International Journal of Research in Engineering Technology -– Volume 2 Issue 5, July - August 2017
RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS
Picaresque Elements in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom
Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
1
N. Sathya , 2Ms S. Sheela
1
M.Phil Research Scholar,2Asst.Professor in English
Department of English,Prist University,Thanjavur, India
Abstract:
Mark Twain was famous writer in American Literature. He used and followed Picaresque
Element’ in his works. Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are the Genre
of satire, Folk, Children’s Literature, Literary Psychological, Moral growth of Protagonist from youth
to Adulthood, Bildungsroman.
Keywords__ Picaresque element, American Literature Literary Psychological, Bildungsroman.
INTRODUCTION topographical and metaphorical, there is the
American Literature refers to works optimistic implication that arrival will bring
of Literature written in the English Success, a resolution of Problems.
Language in America. The post civil war Picaresque dealing with the adventures of a
period saw writings by Mark Twain and dishonest but appealing hero. A Chronicle,
Henry James. This Period was Considered usually autobiographical, Presenting the Life
realistic in its emphasis on truthful Story of a rascal of low degree engaged in
depiction. Twain’s The Adventures of Tom menial tasks and making his living more
Sawyer (1876), Life on the Mississippi through his with than his industry. The
(1883) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Picaresque novel tends to be episodic and
Finn (1884) were important fictional works structure less. Romantic in the sense of
of this Period. 20th Century American being an adventure Story, the Picaresque
Literature saw an emphasis on naturalism. novel nevertheless is strongly marked by
Mark Twain is the Pen – name of realism in petty detail and in uninhibited
one of the most famous of American expression.
humorists. His real Name was Samuel
Clement. Mark Twain’s Life was Colorful. PICARESQUE ELEMENT IN THE
In the Course of Seventy – Five years he did ADVENTURE OF TOM SAWYER
many wonderful things. He was born poor.
He never attended a school.But he become Concerned with Tom’s Personal
such a Powerful Speaker and writer that the growth and quest for identity. The
university of oxford made him a Doctor of Adventures of Tom Sawyer incorporates
Literature. Several different genres. It resembles a
roman, a novel that follows the development
PICARESQUE ELEMENT of a hero from childhood through
adolescence and into adulthood. The novel
Traditionally, the Picaresque hero is also resembles novels of the picaresque
always moving towards a destination both genre, in that Tom moves from one
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International Journal of Research in Engineering Technology -– Volume 2 Issue 5, July - August 2017
adventurous episode to another. The People. Huck is central to all the episodes
Adventures of Tom Sawyer also fits the which make up the adventure of the novel.
Genres of Satire, frontier Literature, Folk Critics have called Huckleberry
narrative and comedy. The Finn, as the picaresque novel, because it,
Adventures of Tom Sawyer incorporates like its English predecessors, presents a
several different genres. It resembles a series of adventures of one central character
buildings roman, a novel that follows the Huck. He too is a mirror which reflects the
development of a hero from childhood society. Through Huck, Mark Twain
through adolescence and into adulthood. The satirizes the cruelty, greed, hypocrisy and
novel also resembles novels of the the criminality of people. Huck is central to
picaresque genre. In that Tom moves from all the episodes which make up the
one adventurous episode to another. The adventure of the novel. Like all picaresque
Adventures of Tom Sawyer also fits the novels. Huck Finn has loose plot, no scheme
genres of satire, frontier literature, folk or design. In fact, in the notice he gave a
narrative and comedy. warning to his readers. It is quite interesting
Tom and Huck Perceive their biggest to read the warning.
struggle to be between themselves and Injun The problem of the plot is
Joe. Whose gold they want and whom they really baffling for it has no plot on the
believe is out to kill them. Conflict also traditional or conventional sense. It consists
exists between Tow and his imaginative of a series of episodes not related, nut
world and the expectations and rules of adult similar for all those episodes are different
Society. Moral and Social Maturation, slides of the society, representing or
Society’s hypocrisy, freedom through Social showing its various aspects. Again, like the
exclusion, Superstition in an uncertain earlier novels in the tradition of the
World. picaresque novels, an extravaganza of
fantasy and romance. Like the traditional
PICARESQUE ELEMENT IN THE picaresque novels. Mark Twain takes a
ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY central character in the person of a child. He
FINN is not a romantic here, nor is he a rogue, he
In a Picaresque novel, there is is a child in his teens, and an innocent child.
always one central character whose His origins are quite obscure. He is
adventures are Presented against a realistic abandoned child, coming from the lower
Social background. Such a central character strata of the white American society. All the
is both a Part and apart from the same, he is a part of the contemporary
contemporary society. Being a Part he culture, but destitute of education and the so
knows the Society, being apart his – called high –brow, aristocratic official
adventures highlight the absurd and ugly culture. The causal factors which generate a
ruts of society. The Picaresque novel is note of protest are not in him, but they lie
always written in satirical strain. Critics outside and in the society itself. He develops
have called Huckleberry Finn, as the hatred and contempt for priggish and
Picaresque novel, because it, Like its hypocritical ethical codes of civil conduct
English Predecessors, Presents a Series of and behavior and refuses to be ‘civilized’.
adventures of one Central Character, Huck. He runs away in search of freedom, he
He is a Mirror Which reflects the society. meets time, who is similarly ‘on the run’ in
Huck, Mark Twain Satirizes the Cruelty. quest of personal liberty from the clutches of
Greed, hypocrisy and the Criminality of the
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International Journal of Research in Engineering Technology -– Volume 2 Issue 5, July - August 2017
Miss Watson. Thus, both are joined in one
cause.
Like all Picaresque novels, Huck
Finn has loose Plot, no scheme or design. In
fact in his notice he gave a warning to his
readers. It is quite interesting to read the
warning.
CONCLUSION
Mark Twain use Picaresque element
in his both novels. He highlights Tom and
Huck from their adulthood in their Society
and Life. American Literature as a canon
encompasses a long Period of history and
the evolution of various Literary genres
uniquely American in its culture. Literature
also expanded its social Spectrum to include
high and low Life.
REFERENCES
1. Sobti Sukriti, Dhankher Premleta.
English Literature. Arihant
Publications, New Delhi.
2. Parasuram. A.N (1991) The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The
Minerva Publication, Chennai.
3. Harris.D.Katherine (2006). 19th
Century English Novel (Engl.1536).
4. Swan Katharine.(2017) Stature of
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Getty Images.
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