Looking at Literature Through Primary Sources - Set of 4

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin and Race in America

Called the American novel by some, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written more than 100 years ago by Mark Twain. Huck sets out on a raft journey down the Mississippi River, accompanied by a runaway slave named Jim. By creating Jim as a compassionate character, Twain added a valuable and subtle antiracist argument to the national dialogue going on at the time. For this reason and others, Huckleberry Finn was considered highly controversial when it was published in 1885.

Moby Dick and the Whaling Industry of the 19th Century

Traces the process and influence behind the writing of Herman Melville's novel, Moby Dick, which was published in the 1850s and based on the author's own experience at sea.

The Red Badge of Courage and the Civil War

The Red Badge of Courage is set amid the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War. The story focuses on Henry, a young Union soldier, who, when faced with the realities of war, runs from the battle. The novel paints a vivid picture of Henry's struggle to find the courage to become a hero. With primary source images and excerpts from the novel, this book defines every young person's struggle in war throughout history.

Treasure Island and the Pirates of the 18th Century

Published in 1883, Treasure Island became an enormous success for author Robert L. Stevenson. The horrors of piracy were fresh in the public mind, and Stevenson's work remained faithful to the common perception at the time of pirates as wily and bloodthirsty. Using primary source images, as well as excerpts from the novel, this book shows how this classic story provides insight into the time period and the history behind the literature.