What at the center of Chapters 8-11 in Huck Finn

1. Chapter 8

1.1. I Spare Miss Watson's

1.2. "No! W'y, what has you lived on? But you got a gun. Oh, yes, you got a gun. Dat's good. Now you kill sumfn en I'll make up de fire."

1.3. Huck has the gun, and Jim has the fire. Alone, they're useless (although at least Jim would be warm.) But together, they have heat, food, and companionship.

2. Chapter 9

2.1. The House Of Death Floats By

2.2. "It's a dead man. Yes, indeedy; naked, too. He's ben shot in de back. I reck'n he's ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan' look at his face—it's too gashly."

2.3. Jim knows that this is Huck's dad, but he doesn't want Huck to see—so he lies. Is it right for Jim to lie? Or should he have told Huck?

3. Chapter 10

3.1. What Comes Of Handlin' Snake-Skin

3.2. "It's YOU, at last!—AIN'T it?".

3.3. Here's Tom Sawyer's aunt Sally asking Huck, "Is that you?" By now, Huck is so used to lying that he says "Yes" before he even knows who "you" is supposed to be. In other words, Huck will be whoever you want him to be. Just like your imaginary boyfriend.

4. Chapter 11

4.1. They're After Us!

4.2. "Oh, yes'm, I did. Sarah Mary Williams. Sarah's my first name. Some calls me Sarah, some calls me Mary."

4.3. Another one of those don't-try-this-at-home things: caught in a lie, Huck just tells another lie. In the real world, that's a pretty good way to get grounded for three weeks. But on the Mississippi, it just gets Huck a warning.