Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 22 summary

What happens

1. The mob tears down Sherburn’s fence, but he appears on his porch roof carrying a gun.
2. Sherburn condemns the crowd’s borrowed courage, names Buck Harkness as its instigator, and orders everyone away.
3. The narrator slips into a circus without paying and admires its riders and clown.
4. A seemingly drunken rider frightens the narrator before revealing himself as a skilled circus performer.
5. About twelve people attend the evening show, and almost everyone leaves before it ends.
6. The duke posts advertisements for a new attraction, making the exclusion of women and children especially prominent.

In this chapter

What to notice

Sherburn challenges collective bravery rather than pleading for mercy. His speech and armed stance make the attackers retreat.

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