Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn- is one of the most controversial novels of our time. Set in the era of America's struggle with slavery, the novel sharply criticizes human nature and morality. Through the nave voice of the young narrator Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain employs disdain and satire through humorous dialogue, and the seemingly simple musings of Finn. However, Twain seems to be winking at the reader over Huck's head throughout much of the novel, and the reader is able to ascertain many things that escape Huck's grasp. Mark Twain sets an unprecedented landmark for American literature by intertwining fantasy, satire, and realism into his critique of American identity and philosophy, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."".
Fantasy plays an important role in the novel. Huck, being uneducated, possesses very little self-esteem. He instead reveres the young Tom Sawyer, because Tom must be better than him. Although Huck frequently questions Tom, he often goes along simply because he feels that Tom must be right. Tom is a very imaginative child. He is the ringleader of a gang of children who pretend to be robbers and murderers. One day, Huck declares there next target is a caravan of Arabs and Spaniards. When they descend upon them, Huck discovers that it is merely a Sunday school picnic. When Huck points this out, Tom says that Huck must be pretty dumb because he doesn't understand the "rules-. Tom has read many adventure and fantasy books. He claims that the Sunday school is just a ruse, and that magic is hiding the Spaniards and the Arabs. Huck sums up his opinion of this in his line " it had all the makings of a Sunday school picnic."" Huck becomes disillusioned with Tom after this, although he still respects him a great deal. Having experienced an abusive childhood, and a lack of imaginative resources, Huck's view is very concrete and he doesn't hold with fantasy. .