Realism in Huckleberry Finn

It was the first novel to feature a child narrator who tells the story in the first person, directly addressing the reader.

The novel depicts everyday life using authentic, sometimes gritty vernacular and addresses harsh social realities such as racism and violence.

Twain wrote about the South in such captivating language that his narratives became highly sought after by the elite classes.

Twain incorporated actual events from his life in Missouri and his travels on the Mississippi River into the fictional narrative.