Minor Characters in Huckleberry Finn
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In his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain uses minor characters to contribute to Huck"'"s characterization and the portrayal of important themes. At first, even though Huck may not realize it, because he values his independence, he is strongly influenced by those [minor characters] around him. Authors use minor characters in many different ways to show important aspects of characters, societal conflict, and religious tolerance. '"'I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life'"', this is a quote said by Mark Twain himself, describing his ideas on the roles of minor characters in his novels. In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses a variety of minor characters such as Pap, Duke and Dauphin, Tom Sawyer, and the Grangerfords. Each character teaches Huck something about his life that could not have been learned otherwise.
Pap has a very important role as a minor character in this novel in that he shows the reader about Huck"'"s past, and represents both the general disgrace of white society and the failure of family structures. Pap is Huck"'"s father, and is a severe alcoholic who is wrecked with ragged clothes and ghostlike skin. Pap"'"s role represents the theme of inhumanity by cowhiding Huck, forbidding Huck to go to school, and shows the natural white prejudice attitude toward African-Americans. Pap could ruin Huck"'"s life if Huck had listened to his beliefs on not attending school, and racism against blacks...