Episode 8 Summary

Summary:
The band of characters find a town and ask around on a steamboat about what is going on there. News is that a man has just died there recently and his brothers were supposed to come down from far away in Europe. It would be awful nice if the brothers could come and see him before he died, but it was too late, yet they could still make it to the funeral. The duke and the King prod people for as much information as they can regarding this situation, and they decide to pose as Peter Wilks' brothers. They do this, and are greeted with welcome arms in the household and make a big scene that everybody believes to be true about their coming from England to make peace with their brother. Huck begins to realize how cruel this scheme is and develops some moral evaluations about the duke and the king now. The girls are robbed blind of their money without even knowing it and Huck feels that that is very wrong so he comes up with some plans. He confesses the truth to Mary Jane Wilks, the oldest of the three daughters, and tells her to run away until he can figure out how to handle what's going on. Another pair of men come in claiming they are the brothers as well and a big controversey ensues. People try to put the two pairs through tests in order to see who is truly related to the Wilks. It's soon decided that they need to dig up Peter Wilks and settle it once and for all. Once the body is dug up, Huck makes a run for the raft, thinking he can escape the duke and the king for good and live as he used to with Jim. He finds Jim on the raft and they untie and set off, but much to their dismay, the duke and king are following close behind, able to get away from the townspeople.  
 
List of New Characters:

-Lawyer

-Doctor Robinson

-Mary Jane Wilks

-'Hare-lip' Joanna Wilks

-Sarah Wilks

-Townspeople

-Undertaker

Personas:
Harvey Wilks
Deaf-Dumb brother Wilks
Huck = Harvey Wilks' servant
  
Major Themes:
Meaning of Family
Gullibility
Realism vs. Romanticism
Coming of Age
Appearance vs. Reality
Hypocrisy
 
Allusions, Symbols, Ironies:
King Lear's outfit being put on Jim.
The family as a symbol of gullibility and hypocrisy. Also romanticizing about their uncles traveling the world to meet them.
The Undertaker ironically being a prominent, influential figure in the community.  

Discuss Huck's change in this episode:
Huck has stepped out from the shadows and stopped watching the action unfold before him. He is taking initiative and stepping into a more assertive, controlling state. His morals have become to influence his actions and he is seeing that he change things for the better and help people that are in need.