[H] Yona: Chapters 41-the Last

To begin with, I found the term, “singular dream” surprising. If one looks up “singular”, it is defined as “exceptionally good or memorable”, which lead me to wonder if the Doctor was being sarcastic, or otherwise.

Continuing, on pg. 214, I thought it was interesting that they said “keeping a whole family scared to death for days and nights” as one of the reasons Jim should be punished. I thought it was more like Tom’s absence that kept them up late at night, and less so Jim’s.

At the bottom of 214, “I got to have help...and all night.” I thought it was interesting that Jim offers up his freedom in order to help Tom, who has thus far only been detrimental to Jim acquiring his freedom. Does this show that Jim is a genuinely nice, naive guy, or that he sees possibility of freedom in coming out of the bushes?

“The nigger was setting by the pallet with…what he was about.” I thought it was interesting that even though the Doctor just gained so much by Jim’s sacrifice, he now disregards that and doesn’t repay him, but instead captures him. It is a kind of betrayal that I think is the ultimate: the Doctor takes away precisely what Jim has been fighting for for this entire book, after Jim has sacrificed it himself. But if Jim has already sacrificed it, has the Doctor really taken it away?

“I hoped they was going to say….best for me to mix in.” I think this is a great example of Huck’s new understanding of Jim as a person. He wants the best for Jim, and that includes removing the chains (literally), and providing better food. These are all luxuries that would be enjoyed by a human (through Huck’s eyes), and he wants them for Jim, showing that he now acknowledges Jim as more than a “nigger”. It also demonstrates Huck’s acceptance of Jim as a friend, and his genuine compassion.

“Why, the whole thing….wasn’t it bully, Aunty!” Tom’s confession of the events that transpired struck me as confessional, and as a weak attempt on Twain’s part to end the book with everything resolved. I was really disappointed by this resolution, and as Twain’s writing is so renowned and witty, I would have expected a cleverer solution to his problem of ending the book.

“Tom Sawyer had gone and took all that trouble, and bother to set a free nigger free.” I thought it was interesting that in the end, Tom receives much of the credit for the deed of setting Jim free. I also thought it was a weak resolution on Twain’s part to have Huck’s father dead (even though he was dead from the beginning, it’s as if he is only dead now because now is when we find out as readers). It’s as though all of Huck’s justifications for running away are no longer justified. For example, he no longer really had reason to be running away from the law, nor civilization. I was really disappointed by this.

“But I reckon I got to light out…I been there before.” The territories here seem promising, and they give Huck a chance to continue escaping the civilization, and rules, and people trying to change him. But I think it says a lot about Huck’s personality that even before one journey is finished, he’s looking to start another. He’s definitely a wanderer, and I doubt he would ever be satisfied staying in one place, simply because he is not one to want to confine to others’ ideals, which is something that would be expected of him if he stayed in one place for too long. But once again, he is choosing not to confront his fears, adversaries and challenges, but instead chooses to run away, this time to the territories.