In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn many issues are brought to the reader's attention. Examples of realism and romance can both be found in the book. Dealing with issues like race, gender, and class Twain to me seems to switch from realism to romance depending on what issue is being dealt with. Twain also uses both realistic characters and romantic characters in this book. Many character's seem to have to deal with real life issues, while some seem to make decisions with emotion instead of reason. .
I think the issue of race in the book is very realistic. The language Twain uses when talking about the slaves is realistic and appropriate for what is going on during this time. "I see it warn't no use wasting words-you can't learn a nigger to argue. So I quit"(Twain 92). This to me is an example of a realistic character thinking realistic thoughts towards a racial barrier. The dialog Twain uses with Jim the slave, is another example of how Twain portrays Jim as a realistic character. Jim seems to have morals too, not wanting to do wrong, just wanting to become a free man.
To me Huck, and Tom are good examples of romantic characters in this book. These are two teenagers who never seem to be thinking to far in the future. At the beginning of the book, Twain writes, "Now we"ll start this band of robbers and call it Tom Sawyer's Gang. Everybody that wants to join has got to take an oath, and write his name in blood"(15). This is an example of romanticism used by these characters. Tom gets all his ideas from far fetched books he has read never considering the real life consequences of his actions. When Huck and Tom are reunited at the end of this book they still talk about the great adventures.
The issue of gender seems to be written with realism. Many of the female characters we do not know much about because of the writing decisions by Twain. We meet female characters but their roles in this book seem to be at the house and far away from trouble and adventure.
