Twain, on the whole, does not want us to feel sympathetic toward Injun Joe. After all, Injun Joe is a thief and vengeful murderer. He kills Dr. Robinson, for instance, in revenge for Dr. Robinson driving him from his father's kitchen five years ago when he came looking for something to eat.
He also wants to harm Widow Douglas in revenge for her husband, the judge, having had him whipped:
He had me horsewhipped!
He is especially angry that he was whipped publicly, in front of other people.
Injun Joe, of course, goes after Tom in revenge for testifying against him.
While Twain shows some awareness that Injun Joe is angry because of the racism against Indians in white society, Injun Joe also likes being seen as the violent, bloodthirsty Indian of stereotype. As he states to explain his lust for revenge:
The Injun blood ain't in me for nothing.
Injun Joe's death by starvation after being trapped in the cave can be seen as a just, if harsh, punishment for a ruthless killer.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Does Twain wants us to feel sympathetic for Injun Joe?
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