The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

[Huckleberry] What does Huck mean when **** base future ethical decisions on whichever comes handiest? He was saying when it's troublesome to do right,and ain't no trouble to do wrong. I don't get it.

"whats the use you learning to do right when it's troublesome to do right,and aint no trouble to do wrong. So I reckoned I wouldnt bother no more about it, but after this always do whichever comes to handiest at the time." Mark Twain

Now what I need to know is this.. What do you think Huck means when he say he'll base future ethical decisions on "whichever comes handiest"? Do you think Huck's new rule of thumb for solving ethical problems is sound? Take a position defending or opposing Huck's rule. Give 2 reasons for the position and support each position with examples or facts.

Please help me. It would be my honor to reward to more than enough points. Lets say 10-20 points for the best answer. depending on the answer

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Last updated by ashwin23
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What Huck means is that he doesn't want to do what is conventionally right. Remember the adults at the beginning of the novel? They're a bunch of hypocrites. Huck doesn't want to go around preaching one thing and doing another. The Widow says that alcohol is bad but she smokes. When he says he'll do whatever is handiest, he means that he will use his common sense and own sense of morals to determine what course of action to take. Huck seems to go against all the typical social values. He has little faith in adults because of their actions, which speak of hypocrisies. Personally, I would pick the position of defending Huck's rule, unless of course, you are really believe in the Bible and can defend all the statements made by the adults in the novel. Basically, Huck's position is to do what is right in his eyes, not the eyes of society.
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