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Section 40 of 42
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Page 2 of 2
CHAPTER XL.
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Chapter 40 — CHAPTER XL.
Central question
Can the escape actually be completed?
Main argument
The night raid works until Tom’s pants catch on a fence and shots are fired, wounding him. Huck and Jim refuse to leave...
AI Summary
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Section 40 of 42
Chapter 40 — CHAPTER XL.
Central question
Can the escape actually be completed?
Main argument
The night raid works until Tom’s pants catch on a fence and shots are fired, wounding him. Huck and Jim refuse to leave him behind, which briefly makes the rescue an act of mutual loyalty rather than stunt-making. Twain finally lets practical care interrupt Tom’s fantasy.
Key ideas
The plan succeeds only partially and at real cost.
Jim and Huck show loyalty in action.
Tom’s theatricality finally produces injury.
Key takeaway
The escape becomes real only when someone is hurt.
one er de
boys wuz to git shot ,
would he say , ‘
Go on
en save me ,
nemmine ’
bout a doctor f’r to save dis one ?’
Is dat like
Mars Tom Sawyer ?
Would he say dat ?
You _
bet _
he wouldn’t ! _
Well _,
den ,
is _Jim_
gywne to say it ?
No ,
sah —
I doan ’
budge a step out’n dis place
’
dout a _
doctor ;_
not if it’s forty year !”
I knowed he was white inside ,
and I reckoned he’d say what he did
say —
so it was all right now ,
and I told Tom I was a-going
for a doctor .
He raised considerable row about it ,
but me and Jim
stuck to it and
wouldn’t budge ;
so he was for crawling out and setting the raft loose
himself ;
but we wouldn’t let him .
Then he give us a piece of his mind ,
but it didn’t do no good .
So when he sees me getting the canoe ready ,
he says :
“
Well ,
then ,
if you’re bound to go ,
I’ll tell you the way to do when
you get to the village .
Shut the door and blindfold the doctor tight
and fast ,
and make him swear to be silent as the grave ,
and put a purse
full of gold in his hand ,
and then take and lead him all around the
back alleys and everywheres in the dark ,
and then fetch him here in the
canoe ,
in a roundabout way amongst the islands ,
and search him and take
his chalk away from him ,
and don’t give it back to him till you get him
back to the village ,
or else he will chalk this raft so he can find it
again .
It’s the way they all do .”
So I said I would ,
and left ,
and Jim
was to hide in the woods when he
see the doctor coming till he was gone again .
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