Analysis of Jim's story of "Po' little 'Lizabeth" in Huck Finn

How the passage conveys a theme: Through vivid imagery, situational irony, and a powerful emotional sequence, Twain gives the reader a memorable scene, one which conveys a powerful theme. Essentially, we see Jim, apparently a loving father, not even knowing his own daughter; he doesn't realize she is deaf and thus sends her "a-sprawlin'" across the room when she doesn't obey his command of shutting the door. It is situational irony; a person supposed to …

…Crash. The District Attorney's wife assumes the Hispanic locksmith in their house will steal their keys to their house. She judges him based on his race and immediately concludes that he is a bad person; she jumps to act--just like Jim did in hitting his daughter--by telling her husband. Also, today a parent's first reaction might be to slap or spank a disobedient child, essentially "acting without thinking," but Twain demonstrates why this is wrong.