Investigate the attitudes of white Americans towards Native Americans during the mid-19th century. Does Injun Joe's portrayal as pure evil reflect the prevalent views of Native Americans at that time?

Reflect on Huckleberry Finn's life through the lens of contemporary standards: How would a homeless child, abandoned by an alcoholic parent, be treated in today's United States? What elements in Huck's world enable him to live freely, sleeping outdoors and wearing tattered clothes? How does Twain manage to romanticize a character like Huck, and why wouldn't Huck be seen as romantic by modern society?

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, women appear to play the role of civilizing influences: Aunt Polly tries to teach Tom proper behavior, the Widow Douglas takes Huck in to "introduce him to society," and the young ladies on Examination Evening read essays with titles like "Religion in History" and "Filial Love." Research attitudes toward women in American culture during the 1840s. What responsibilities were white women expected to undertake, and what role did they play in shaping their society?

During the 1840s, Missouri was considered the American frontier. What did this entail? What kind of government was in place in Missouri at the time, and how was it enforced? How did people from the eastern United States perceive those who moved to the frontier, and how did the frontiersmen and women view themselves?