The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain emerged in two distinct writing phases. The initial burst occurred in 1876, when Twain penned about 400 pages. He confided to a friend that he regarded this early effort as merely tolerable and contemplated consigning it to obscurity, possibly even burning it. Following this, he set the project aside for a number of years to focus on other works, such as “The Prince and the Pauper” and “Life on the Mississippi.”

However, a transformative experience took place in 1882 when Twain embarked on a steamboat journey along the Mississippi, journeying from New Orleans to Minnesota with a stop in Hannibal, Missouri, his hometown. This voyage evidently stirred his creative spirit, prompting him to fully engage in completing “Huckleberry Finn.”