Boyish wonder and charm are part of the magic that makes Mark Twain's
             novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn such a successful story. It is
             through the eyes of a young boy that we are able to catch a glimpse of the
             era in which Twain lived. The character of Huckleberry Finn reflects the
             characteristics, circumstances, and lifestyles of society in the south.
             This paper will examine how Twain stylishly weaves the serious social
             issues of his day into Huck's comical adventures.
             Everett Emerson notes that part of the reason why Huckleberry Finn is so
             popular is because through Huck, Twain could "free himself for a time from
             the inhibitions of the culture that one whole side of him had chosen to
             embrace. Through Huck the novelist who had chosen to be civilized escapes
             more completely and out of greater need than young Samuel Clemens ever had"
             (Everett 216). The southern culture that existed just after the Civil War
             provides fertile ground for this novel.
             Undoubtedly, when we read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn we become
             aware that most of Huck's mischievousness comes from the fact that he
             experienced a troubled childhood. As a result of his years with his
             father, Huck proved himself to be challenging when it came being
             "sivilized." Huck notes at the beginning of the novel that "In a barrel of
             odds and ends it is different; things get mixed up, and the juice kind of
             swaps around and the things go better" (Twain 244). This will prove to be
             true when Huck finds himself on the river and things get mixed up.
             Many superstitions are present in the society in which Huck grew up.
             For instance, when he kills a spider his first thought is, "I didn't need
             anybody to tell me that that was an awful bad sign and would fetch me some
             bad luck, so I was scared and most shook the clothes off of me. I got up
             and turned around in my tracks three times and crossed my breast every tim...