How Mark Twain speaks to the reader in "Huckleberry Finn"

In various spots in the novel "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, ideas and views are sometimes spoken "over the heads" of the characters. The reader understands and sees these particular points but the characters are oblivious to them. One example of Twain speaking "over the heads" of his characters is when the ringmaster at the circus lets the drunk man ride the horse. Huck thinks that this man is a real drunk and was one …

…example of how the reader interprets something in a different way than the charcters in the novel. Mark Twain is obviously pointing this particular part of the novel directly at the reader. Mark Twain uses this technique well throughout the novel and it seems to make the novel more interesting and reader friendly. This may be a large part of the reason that Huckleberry Finn has been such an amazing success for all these years.