Huck Finn Uncivilized Boy Essay

One of the ways Twain exposes the folly of the negative attitudes toward blacks is through describing the whites' cruel and pointless acts of hatred directed toward Jim. The least severe of the cruel acts toward Jim is that whites often ridicule him. Another dehumanizing act is when Jim is made to hide his face in the daytime. The most foolish and ignorant idea of the whites, however, is when Silas Phelps locked up Jim. Another demonstration of the whites' folly is when Pap, Huck's father, violently objects to the granting of suffrage to a black man. Pap does not take into consideration that this man is an educated professor; he believes that he is superior to this black man simply because of the color of his skin. In actuality, however, Pap is an uneducated drunk. This adds to the irony of the white's actions.

The relationship between Huckleberry Finn and Jim are central to Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Huck's relationships with individual characters are unique in their own way; however, his relationship with Jim is one that is ever changing and sincere. As a poor, uneducated boy, Huck distrusts the morals and intentions of the society that treats him as an outcast and fails to protect him from abuse. The uneasiness about society, and his growing relationship with Jim, leads Huck to question many of the teachings that he has received, especially concerning race and slavery. Twain makes it evident that Huck is a young boy who comes from the lowest levels of white society. Huck's father, Pap, is a drunk who disappears for

In Mark Twain's novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the adults in Huck's life play an important role in the development of the plot. Pap, Huck's father, constantly abuses the boy, never allowing him to become an intelligent or decent human being. He beats and attacks Huck whenever they meet up, and tries to destroy Huck's chances of having a normal life. This situation is balanced by several good role models and parent figures for Huck. Jim, the runaway slave, embraces Huck like a son, and shares his wide ranging knowledge with him. He also protects Huck on the journey down the river. Widow Douglas is another good role model for Huck. She tries to civilize him and make him respectable to society,

Huck hides out on Jackson's Island and for the first time in a while has no authoritative figure controlling him. Even when he discovers Jim, the Widow's slave, Huck doesn't consider himself "outranked." Huck has been taught that a runaway slave is an evil thing. Being able to make his own decision about the matter, however, Huck decides to go against society. "People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum - but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell" (43). This is Huck's first sign of maturity as we find that he is able to make his own decisions.

     The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest, most daring novels in the world. Mark Twain’s style helps to realistically portray early America. Mark Twain tells the story through the voice of Huck, the very kindhearted main character. Everything that Huck says reflects the racism and black stereotypes typical of the era. This has lead to many conflicts from readers since the novel was first printed. However, the story has inspired some. James W. Tuttleton says in an article he wrote that “Huck Finn is regularly denounced as racist trash” (The San Francisco Chronicle [1885] 6) . Yet, again to oppose that is a quote by a reader, “Anyone who is

The main character of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn, undergoes a complete moral change while having to make life changing and moral questioning decisions throughout his journey on the river. Huck appears first as a morally inferior character caused by living with a self absorbed and abusive father, because of his alcoholic habits. Throughout the whole book Huck is guided by Jim, a runaway slave who goes with him and helps Huck gain his sense of morality. During these encounters, he is in many situations where he must look within and use his judgement to make decisions that will affect Huck’s morals.

At this point in the novel, Huck still holds the belief that blacks are essentially different from whites. Also, Huck's conscience constantly reminds him that he is an abolitionist for helping Jim run away from his owner. Huck does not see that Jim is looking for freedom just as he is.

That is to say it is an educated, religious, good mannered, and a society boy. Everything about Huck says anti-society, except for the way he treats blacks, on and off. His future is set out for him, and it seems quite perfect, but because he despises society and its people he can not trust Sally or her perspectives. Thus he can not be civilized like we saw prior in the book. Again history is repeating itself, making the argument the Huck has made no progress in the book: but that is like saying WW1 and WW2 were fought for different reasons. Because he can’t really “stand” being any of these things , nor the idea or right or wrong his life becomes a war between him and Society. In change for this fight he wants to move out west with Indians, which is possibly the perfect people for him to strive and find himself. They are white, uncultured people whom roam free and survive off the land; does this not sound like Huck himself? But why does he want to leave his loving family and his dear friend

novel by revealing his discomfort with being "sivilized." In the beginning of the story, Huck adjusted by growing to tolerate many aspects/requirements of civilization. His attitude

Thirdly, Huck and Douglass are protagonists, each in their own regard. The opening of Huckleberry Finn describes a game of robbers that Huck and Tom took part in. Over the course of the novel, Huck that what mainstream society has engrained in him is not always correct. He must make decisions based on his morals, not on what has been driven into him during his upbringing. When he encounters the group of slave-hunters, he realizes telling a lie is sometimes the right course of action. Huck is given the power to return Jim but instead decides to go against social norms and free Jim. This point marks the finality to his departure from society's expectations. The river helped build his taste for independence and free will. Huck wants to move out to the freedom of the West, thus departing from the civilized world. Huck grows accustomed to Aunt Sally and Silas by the end of the novel. However, he realizes that they are a part of the social order that wishes to impose their will upon others. It is not a part of Huck's nature to be influenced by others, as is displayed by his

Huck is on the right path in becoming a faithful friend to Jim. He finds himself struggling to be his support system. He feels divorced from the outside world. As expected, his heart is confused in deciding what is morally and ethically appropriate. His conscience pushes him to reflect on the effects of society and how it incites behavior like his: reckless and unforeseen. This situation made him “trembly and feverish…because [he] begun to get through [his] head that [Jim] was most free… and [he Huck] was to blame” (Gerald and James 100). As a white male, he is expected to turn it runaway slaves of color. Nevertheless, he has no personal desire to follow these expectations. Rather, he chooses to protect Jim, even if he undoubtedly fears to

Huck's father is absent until he finds out that Huck has found some money.  Pap is an outcast full of hate for blacks and pretty much for all of society.  Huck, as a product of his society, speaks the language of his society.  By choosing as his point-of-view a young boy from the slave south, Twain is able to present and challenge the values and assumptions of this time.  Among the assumptions and values of the time that the reader encounters in the book are the strict definitions pertaining to Huck's world and the people who inhabit it:

“It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger--but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I knowed it would make him feel that way” (157). No one in society would have ever apologized to a slave and on top of it feel regret, this showed Huck was beginning to understand humanity and most importantly humility. Huck as a child does not realize that his own instincts are way more sound and moral than that of the society. Huck has not had anything to compare his instincts and morality to, he has only known one way, and that is slaves are not to be treated as equals, or friends or companions but as property, at the bottom of the human food chain.

Most critics say that Huck doesn’t condemn slavery or racial prejudice at all, but Huck seems to except Jim. However, since Huck sees passed racial stereotypes that involve Jim, it seems to be that it is a great development for him considering how Huck was raised. Hucks household included Widow Douglas and Miss Watson who owned slaves. His pap who would rant over a free black man shows his racial prejudice. When he would be confronted with the fact of a free black man that was educated and was allowed to vote, Pap would say that he did not want anything to do with the government that would allow such a thing. He would say that he wants the black man which he says are “a prowling, thieving, infernal, white-shirted free nigger” sold at an auction (Telgen 9). That is to say, Pap thinks that all black people are slaves of white man’s property. These views of race are what Huck was raised with. But there is not an agreement on Twains meaning of race. Some critics see the novel as a satire on racism. They see it as a conscious statement on a racist society. Other critics stress the author’s difference about race.

Despite an ardent view on slavery evident through interactions with Jim, Huck’s slowly shifting view of Jim from that of ignorance to seeming acceptance expresses his ability to stray from flawed societal values to his own developed moral code of conduct. This becomes evident when Huck protects Jim from men who board his raft, by hinting he has smallpox. Although one can see this as compassion for Jim, Huck questions with racist undertones, “s’pose you done right and give Jim up; would you felt better than you do now? No, says I, I’d feel bad” (Twain 127). However, he later affirms himself to “do whatever come handiest at the time.” (Twain 127). At this point, society still influences Huck, but his statement marks his decision to detach from societal values, and eventually allows him to form his own views on Jim. This comes slowly, as Huck cannot shake free from racism.