Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Youth Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

Tom he made a sign to me – kind of a little noise with his mouth – and we went creeping away on our hands and knees. When we was ten foot off Tom whispered to me, and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun. (2.6)

Huck and Tom have in common the playfulness of youth.

Quote #2

Little Tommy Barnes was asleep now, and when they waked him up he was scared, and cried, and said he wanted to go home to his ma, and didn't want to be a robber any more. (2.36)

The reader is reminded that Huck and Tom are children because of the kids they spend time with.

Quote #3

When we got up-stairs to his room he got me a coarse shirt and a roundabout and pants of his, and I put them on. While I was at it he asked me what my name was, but before I could tell him he started to tell me about a bluejay and a young rabbit he had catched in the woods day before yesterday, and he asked me where Moses was when the candle went out. I said I didn't know; I hadn't heard about it before, no way. (17.37)

Buck acts as Huck’s young counterpart in the Grangerford family. Imagining Huck wearing Buck’s clothes supports our interpretation that Huck and Buck have a sort of "long-lost twin" relationship. Buck is clearly excited to have someone his own age around for once, and Huck is able to see – although he doesn’t explicitly state this – what his life could have been like had he been born into a wealthy southern family. For more on the Grangerford family, and especially Buck, check out "Characters."