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Huckleberry Finn Symbolism Essay

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Many major symbols guide the main characters through their journey in the novel; the largest of these symbols being the Mississippi river. The river represents freedom. When Huck and Jim are on the river, Huck is free from rules and society, while Jim is free from slavery. There are, of course, times when civilization creeps up on their pleasant lifestyle, such as when the Duke and Dauphin barge onto their raft, representing society trying to overtake the freedom of the wild. Whenever Huck and Jim land the raft, all they can see is the hypocrisy of society. “And got to thinking over our trip down the river; and I see Jim before me, all the time, in the day, and in the night-time, sometimes moonlight, sometimes storms, and we a floating along, talking, and singing, and laughing.” (Ch. 18) Their happiest moments are on the river where they are truly free. Another major symbol in the story is the raft. “…and whilst I eat my supper we talked and had a good time. I was powerful glad to get away from the feuds, and so was Jim to get away from the swamp. We said there warn't no …show more content…

Its main purpose is to show everyday life and activities, mostly among the middle or lower class, without the influence of romance and drama. Mark Twain, the author of Huckleberry Finn, uses realism in almost every part of his writing. Twain uses rthis technique in his description of characters, how they speak, and how he describes the setting. His main goal is to illustrate the injustice in slavery and the view that slaves are just simply mindless animals, which is mostly accepted by society. By using realism, Twain shows that these people and stories are not just fairy tales, but real people who dealt with difficult struggles like those he writes about. He communicates a deep message through what seems like a simple children’s

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