CHAPTER 10 Practice Quiz — The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: CHAPTER 10
Why does Jim refuse to discuss the dead man at the beginning of Chapter 10?
He says it would fetch bad luck and that a man who was not buried might come back and haunt them.
What do Huck and Jim find hidden in the old blanket overcoat?
Eight dollars in silver sewn into the lining.
What object did Huck pick up that Jim warned would bring bad luck?
A snake-skin that Huck found on the top of the ridge.
What prank does Huck play on Jim in Chapter 10?
He kills a rattlesnake and curls it up on the foot of Jim's blanket, expecting Jim to find it funny.
What happens as a result of Huck's rattlesnake prank?
The dead snake's mate comes and curls up beside it, then bites Jim on the heel when he lies down on the blanket.
How does Jim treat his rattlesnake bite?
He drinks whiskey from Pap's jug, eats roasted rattlesnake meat, and ties the rattles around his wrist.
How long is Jim laid up from the snakebite?
Four days and nights.
Does Huck tell Jim that he caused the snakebite?
No. Huck secretly disposes of the snakes so Jim will never find out it was his fault.
What does the rattlesnake prank reveal about Huck's character?
It shows his capacity for thoughtless cruelty, but also the beginnings of his conscience through the guilt and shame he feels afterward.
How does Jim's character emerge in Chapter 10?
Jim is shown as a figure of practical wisdom with knowledge of folk medicine and nature that proves essential for survival on the island.
What is the central theme of Chapter 10?
Superstition versus rationality. Huck dismisses Jim's warnings about the snake-skin, but the rattlesnake bite forces him to reconsider the power of folk beliefs.
What does the snake-skin symbolize in Chapter 10?
It symbolizes the power of superstition and serves as a vehicle for foreshadowing future misfortunes throughout the novel.
How does Chapter 10 develop the theme of guilt and moral awakening?
Huck must silently confront the harm his prank caused Jim, beginning the moral growth that will continue throughout the novel.
Who is Old Hank Bunker and why is he mentioned?
He is a man who bragged about looking at the new moon over his left shoulder, then died falling off a shot tower. His story deepens the motif of superstition in the chapter.
What literary device does Twain use through Jim's warnings about bad luck?
Foreshadowing. Jim's warnings that the snake-skin's bad luck is coming are fulfilled almost immediately by the snakebite.
What is the dramatic irony in Chapter 10?
The reader knows Huck caused the snakebite, but Jim remains ignorant of this fact throughout the chapter.
What remarkable thing do Huck and Jim catch after the river goes down?
An enormous catfish that was six feet two inches long and weighed over two hundred pounds.
What unusual items do they find inside the catfish?
A brass button, a round ball with a spool inside it, and lots of rubbish.
Why does Huck disguise himself as a girl at the end of Chapter 10?
He wants to cross the river to find out what is going on in town, and Jim suggests the disguise using salvaged calico gowns for safety.
What example of the tall tale tradition appears in Chapter 10?
The story of the giant catfish weighing over two hundred pounds, with a spool coated inside a ball in its stomach, reflects the folk tradition of exaggerated fishing stories.
What natural fact does Huck learn about snakes in Chapter 10?
Wherever you leave a dead snake, its mate will always come and curl around it.