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1. How seriously should readers take the disclaimer "By Order of the Author"?

This disclaimer is clearly ironic. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has both a moral and a plot, as well as structure. The novel is, among other things, a criticism of slavery and of the violent and brutal ways in which humans can behave. In the matter of motive for writing the text, Twain's intentions cannot be known, however writers are motivated by the drive to say something worthwhile and in an entertaining way. They also write for money.

2. Comment on the capacity for fantasy possessed by each main character as seen by Chapter 2 in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Tom Sawyer's imagination is a romantic one, but derivative, fed as it is by his garbled understanding of European and Middle Eastern literature. As Huck Finn's actions throughout the novel attest, his has a resourceful imagination; he is able to imagine the usefulness of found objects, for example. Jim's imagination is colorful and sweeping, but is also based on his superstitious view of the world and his fears of non-existent beings.

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