Huck, Emma, and Asher: Studies in the Theme of Self-Actualization Essay

In Mark Twains The Adventures of huckabackleberry Finn, Jane Austens Emma, and Chaim Potoks My Name is Asher Lev readers argon presented with troika records that of different succession periods that apiece make similar psychological traits.  They each accomplish to attain self-awareness as they learn the lessons of spiritedness with huckabacks excursion d avow the river, Emmas experiences in the artistic creation of match-making, and Ashers conflicts with his familys Hasidism.  Each invention uses the theme of psychological struggle for self-actualization of its new-fangled protagonists to explore suppuration up in the different periods.            In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is a young, immature boy at the commencement of the novel financial bear outing by the disseminated sclerosis in the nineteenth century.  Huck observes his mail service as one that is the design of some others, not himse lf The Widow Douglas she to a faultk me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me just it was rough living in the house all the time and so when I couldnt permit it no longer I light out and was free and satisfied. But tom turkey Sawyer he hunted me up and said he was going to array a band of robbers, and I index join if I would go back to the widow and be respectable. So I went back (Twain, 1953, 11).This statement evidences Hucks undying love for the freedom and dodge he recovers in temper, and also his desire for Toms approval.  Huck is forming his protest mortalality, growing through his personal observations and realizations that finish is not all that it appears or that he desires.  During his trip d sustain the river on the passel with Jim Huck observes, Other places do take care so cramped up and smothery, but a raft dont. You aroma mighty free and easy and well-to-do on a raft (118).  It is this realisation of value that at long last al lows Huck to relegate Tom and civilization behind, as he sets out for the west to pursue his consume independence and maturity date.Twain utilizes several literary techniques in order to convey Hucks sanies to the reader.  Firstly, by verbalise the story from a root person perspective, we actualise Hucks learning as it occurs, from his own mouth.  Rather than organism told by an external narrator that Huck is growing up, we follow out it evidenced in his speech and perceptions.  Also, the recurring theme of hypocrisy that occurs in Hucks encounters with the polite world and in the views on thrall that emerge from the text, a framework of repetition is established so that readers might go through Hucks growth, when comparing it to a constant.  Finally, Twain utilizes the symbol of the Mississippi Rivera thing that is in constant mingleto illustrate Hucks own movement toward adulthood and self-awareness.          &n bsp akin Huck, we have the theme of great personal maturation in the character of Emma, the Victorian face middle class girl.  Austen introduces her as a girl used to having rather besides much her own way, and a magnetic inclination to think a little too well of herself (Austen, 2000, 1).  As a result, Emma spends the deal of the novel meddling in other peoples lives and circumventing her love for Mr. Knightley.  When Emma finally admits to herself her true feelings, it is the result of the lessons she has learned along the way and her own self-actualization.Because of the near ruin of Harriets romance, her insults to Miss Bates, and Mr. Knightleys profane guidance end-to-end the novel, Austen writes, Emmas eyeball were instantly withdrawn and she sat mutely meditating, in a fixed attitude, for a few legal proceeding. A few minutes were sufficient for making her acquainted with her own heart. A mind like hers, at a time opening to suspicion, made rapid im provement she touched, she admitted, she ackat onceledged the whole truth (268).  Like Huck, Emma found out her true nature through personal observations, and was able to hike up into maturity with her own independent wisdom.            With as much acuity as Twain, Jane Austen utilizes rhetorical techniques to convey the theme of self-actualization in Emma.  By structuring the story around social class, Austen creates a framework through which Emma moves.  Also, Austen utilizes word games throughout the text, such as Mr. Eltons get through meaning courtship.  Emmas root word to the puzzle poses a double entendre, as she correctly guesses the answer, but does not take care its meaning, just as she does not incur the implications of her feelings for Mr. Knightley.  Finally, Austen uses Mr. Knightley as a static character, in order to emphasize Emmas driving nature.  In Mr. Knightleys steadfast character we see a yardstick by which Emmas maturity is measured.Like in the previous two novels, in Chaim Potoks novel My Name is Asher Lev, the theme of a youth struggling to achieve self-actualization is relayed.  Readers are presented with the title character, a Hasidic Jew growing up in Brooklyn, and an incredibly sharp artist.  Through Ashers struggle with this stop religious sect, that views his paintings as a sacrilege, he learns ultimately to accept his art and himself.  out from my world, Asher states when living in Paris, alone in an apartment that offered me neither memories nor roots, I began to find old and distant memories of my own, long bury by pain and time and late brought to the surface now (Potok, 1972, 322).  Because he has survived the hardships oblige upon him by his familys strict fundamentalism, Asher is now able to emerge from his past as an individual, apart from the culture, community of interests, and family that produced him.  Like Huck and Em ma, Asher achieves maturity and independence by the end of the novel.Potok conveys this ontogenesis of character through several literary techniques.  Like Twain, he utilizes a first person point of view to turn up Ashers movement from boyhood to maturity.  Also, in the find of Ashers mythical root word we see a reflection of the protagonists development.  As a child, the im senesce of his ancestor invokes fear in Asher, but at the conclusion of the novel he acts as an embodiment of Ashers own struggles with his heritage.  Finally, Potok creates effectual images throughout the novel, using Asher as a mouthpiece.  Through these beautiful descriptions we see Ashers ability to comprehend and appreciate art, and, ultimately his growth as an artist.In each of these three individuals stories we see the theme of a youthful journey into mature self-actualization.  In Hucks trip up the river, Emmas gallivanting through the social circles of Highbury, and Ashers ba nishment from the Ladover community and excursion through Europe, there is a great and inspiring parallel that of the serviceman capability for change, growth, and enlightenment.  Whether the young characters come of age in the rural Midwest, Victorian England, or Brooklyn, the result is similar and includes the greatest consecrate a person can intrust to his or her self thoughtful independence.BibliographyAusten, J. (2000). Emma. tender York, wise York W. W. Norton & Company.Potok, C. (1972). My Name is Asher Lev. New York, New York Alfred A. Knopf.Twain, M. (1953). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. London, England Puffin Books.