Kelsey Ferris
Study Guide, Chapters 21-23
Read chapters 21-23 in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and answer the
following questions
Chapters 21-23: Local Color Fiction and Origins of Intolerance Part 3
1. Summarize the description of the town at the beginning of Chapter 21 ?The
sores and houses were old and looked to not been painted. The country people tied ther
horses to the awnings out front of stores. There were loafers everywhere soe arguing over
chewing tabaccoo. The streets were pure mud and there were pigs and dg wondering
aroud.
2. How is Colonel Sherburn described?He was standing in the street, perfectly
still, and had a pistol raised in his right hand, not aiming it, but holding it out with
the barrel titled up toward the sky
3. How do the townspeople react to the killing committed by Colonel
Sherburn?the whole town was squirming and shoving and pushing people aside
to get a look through the window. But the people already in the good spots
wouldn't give them up. The folks behind them kept saying, "Come on now, you've
seen enough, you guys-it isn't right or fair for you to stay there the whole time.
Give someone else a chance to see. Other folks have the same right to look as
you have."
4.BriefJy summarize what Huck sees at the circusThe men were dressed in
nothing but underware and undrshirts and the women had on high dollar dimond
outfits
5. Brielfy describe what Huck feels about what he sees at the circus.it was the
most amazing, lovley sight he had ever seen
6. How does the King's and Duke's show compare to the circus?they both made
people laugh but at the end of the circus people were pleased and their money
was well spent but at the end of the king and dukes show people were raged and
had been ripped off
I
7. What happens on the third night of the Royal Nonesuch performances?The
king and duke didnt show up
8. What do Huck and Jim conclude about the Duke and King after the Royal
Nonesuch performances?they were just like the rest of the kings, they
were cowards
9. Why is Jim sad about his daughter?he hit her when she was little and i think
she became deaf
Personal Reaction
In reading this section of the book I didn't really know how to feel. I was mostly
confused just because I haven't read the entire book. Chapter 21 starts off with them
practicing Shakespeare but I had no idea why they were practicing it. When Huck
describes the town and how the people in it acted it reminded me off an old western
movie. Then someone was shot and I was shocked at how happy and excited the town
was about it at first. In this part of the book the people of the town always seemed to be
together as a group and that seemed a little weird to me. For example when Colonel
Sherburn was yelling at everyone when they wanted to lynch him and when the duke and
king ripped people off they made everyone go see the show so that no one was harassed
about being ripped off and then they all came together the third night back to the show to
get revenge. Things got around to people in the town like they do today with the people
in high schools.
1. Present a summary of your assigned reading selection. Consider using No Fear
Literature's version of the novel.
After a night of drinking, the duke and dauphin practice the balcony scene from Romeo
and Juliet and the swordfight from Richard IlIon the raft. The people visit a town where
the streets are filled with loiters and people arguing over chew. Huck witnessed Sherburn
shoot a drunk man in front of his own daughter. The towns crowd gathered around and
then wanted to lynch Sherburn. Sherburn assures the town that no one will ever lynch
him in the day light. Huck goes off to watch the circus and enjoyed it very much. The
duck had a show the same night that twelve people attended. The king and duke put on
another show that filled the room. The first night the king cut it short and ripped everyone
off. Everyone else came the second night of the show so that the whole town got ripped
off and then the third night they all came back with food to throw at the king and the
duke but they were no shows. They floated down the river in the raft.
~-----------------
--