Chapter+28

Main Characters: Huck and Mary Jane Minor Characters: The King, the Duke, Mary Jane’s sisters Summary: The chapter opens with Huckleberry trying to console Mary Jane after a family of slaves is sold and separated. He then tells Mary Jane that the family will be reunited in two weeks time. As she inquires as to how he knows this, he then reveals that her “uncles” are imposters. Huck asks Mary Jane if there’s anybody could stay with because he knows her face will give away the fact that she knows the truth. She acknowledges there is a place she could go and Huck tells her to go there until late that night so he can make a departure. He tells her that in case he is caught she should mention that he told of their schemes earlier. For proof he gives her the location of the town where that have been scamming people and tells her to depart, but not before giving her his last known location of the money on a note and tells her to read it on the way. She then sneaks out the backdoor and Huck tells her sisters she has gone. When they ask where she went Huck manages to convince them (by telling them a very clever lie) that she is taking care of a sick friend. Later the king and the duke attend an auction of the family’s belongings. Analysis of Events: In this chapter Huck’s empathetic nature become more accessible to the reader. Example: “So I wrote:’ I put it in the coffin. It was in there when you was crying there, away in the night. I was behind the door, and I was might sorry for you, Miss Mary Jane.’” The chapter, however, manages to retain an element of humor with Huck’s Tom Sawyer style lie. Examples: “What will he do, then? Why, he’ll say, ‘It’s a great pity, but my church matters has got to get along the best way they can; for niece has been exposed to the dreadful pluribus-unum mumps” “’Well, Miss Mary Jane she told me to tell you she’s gone over there in a dreadful hurry- one of them’s sick.’ ‘Which one?’ ‘ I don’t know; leastways I kinder forget; but I think it’s-‘ ‘Sakes alive, I hope it ain’t Hanner?’ ‘I’m sorry to say it,’ I says, ‘but Hanner’s the very one.” This is chapter is a turning point in Huck’s mindset as he is now determined to stand against the injustices he sees. Symbols, Themes, Satire, and figurative language: Hyperbole- Huck’s lies are the greatest example in this chapter. The theme of the chapter is redemption because he can no longer reconcile letting others suffer with how he feels.