In Huckleberry Finn, who shoots Boggs, the town drunk?

• A. Colonel Sherburn
• B. Judge Thatcher
• C. Peter Wilks
• D. Injun Joe

Answer: (A)

This question tests your recall of a pivotal scene where Boggs is shot by a town authority figure who asserts control in a tense moment. Colonel Sherburn confronts Boggs in the street as the drunk harasses the town and the onlookers; when Boggs refuses to back down, Sherburn draws and fires a pistol, ending the disturbance. This act is used to critique how power is exercised, the fragility of public order, and the lure of mob justice that follows. The other characters mentioned aren’t involved in this event: Judge Thatcher is a steady, lawful figure in Huck’s circle; Peter Wilks is part of the Wilks family plot; Injun Joe is an antagonist in a separate thread of the story. So, the shooter in this moment is Colonel Sherburn.