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The Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby
Hamlet

Huck Finn Irony Quotes

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted - Mark Twain Huck Finn quote

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Author’s Notice. Ironically Twain asks readers not to use the book to moralize, as it is very much a story about moral choices.

Jim said bees wouldn’t sting idiots; but I didn’t believe that, because I had tried them lots of times myself, and they wouldn’t sting me.

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 8. As well as showing Huck’s modesty, this quote is also full of irony. Huck is actually intelligent and can see through the hypocrisy and pretenses of society better than many.

“I doan’ mine one er two kings, but dat’s enough. Dis one’s powerful drunk, en de duke ain’ much better.”

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 20. Jim complains about the pretend King and Duke getting drunk on the raft and doesn’t want any more royalty coming on board. This is full of irony, as Jim and Huck haven’t actually met any kings, just two liars.

I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n.

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 23. Huck’s attitude about the way he sees black people and slaves is changing. He realizes that Jim is human, with real feelings, just like him. The irony is that it is the most natural thing in the world for people to love their family, but Huck has been raised to think that it is unnatural for a black man to do so.

“I do not wish any reward but to know I have done the right thing.”

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 39. Tom Sawyer in fake letter posing as a gang of robbers intent on stealing Jim from the Phelps farm. It is ironic, because Tom has no intention of doing the right thing. He does the opposite by making Jim’s life rougher and not simply unlocking the shed door to free Jim.

We was all glad as we could be, but Tom was the gladdest of all because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg.

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 40. Huck on Tom, who loved adventure so much, the bullet was a memento. Jim won his freedom from slavery, Huck regained his friend, but Tom was ironically most happy because he had a battle wound to show off to everyone.

The old doctor comes and takes a look, and says:
“Don’t be no rougher on him than you’re obleeged to, because he ain’t a bad n*****.”

– Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 42. The men who bring Jim back to the Phelps house are giving him a rough time, giving him cuffs on the head, until the old doctor stands up for him. Twain uses satire and irony here, Jim is a free man but the others believe he is a slave.