Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 10 summary

What happens

1. Jim refuses to discuss the dead man, and eight dollars hidden in a coat makes the narrator question Jim’s warnings about bad luck.
2. The narrator puts a dead rattlesnake on Jim’s blanket as a prank, and its mate bites Jim on the heel.
3. Jim drinks whisky and uses snake remedies while the narrator hides his responsibility; Jim recovers after four days and nights.
4. As the river falls, they catch a huge catfish and discover a button and a ball containing a spool inside it.
5. Seeking news and relief from boredom, the narrator follows Jim’s advice to dress as a girl and travel after dark.
6. The narrator reaches town, sees an unfamiliar woman knitting inside a shanty, and knocks at her door.

In this chapter

What to notice

The injury makes the prank’s harm concrete. The narrator conceals his responsibility while accepting Jim’s explanation about bad luck.

Quick check