Summary
Summary - English literature and composition
- Course
- Institution
Huckleberry Finn Essay
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Dang 1Truong Quoc Thai Dang
Dr. Lim
CP English 3A
15 / January / 2024
Rights and Wrong
In society, everyone has a different opinion of what is right and what is wrong. Lawrence
Kohlberg, an American psychologist, has a theory about moral development. In the theory it
explains how different people respond differently to the same situation depending on their sense
of morality. This means that people see if their actions are right things to do or wrong based on
their perspective and opinions. In the story, Huck will have to face many decisions on what he
should do. Additionally, he is going to demonstrate and advance in his senses of morality
throughout the story.
Huck displays preconventional morality when he is faced with the decision to turn Jim in
for running away. After Huck found out that Jim was a runaway slave, he said “ain’t going back
there anyways” (Twain 54). According to Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development,
preconventional morality happens when someone is making decisions based on their
self-interest. Which means that they think whether they will be rewarded or be punished out of
their actions. In Huck’s case, he is not snitching on Jim because it will reveal that he’s still alive
and breathing. He is unwilling to undo all of the stuff that he had gone through just to plan out a
perfect fake death because he had found the freedom he wanted without being stuck. Huck’s
words reveal that his moral behavior is based on the concern for himself and not for Jim.
Therefore according to kohlberg’s theory, Huck’s sense of morality is only preconventional at
this moment.
Huck demonstrates conventional morality when he gets on the canoe and goes ashore
to turn Jim in. When Jim said that he was his best friend, Huck replied “it seemed to tuck all out
of me” (Twain 100). Another level of moral development based on Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller phctrng. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
64438 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now