from the southward coast of America. This implies that the used of the river was to manifest the quest for freedom and peace of mind amidst the negative circumstances in the American society during the 19th century.

The themes racism, slavery, intellectual and moral education and the hypocrisy of civilized society have something to do with American Literature. It is trough history or experiences that literature evolved. It would be necessary to look back to the history of America during the time of Mark Twain since this would give a holistic and objective interpretation of his book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Mark Twain, the author, has lived during the period that racism and slavery has been a long time problem and illness of American society. Racism has been defined as an act of prejudice or animosity to people who belong to other race (Racism). The novel was considered a racist book as being emphasized in the person of Jim. In the American society, during the period that the novel was written, racism has made the black men and women slaves (Barksdale 49).

This would imply that the issue of racism towards the novel was based from the real situations that have happened in the history of American nations. It has become the mirror of the cruelty done to the black man and woman because of racism. Jims quest for freedom would mean a journey towards equality, a journey towards freedom from racism and slavery. Barksdale has emphasized that the set point of the novel has been traced during the slavery - time Missouri which has been considered a slave state.

This would explain the authors theme of slavery on the novel which has been very apparent for those who have chosen to leave across the tunnels (e.g Mississippi River) (49). The negative attitudes lost of conduct or good moral characters as portrayed to the story was a result or effect of the slave society.

Thus, it can be inferred that the story or the novel itself has become a major contribution to the development of American Literature. It has holistic and unique presentation of the history of American society during the slavery time. Furthermore, the quest for freedom has represented the hearts and thoughts of every American citizen who had dream equality, peace and unity.

Discussion
The character of Huck Finn symbolized as a metaphor for young Americans. Although Huck stays with Jim, he sees Jim as a slave and not as human. Other Americans as well recognize the inhumane character of Jim as a slave, only the difference between slaves and other walk of life, the skin color, culture, and other aspect that would describe people from other people. Through the friendship that has been built, Huck was able to recognize Jims human perspective. Huck has his own mind being a grown up and manage to help Jim to escape his slavery. The character of Huck evolves into a better human by seeing the humanity that his friend is going through (Garza).

What could have been the contributions of the novel have rooted from the authors uniqueness in his style of writing and experiences in his society. Barksdale has indicated that the reasoning or purpose of the Mark Twains literary pieces when he had written the novel Adventures of the Huckleberry Finn was to show the psychological impact of the social issues in American Society (Barksdale 53). Furthermore, it has been stated that with the preexisting condition, Civil War in America, the novel was an attempt of the author to show the possibilities of developing ironic or impossible friendship between a black man and white man (Barksdale 54). Thus, it can be drawn that the novel was an attempt of the author to ironically present the racism that has been slaving the black man (Wall 209).

Conclusion
Based from the discussion and review of related literature of Mark Twains Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, the following conclusions were made

The novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has played significant role in the American Literature because it was an ironic representation of the American society during this period.

The novel was written as an attempt to discuss the social issues of racism, slavery, need for education and freedom of the people.

The brutality of the world that has been manifested in the novel has mirrored the severity and the psychological impact of these social issues to the life of the people.

The novel has been condemned due to the use of its language that does not conform to the uniformity of the political factors. This would indicate the fact that vernacular words used in the novel was a hindrance to the uniformity of politics.