Huckleberry Finn

“Huckleberry Finn” The way in which a young boy loses his innocence by realizing the truth in life symbolizes how the evolution of Transcendentalism to Realism destroys a nation, as the United States moves towards the Civil War. American transcendentalism began with the formation of the Transcendental Club in Boston, in 1836. Transcendentalists were influenced by romanticism, especially such aspects as self-examination, the celebration of individualism, and the extolling of the beauties of nature and humankind. …

…the truth that was hidden under ordinary daily life. The Americans began to see the truth that had been ignored for several years in the Realism. Huckleberry Finn symbolizes these three stages throughout his adventures in Twain’s novel. The loss of a young boy’s innocence and recognizing the truth represents the breakdown of a whole nation as they finally are able to realize the truth that they had been ignoring for several years.