Huck and the Question of His Morality Essay

Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, encompasses a wide variety of moral implications faced by the main character, Huckleberry Finn. In the beginning, Huck was forced to decide what to do regarding his father. He could continue to subside to his father's actions, which would result in more abuse, or he could run away to escape the trauma he faced at home. Huck chose the latter, and embarked on a journey down the Mississippi River with Jim, the escaped slave. Throughout his journey, Huck would face many more difficult moral decisions. From realizing he was inadvertently helping Jim escape slavery, to ruining the Duke and King's plan, young Huckleberry Finn was forced to

Huck's maturity grows with the same issue later on. When approaching Cairo, the point where Jim can become free, Huck decides that he has done something terribly wrong by not turning Jim in and decides he is going into town to tell on him. However, in a split second, while encountering some slave hunters, Huck decides against it and continues to protect Jim. This episode is particularly significant because even though Huck was "feeling bad and low, because [he] knowed very well [he] had done wrong" (91) he still made a conscious decision to do what he felt was right rather than what society thought was right.

Although he predicts society will deem him to be "a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum," he prefers to be shunned and to risk punishment and shame for the sake of freeing Jim (Twain 43). Clearly, Huck's fondness for Jim is evident when Huck intends to send a letter to Miss Watson returning Jim but chooses to rip it to save him instead. Huck responds, "‘I'll right, then, I'll go to hell'- and he tore it up" (Twain 214). Huck accepts his rebellious nature and terrible fate to hell as he escapes from civilized society and into a place driven by his instincts. Jim's desire for freedom puts Huck in a moral dilemma because he must decide whether to follow his innate sense of morality or the restrictive guidelines of society.

They wants to jump in, but I says: 'Don't you do it. I don't hear the dogs and horses yet; you've got time to crowd through the brush and get up the crick a little ways; then you take to the water and wade down to me and get in-that 'll throw the dogs off the scent.'" (Twain 116) Huck acts like a Good Samaritan. Not only does Huck have pity upon these two men, he is also willing to take action and help them to safety. ""When I got down out of the tree I crept along down the river-bank a piece, and found the two bodies laying in the edge of the water, and tugged at them till I Got then ashore; then I covered up their faces, and got away as quick as I could. I cried a little when I was covering up Buck's face, for he was mighty good to me." (Twain 112) Huck has empathy for humankind; he treats others as he wants to be treated. Huck overlooked a person's social status, race or respectability when reacting to a situation. Another example of Huck's tenderness towards other humans is his experience with Jim on the river. At the beginning of the voyage Huck viewed Jim as a piece of property, a true reflection of Southern mores. "It was fifteen minutes before I would work myself to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't even sorry for it afterward, neither." (Twain 84) Going against social mores takes a great deal of looking inside one's self. Being raised in a time and place where blacks were looked down upon, Huck found that going against what

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.

Huckleberry Finn is a rebellious boy who defies rules whenever he deems it fit. In the satirical novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a runaway boy befriends an escaped slave in the deep south. The majority of society frowns upon Huck and his choices and he struggles with his decisions the whole novel to reveal thematic subjects such as friendship, love, and betrayal. Throughout the story Huck can’t decide whether to do the right thing or not, but ultimately his heart wins over the views forced upon him by society.

From the beginning of the story to the end, Huckleberry Finn’s morals change rather dramatically and the novel focuses largely on this. Forced to reconcile his personal feelings of friendship for an escaped slave (Jim) with what society has told him is "right," Huck learns through the course of the story to trust his moral instincts. As the story progresses, we see Huck’s character develop strong morals that eventually lead to his reconciliation.

Over the course of the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain, conveys a “coming of age” story that spurs the main character into making life defining decisions that ultimately affects the resolution of his rationality. The novel alludes to the character Huck, who matures overtime as he realizes the menacing affect that slavery has on African Americans. Throughout the course of the story he displays his growth the most by involving himself to set his friend Jim free. Huck exhibits the stages of youth based on his treatment towards Jim and how his perception of him, adjust to the situations they face together. Overall, he grasps the idea that “slaves” are human, and more than the conception of property.

Huckleberry Finn hasn’t had the best of time growing up. His father a drunk, and physically abusive, Huck had few role models. Most would expect him to turn out like his father. But, instead, against all odds. He clings to his childhood innocence. He is still persuadable and can be taught good. He keeps his mind open to new possibilities. Huck can and does change for the better by the end of the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.Huckleberry Finn is taken away by ‘Pap’ and is locked away. He later escapes by faking his death, and runs off trying to leave his father and past with his father behind. He runs into an old friend, Jim, who was a run away slave. This might not have been a good deal, but they struck off, showing Huck trusts other people, no matter how they look or act.

Huck’s decision to lie in the protection of Jim based on his kindness instead of an intellectual criticism of racist practices demonstrate that society has penetrated the moralities of individuals. This instance happens as he and Jim draw near Cairo, a small town along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The arrival at Cairo is critical for Jim, as journeying up the Ohio River

Since Huck narrates the novel, readers are exposed to a biased view of slavery, one that changes in favor of Jim’s freedom. Bassett discusses how Huck has a powerful voice, for “the reader nods along with Huck because by that time his voice is in control” (Bassett 94). To the reader, Huck’s values and beliefs are seen in a good light because his point of view is being shared. After Tom and Huck reunite, Huck confesses to Tom that he is keeping a secret, and tells him, “there’s a [slave] here that I’m a-trying to steal out of slavery” (Twain 225). Huck goes out of his way in order to help Jim, even when he did not know where to begin to start searching for his companion. The narrator does not give up and continues to be hopeful; thus, demonstrating

From the moment that Jim and Huck collide, the compassionate heart of Jim shines and never ceases to shine. Jim displays his affection for Huck on numerous occasions as he takes care of him and behaves as his father figure. One scene where Jim’s good will is displayed is the fog scene previously mentioned. After spending a long time shouting for Huck, Jim gives up and falls asleep, and when he awakes to the face of his beloved friend his emotions begin to flow. Reacting to Huck’s attempted prank, Jim cries out, “En when I wake up en fine you back ag’in, all safe en soun’, de tears come, en I could ’a’ got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot, I’s so thankful” (Twain 85). With these words Jim’s morality is illuminated. Through the way that Jim reacts Twain is able to establish the decency of a slave. In his novel, Twain manages to furnish a respectable black man, which was an almost insurmountable task in the society of that time. In addition to the way Jim treats Huck, he is also seen caring for Tom Sawyer. In response to Jim’s captivity, Davis notes, “Jim constantly goes out of his way to look after Huck and to show his affection for him… he even sacrifices his own freedom to help Tom, despite the ordeal through which Tom has put him” (“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”). The affection shown

After a long raft-ride, Huck and Jim are finally about to reach Cairo, which on their arrival would make Jim free. With the smell of freedom, Jim rambles on about how he would buy his wife and then steal his children. This sets off a spark in Huck, igniting his conscience and making him very uneasy. Huck couldn't believe that Jim would steal property from a man that hadn't done him any harm. Huck then begins feeling guilty about helping Jim escape from Miss Watson, since she had never done anything to him and didn't deserve for Jim to be stolen from her. At his departure for the town, on a mission to turn Jim in, Jim leaves Huck with these words. " Pooty soon I'll be a shout'n' for joy, en I'll say say, it's all on accounts o' Huck; I's a free man, en I couldn't ever ben free ef it hadn't it ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had; en you's de only fren' ole Jim's got now". (pg.86-87) Hearing these words, Huck realizes how much Jim's friendship means to him and decides not to turn in Jim. Finally, the last test of Huck's conscience comes when he finds out that the "king" and the "duke" have sold Jim. Huck gets to thinking about how wrong he was to help Jim escape, and decides he should write a letter to Miss Watson. He then changes his mind, seeing that Jim would be worse off as a runaway slave because he would be treated horribly, and Huck

Huck is still trying to decide whether or not he should turn Jim in, so he writes a letter to Miss Watson. After Huck Finn writes about Jim’s whereabouts to Miss Watson, he says, Huck Finn finally realized all of the favors Jim had done for him; he set aside societal standards because he noticed that Jim was a person. Not just a slave or an uncivilized being. This exemplifies Huck’s death and rebirth because he succumbs to his natural belief and accepts what society does not. As a second part of this abyss, Huck must now accept his new self by changing how he

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.