Mark Twain set a new standard for American literature when he wrote the novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Mark Twain was a prolific writer in the late 1800s and has been described as the "father of American literature." “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is undoubtedly one of the greatest American literary works written and two centuries later it is still read around the world. This novel is about a young boy named Huckleberry Finn and the different adventure he experiences with a runaway slave named Jim. Together they learn that society is imperfect in all its rules and that they should be free from oppression by running away and living away from society. Throughout the story Huck experiences many of the social problems that occurred during that time period and it was Mark Twain's way of expressing his opinion about it. One of the social issues presented concerned the role of the father figure in the child's life. Huck's mother didn't exist in the book, so he was always with his father. His father, Pap, was a serious alcoholic and often beat Huck when he was drunk. This led to feelings of discomfort. During this time period the family structure was different than it is today. During this period the father was characterized as the head of the house and a strict authority figure. Fathers during this period were "described as distant, morally instructive, and condescending, as too much affection was believed to lead to parental indulgence, ruining children's character." Furthermore, it was the fathers' job to prepare their children instead of being an active member in their lives. Twain captured much of the theme of parenthood in Huckleberry Finn, but he also put his own spin on Pap's behavior. Ultimately, thanks to Pap, Huck saw the world in a different light than other characters in the story, such as