DISCOURSE MODES AND IDEOLOGICAL CONTESTATION IN MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
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Abstract
This study investigates the use of discourse modes in the portrayal of contesting ideologies of racism and anti-racism in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Using Robert Sutherland’s framework of inherent ideologies in children’s literature, this study specifically focuses on examining the persuasive strategies employed by these ideologies. Through comprehensive qualitative analysis, it becomes evident that the novel navigates between advocating anti-racism and subtly reinforcing racial ideologies, depicted primarily through portrayals of racial disparities and variations in discourse modes such as attack, advocacy, and assent. A significant revelation of this study is the influential role played by different discourse modes in shaping the reader’s interpretation and interaction with the ideological dimensions within the novel, highlighting the complex interplay of ideologies in literary texts.
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