Huck Finn 2: 28-46

Defintions:
1) Skiff- any of various types of boats small enough for sailing or rowing by one person.
"The old man made me go to the skiff and fetch the things he had got" (Twain 35).

2) Palavering- a conference or discussion; chatter
"Don't stand there palavering all day, but out with you and see if there's a fish on the lines for breakfast" (40).

Quote:
"I'll learn people to bring up a boy to put on airs over his own father and let on to be better'n what he is" (29).

Explanation- Huck's father has a problem with Huck going to school and learning to read and write. He thinks that if it is not good enough for him to learn, why should it be good for Huck. Nobody in their family could read and write, so he thinks Huck should not either. He does not want Huck to be better than he is. He thinks that since he is the father he should be looking down on his son because he is smarter. But since Huck has some new skills it could be the other way around. And so he feels threaten by this, and will hurt Huck to prove that he is still dominate.

"This shook me up considerable, because I didn't want to go back to the widow's any more and be so cramped up and sivilized, as they called it" (35).

Huck is now slowly returning to his old roots. He does not want to go back to the widow and be cramped and told what to do all day long. He wants to be free again. Even if he is with a sad excuse for a father. He can do whatever he wants without a care in the world, even though his dad beat him and dragged him to the woods. Huck is happy to be back to the way he had once lived before.