Final answer:
Mark Twain's purpose in this paragraph is to entertain readers with Huckleberry Finn's disinterested take on education (d), particularly mathematics, by using his character to convey this comically indifferent attitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The author's purpose for including this paragraph in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is to entertain readers with a story of a disinterested student.
- Twain uses the character of Huck to highlight his skepticism towards education, specifically mathematics.
- Through Huck's voice, Twain is able to convey a humorous and relatable anecdote that reflects Huck's indifferent attitude towards learning more than the basics, dismissing the subject as not particularly valuable in his life.
- While the paragraph does touch on the subject of mathematics instruction and one-room schoolhouses, these details primarily serve as a backdrop to the narrator's voice and experience.
- Twain's choice to have Huck say "six times seven is thirty-five", which is actually incorrect, further emphasizes Huck's disinterest and lack of concern for his educational shortcomings, offering a critical reflection on his schooling experience without earnestly addressing the value of formal education.