Miss Watson
Huck's Caretaker
By Emma Voelker
CHARACTER SUMMARY
CHARACTERISTIC #1: Disdainful
"Well, I got a good going-over in the morning, from old Miss Watson, on account of my clothes; but the widow she didn't scold..." (Twain 8)
"By-and-by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool." (Twain 8)
CHARACTERISTIC #2: Traditional
"Miss Watson's big ******, named Jim, was setting in the kitchen door." (Twain 3)
CHARACTERISTIC #3: Religious
"Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it." (Twain 8)
"Sometimes the widow would take me one side and talk about Providence in a way to make a body's mouth water; but maybe next day Miss Watson would take hold and knock it all down again." (Twain 8)
ANALYSIS
Miss Watson is disdainful because she often looks down on Huck for being uncivilized and not like her. The Widow takes a much more patient and forgiving approach with Huck, but Miss Watson often criticizes him when he does something wrong in her eyes. Though she has good intentions, Miss Watson impacts Huck by isolating him from her. Because she wasn't as understanding as the Widow, he often chose the Widow over her as he was afraid to be scolded.
She is also very traditional and fits the expectations of her society. Miss Watson had manners and she owned slaves including Jim, which was typical for those in her position during this time. She fit the mold that society expected and she would get upset when Huck didn't always conform like she felt that he should have. She treated Jim poorly and went back on her promise of not selling Jim. She felt that money was more important than keeping this promise.This, again, fits the traditional style of society because she viewed Jim as being lesser than her.
Miss Watson is evidently a very religious character, alongside the Widow. She places a lot of emphasis on it, as seen with the fact that she expects Huck to pray and want to go to Heaven. Though both sisters are religious, Miss Watson takes a more harsh approach and often dismisses what her sister says. This leads to a religious confusion that Huck often experiences because he isn’t sure what to believe.
QUESTION FOR EXPLORATION
Why did Mark Twain write Miss Watson to be so strict and traditional?
WORKS CITED
"Miss Watson". Twain.Lib.Virginia.Edu, 2018, http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/projects/applebaum/misswatson.html. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.
"Widow". Twain.Lib.Virginia.Edu, 2018, http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/projects/applebaum/widow.html. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.
I, Peyton et al. "Miss Watson". Peytoniott.Blogspot.Com, 2018, http://peytoniott.blogspot.com/2016/12/miss-watson.html?_sm_au_=iVVHbLbRHVKLHNMG. Accessed 7 Nov 2018.
Twain, Mark. Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn. Dover Publications, Inc., 1994.