- Published: December 21, 2021
- Updated: December 21, 2021
- University / College: Brandeis University
- Level: Doctor of Philosophy
- Language: English
- Downloads: 21
First Epistemology The aspect of knowing reality and challenging its credibility is fictional yet sometimes the inner voice that questions is always right. Mark Twain’s, “ The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a fictional literary art that depicts how fiction influences one’s thoughts and comprehension. In the first paragraph of chapter eight, internal conflict is going on in Huck’s mind (Twain 39). He says, “ The sun was up so high when I waked that I judged it was after eight o’clock” (39). In that statement alone, Huck is challenging his knowing of when exactly is it eight o’clock. He says, “ I judged,” which implies that he is not using any form of measure such a watch. Therefore, he trusts his judgement to know that indeed it is eight in the morning despite the option that his interpretation may be incorrect.
He proceeds to say, “ the sun was so high up,” making him doubt whether it is eight o’clock (39). In the same paragraph, Huck says that he could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was bright trees all about and gloomy in there amongst them. Apparently, Huck views the bright spaces in between the trees as holes that let him see the sun in the sky. However, he challenges his thought by saying that those holes were just but bright trees all about. In other words, a conflict exists in Huck’s mind over what is real, what he thinks and what he knows. Indeed, it is a clear manifestation of epistemology.
Work Cited
Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print.