How Did Huckleberry Finn Influence Huck

During the book, Huck hasn’t really experienced what life really was and what you might encounter during times that just come out of anything. Jim is someone that you might call strange and unexpected. When Huck

The first time when Huck Finn is pulled in conflicting desires is when he finds Miss Watson's runaway slave, Jim, at Jackson's Island. Huck knows that if he doesn't turn the runaway slave in to his owner, "People would call [him] a low-down Abolitionist and despise (him) for keeping mum. " (Twain 43). Then later in the novel when he tries to write to Miss Watson that he knew where Jim was, he doesn't because " she'd be mad and disgusted at his rascality and ungratefulness for leaving her, and so she'd sell him straight down the river again." (Twain 212). The conflict within Huck Finn illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole because during the novel Huck develops affection for Jim are through he is challenging societal norms. When Huck tears up the letter when he remembers the time Jim said that "[he] was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he's got now." (Twain 214)

Mark Twain attempts to convey the corruption within society through the adventures that Jim and Huck are confronted with. Twain embodies a set view of conduct that differs from the rest of society within Huck’s character, although he does not fully accept his beliefs to be just. This sets Huck up for difficulties to conform to the standards of society, being that his initial instincts are frowned upon. Twain takes advantage of Huck’s situation and subtly incorporates his own views on society in his present day. It is difficult to alter one’s opinion, let alone the opinion of a whole society, so Twain aims to work in his own beliefs without losing attention of his reader. The moral of the story is obscured in order to communicate these beliefs

Through the theme of rebellion against society, Huck demonstrates the importance of thinking for oneself and embodies the idea that adults are not always right. This is highlighted in his noncompliance when it comes to learning the Bible and in the decisions he makes when it comes to Jim, decisions that prove to be both illegal and dangerous. By refusing to conform to standards he does not agree with, Huck relies on his own experiences and inner conscience when it comes to making decisions. As a result, Huck is a powerful vehicle for Mark Twain’s commentary on southern society and

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.

     On Huck and Jim’s journey to Cairo, Jim begins to speak about when he is free he will go and find his children and take them from the slave owner. This rubbed Huck the wrong way; his standards of Jim had been lowered because, from Huck’s point of view, why would Jim steal his children away from a man who has done nothing to him? Huck’s conscience began to come into play and he had made up his mind: He was going to turn Jim in when they reach shore. He was sure of it until Jim began to sweet talk Huck, telling him that Huck was the only white man that had ever kept a promise to him. This comment went directly to Huck’s heart; he could not possibly

He also does not doubt tom?s judgment when he says ?But go ahead, I ain?t got nothing to say? because he does not know any better. On the other hand, Huck gains knowledge while experiencing the journey to free Jim and suddenly Huck encounters a decision that requires much more consideration than anything he has ever thought about. As Huck decides whether or not to turn Jim in to Miss Watson, he says, ?I studied a minute, a sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ?All right, then, I?ll go to hell?? (Twain 228). Huck now has the ability to think for himself. This important decision goes against what he has always been taught. He thinks his decision thoroughly, unlike before. With his new standards of morality, Huck decides not to turn Jim in. It is apparent that he improves in his aptitude of making choices. Huck?s capability of making decisions alone shows that he is maturing into an independent young man.

Huck has a chance to turn Jim in, and hopefully make his conscience feel better, but he does not. Finally, Huck decides to stick to his own opinion of Jim. Huck decides, at least for now, to help Jim. Huck starts listening to himself: “Once he was confronted with a mighty decision, when he had to choose between being respectable and returning Jim to Miss Watson, and being himself, listening to the voice of his heart, not returning Jim- and going to hell” (“The Adventures…”18-19). Huck is thinking of sacrificing himself to continue to help Jim find freedom.

In this passage, he is struggling to figure out how he feels about Jim, especially with what Jim’s talking about. In the beginning of the book, on page 4, Huck narrates, “When we was ten foot off, Tom whispered to me and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun; but I said no; he might wake and make a disturbance, and then they’d find out I warn’t in.” At this point, Huck makes the choice to spare Jim from the pain and humiliation of tying him to a tree so he and Tom won’t get in trouble, not because it would hurt Jim. This is a distinct difference in character from Huck humbling himself to apologize to Jim after Huck hurt his feelings by trying to play a trick on Jim. In fact, he even says, “...I wouldn’t done that one if I’d knowed it would make him feel that way. (65)” Huck now acknowledges Jim’s feelings whereas in the beginning of the book, he didn’t care or even consider Jim’s feelings. On page 66, when Huck is having this realization, he has spent a lot of time with Jim and now he’s worried about what Jim’s freedom means for him. He still seems to care more about his involvement, but ultimately, whether he knows it or not, he ends up caring enough about Jim’s wellbeing to help him when slave hunters are looking for runaway slaves. In the final part of the passage, Jim speaks of his family for the first time and at

Jim isn't only a gullible follower of Huck. He also has a very good sense of reason and intellect. Although Jim wants to become free as soon as he can, he also has the best interest of his friends in mind constantly. Some may argue that Jim wants to become free more than he cares about his friends, although he shows the reader this isn't true multiple times. One example of Jim putting his friends before himself is towards the end of the book. After someone shot Tom, instead of running to freedom Jim tells Huck to get a doctor as he comforts Tom. After reading this passage from the book makes even the most adamant reader rethink their views. It makes the reader ask how could Jim give up the one thing he was striving for if he didn't care about

Twain uses Huck to make decisions based on this hypocritical slave-owning, Christian lifestyle. Huck must choose to either aid a runaway slave named Jim or return him to Miss Watson, while the white society of the South would expect Huck to return Jim to Miss Watson. Huck and Jim 's friendship makes this a significant decision because Huck is morally conflicted. Jim is his friend, but he is also the property of Miss Watson. An excerpt from Magill 's Survey of American Literature puts the situation in a right perspective exclaiming “Jim is property before he is man, and Huck is deeply troubled, surprisingly, by the thought that he is going to help Jim, not only because he sees it, in part, as a robbery, but more interestingly, because he sees his cooperation as a betrayal of his obligation to the

Twain puts Huck in a difficult position, he must decide whether to continue to help Jim get his freedom or return Jim to Miss Watson. The motif of morality is prevalent in this passage, Huck must choose between his conscience and morality. The use of figurative language and characterization of Huck show that Huck values Jim’s friendship.

In this excerpt, motif and character are revealed. Huckleberry Finn wrestles his own personal morals and the widow’s satirized values he is taught. Ultimately his character is illuminated by his choice to help Jim gain freedom. Therefore his critical response to Jim’s capture pivots the story by pushing Huck to pursue a plan for Jim’s escape. This passage emphasizes Twain’s satirical criticism of not taking responsibility. He is ridiculing people who “don’t want to take no consequences” for their disgraceful actions. Moving the novel closer to the conclusion through this prolonged falling action leaves the reader in suspense. Writing with conviction, Twain describes the con men as “scoundrels” who wronged Huck and Jim. Furthermore, he writes

Huck faces the challenge of freedom through the character of Jim. Huck ultimately sets Jim free, factoring in many decisions. In this section of the adventure Huck and Jim are traveling to Cairo, where Jim would be legally free. “Jim said it made him all over trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom. I begun to get it through my head that he was most free - and who was to blame for it? Why, me” (Twain 66). Twain’s purpose for indicating that Huck was feeling guilty, was to show characterization through conflict. This conflict affects how Huck feels as a person, and his dignity. Twain’s reason for this is to show that Huck doesn’t always feel he is doing the right thing. Twain has all these conflicts affect Huck's values and motives, in many different ways.

Considering his placing as a runaway slave, who is technically legally owned by Miss Watson herself, responsibility would then fall to Huck as far as turning him in, something he wrestles with countless times after he and Jim decide to stick it out together, in search of freedom. In each instance, he knows the “right thing” to do for Miss Watson falls short of the feelings and experiences he grows to share with Jim firsthand, as they find a lot to empathize with in one another, in their travels along the Mississippi. Since Twain, indeed, wished to paint their relationship as wholly genuine, neither all good nor bad, this bolsters their similarities and differences to the extent where their company can exist, apart from any preexisting social structures. Whereas the river is somewhat daunting at first, when he approaches it alone, Huck takes at least some degree of genuine solace in the company Jim provides, creating the circumstances necessary for true appreciation of their naturalized utopia aboard their raft. Although Huck, in constant asides, may frame the more positive or admirable qualities Jim possesses as exceptional, but only in the context of his race, we know that he is not saying this solely from a position of bigotry, as much as it signifies the exhibited effects, however subconscious, by the racist atmosphere that prevailed around this time and place. By the same token, Huck is, as such, a pragmatist,