Huckleberry Finn: Answer to Prompt

Huckleberry Finn is a very adventurous boy.  His father does not place a lot of importance on schooling, and schoolwork is not easy for Huck.  This does not mean that Huck is dumb.  He has lots of knowledge in other areas, like living off the land, finding usefulness in things, and surviving in difficult conditions.  Huck may lack a formal school education, but he is wise in other areas.

Before he disappeared, Huck’s father never made him go to school.  When the widow starts to look after Huck, this all changes.  He goes to school and he enjoys it.  He learns to read and write.  When Huck’s dad suddenly shows up again, he forbids Huck from returning to school.

While Huck is not the smartest kid in school, he has shown that he is capable of surviving on his own.  While living with his dad, he escapes by sawing through the wall of the house.  Once he escapes, he gathers various items he needs in order to survive.  He kills a pig and uses its parts to make it look like he died.  After the escape process, he takes his canoe and makes his way toward Jackson Island.  He fishes and gathers berries for food.  He makes a campfire to cook and stay warm.  Huck survives using his knowledge of the land.

While Huck may have struggled in school, he is not dumb.  He is intelligent in a different way.  He can live off the land and survive on his own.  The theme of this story is that you can have other types of smarts besides school smarts.