The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was first published in the United Kingdom in 1884. The story is about Huckleberry "Huck" Finn who is raised by the widow Douglas and Miss Watson, but when his drunken father returns to town, Huck is forced to escape in a canoe down the Mississippi River. On his way he meets Miss Watson's runaway black slave, Jim, and they decide to travel together to a land where Jim can become a free man. Together they experience many adventures and dangerous events. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the famous author of the novel, better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was born in Florida, Missouri in 1835. He grew up in the port town of Hannibal, Missouri and was his inspiration for the setting of the novel. He encountered slavery at a very young age and later became a steamboat pilot. All the things mentioned above have greatly influenced his work. The story is set in the past, most likely in 1835-1845, because that is when the steamboats, which play an important role in the novel, were in their prime and it is the period when the author and the protagonist had the same age. It is set along the Mississippi River in the states of Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas, an area the author knew very well. The setting is very important because of its social environment. The novel is set before the Civil War. Slavery was accepted and because of this the United States was divided into free states and slave states. Since slavery was still legal, it was difficult for Huck to decide whether to help Jim or not. The river itself plays a considerable role. Huck and Jim set their destination in Cairo, a place where Jim can be free, but the river controls their destiny... middle of paper... who are you? What are you? Chase my cats if I didn't hear anything. Well, I know what I have to do: I have to sit here and listen and say I hear it again. (insert tilvísun bls 10)The author does a great job telling the story through the eyes of a child. For example, Huck often lies in the story and always believes that he has deceived the person, but the reader can clearly understand that this is not the case. The author knew the setting very well beforehand and it is evident in the story, the setting is masterfully described and very enjoyable. It's also enjoyable to read as Huck gradually realizes that the rules of his civilization are severely flawed. You can also say that this is truly a story for everyone, children enjoy an adventurous story and adults can really understand and appreciate the complicated situations that both Jim and Huck find themselves in..