Quote 41
And the minute the words were out of his mouth somebody over in the crowd struck up the doxolojer, and everybody joined in with all their might, and it just warmed you up and made you feel as good as church letting out. Music is a good thing; and after all that soul-butter and hogwash I never see it freshen up things so, and sound so honest and bully. (25.8)
"Doxolojer" isn't some weird magical incantation; it's Huck's version of "doxology," a Christian expression of praise. And check out how, after all the wild craziness of the revival, we end up feeling pretty good. Maybe there is something to be said for getting together in a tent and cutting loose with a hundred other of the faithful?
Quote 42
There was the Sunday-school, you could a gone to it; and if you'd a done it they'd a learnt you there that people that acts as I'd been acting about that n***** goes to everlasting fire." (31.19)
Ah, church, where you learn important lessons like being respectful to your parents, speaking the truth, and not helping your neighbors' slaves escape.
Quote 43
WHEN I got there it was all still and Sunday-like, and hot and sunshiny; the hands was gone to the fields; and there was them kind of faint dronings of bugs and flies in the air that makes it seem so lonesome and like everybody's dead and gone; and if a breeze fans along and quivers the leaves it makes you feel mournful, because you feel like it's spirits whispering—spirits that's been dead ever so many years—and you always think they're talking about YOU. As a general thing it makes a body wish HE was dead, too, and done with it all. (32.1)
Now this is a religious experience: the sun shining, flies buzzing, a breeze rustling the leaves, and the ever-so-slight sense of spirits in the air. For Huck, real religion isn't found in a church; it's found out-of-doors.
Quote 44
Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn't think much of it. But I never said so. I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together. (1.7)
Aw. Huck likes Tom so much that he wants to stay with him even in Hell. Luckily for him (we guess), Miss Watson seems pretty sure that they'll end up there together.
Quote 45
Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of HIM telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing. (8.25)
Huck may be enjoying his frolic on the island, but he's lonely. Is he glad to see Jim because he already considers Jim a friend—or is he just glad to see anyone?
Quote 46
The duke done it, and Jim and me was pretty glad to see it. It took away all the uncomfortableness and we felt mighty good over it, because it would a been a miserable business to have any unfriendliness on the raft; for what you want, above all things, on a raft, is for everybody to be satisfied, and feel right and kind towards the others. (19.48)
After the duke and king decide to work together, Huck is relieved. It's hard enough to deal with feuds and fights in a high school; imagine trying to work them out on a raft. (Actually, someone call the networks—sounds like a great setup for a reality TV show.)
Quote 47
I went to sleep, and Jim didn't call me when it was my turn. He often done that. (23.30)
So, we're reading along, chuckling at Huck's wacky antics, when Twain comes along and hits us in the gut with something like this: "He often done that." There's Jim, looking out for Huck just like a dad—or like a friend.
Quote 48
But somehow I couldn't seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I'd see him standing my watch on top of his'n, 'stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come to him again in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such-like times; and would always call me honey, and pet me and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was; and at last I struck the time I saved him by telling the men we had small-pox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the ONLY one he's got now; and then I happened to look around and see that paper. (31.23)
Here, Huck is trying to come up with something, anything, that'll "harden" him against Jim, so he can turn the man in or at least write to Miss Watson to tell her where her slave is. But he can't. Gee, we wish we had a friend like that.