Stephen Crane Individualism

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

The particular motifs he uses are the abilities to be unashamed and courageous. The concept of being unabashed shows in the quote, “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble to a [African-American]; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither” (Twain 86). Huck’s realization that he is not sorry for apologizing to someone who society perceives as beneath him, becomes a major breakthrough in the story. A second quote that further portrays the motif of being unapologetic also helps support the theme that society’s views must be conquered: “All right, then, I’ll go to hell”-- and tore it up. It was awful thoughts, and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming. I shoved the whole thing out of my head; and said I would take up wickedness again, which was in my line, being brung up to it, and the other warn't.” (Twain 214). To provide context, Huck had written a letter to send to Miss Watson telling her that he had Jim. After having a moment to comprehend his actions, he reflects on the memories and moments he shared with Jim. Tearing up the letter and acknowledging that he would remain loyal to Jim, even though there is an immense pressure for him to abide by a “civilized” form of rules, displays his strength. Twain writes a final quote, symbolizing his courage, on the same page: “And for a starter, I

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

Similarities appear in both Huck's and Jim's view of freedom. First of all, One important similarity is both, Huck and Jim’s, visions of freedom are joined with their escaping from society. Mrs. Watson's attempts at civilizing Huck are expressed when she orders Huck, "Don't put your feet up there, Huckleberry; and don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberry, set up straight" (2). Becoming one with society makes bad experiences for Huck, causing his strong feeling for an unrestricted life. In addition, Jim's bad experiences from society also outcome to Jim's portrayal of freedom. As a slave, Jim is not treated as equally as white people are. Jims unequal treatment from society

Huck always disliked Miss Watson, but now that this society voice plays a part in Huck?s judgment his views are changed. This society views allows Huck to see Jim, a friend, only as a slave and Miss Watson, almost a foe in his young views, as a dear friend. Twain is showing the reader the gross injustices of slavery in this little incident, as well as his moral opposition to slavery. Twain wants the reader to see how slavery ideology changed people, even those who didn?t understand it fully. Twain wants the reader to see how unfair slavery was in how it could even change Huck?s thinking, whom the reader had never before seen voice ill conceptions about black people. When Huck?s mind can be so radically changed to such opposing ideas and morals, the reader sees these horrors plainly and knows Twain?s opposition to slavery is right.

In order to justify it, Huck merely brushes off what he did, blaming it on the way he was brought up. Twain criticizes another form of mob mentality through this quote, in that people often believe that they cannot change themselves due to the way in which they were raised. Many people from the time period would often stay in the same class as they were born into, simply just accepting the fact that they could do nothing about it. While huck may seem serious about what he is saying in the book, Twain’s approach to the situation seems to be sarcastic, as he criticises how society does not challenge how things are. Instead, the status quo seem to simply accept where they are in life and just live. Twain tries to satirize and bring attention to the problem of acceptance within social status, and thus, reveal that any person can take their life into their own hands if they truly want

In the opening stages of the novella, Maggie tries to escape her troubling life through her relationship with Pete. As Maggie grows up, she becomes a beautiful girl who hates her life in Rum Alley. She sees Pete as a savior who could lead her away from her poverty stricken life and bring her into the world of leisure because he introduces her to popular music, dances, and dramas, all of which seem extravagant to her. Maggie “begins to note the well-dressed women she meets. She [envies the women’s] elegance (11).” Most of the melodramas that Maggie watches with Pete show the American dream of a person going from rags to riches, which is a goal that she thinks Pete will help her in achieve.

However, in the novel, Jim meets and trusts Huck thus, emphasizing its inaccuracy. Jim’s decision to refuse society’s stereotype Twain’s use of Jim’s nonconformity pushes for society to be different and treat African Americans equally which then improves relations with African Americans and whites in general. With the use of an unprecedented relationship between a runaway African American and a white child, Twain does not conform to society’s stereotypes. In contrast, he preaches a

Twain uses colloquial diction to convey Huck’s struggle between the values of his southern upbringing, which urge him to return Jim, and his strong friendship and loyalty with Jim, which encourage him to protect the runaway. Although Huck lacks education, Huck interprets the laws in ways that are morally sound, an interpretation that most educated people fail to understand, while they blindly accept the injustice of slavery. Throughout the novel, Twain makes use of uneducated diction and syntax to convey an ironic contrast between Huck’s ability to discern between moral and immoral actions and his lack of education.

This allowed them learn about themselves and each other in ways they never directly spoke about. Twain writes about how Jim, once he is free, will buy wife and children. Huck, however, like his normal non-conforming ways, knows that he should not turn Jim in and rather let him continue to dream on. By Jim wanting to buy his family Twain once again shows the dominance and subordinance factor in homosexual relationships. By Huck helping Jim by being subservient to him, Twain conveys a message that gender identity is fluid and not something to conform to.

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

The moral code of individuals shape their personality and contribute to the thoughts of people in society. Twain uses Jim to signify the journey Huck takes regarding his ethical values: “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don't make no difference” (Twain 43). Twain shows how Jim’s relationship to Huck makes him question what society teaches him about the lower class. When individuals encounter issues that question their ethical values, the result reassures their moral code. The decisions that people make happen for a reason. Therefore, every decision that individuals make reflect their principles. Additionally, in “Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse,” David Smith examines the topic of Jim’s role through the effects he has on Huck. As a moral figure, Jim allows Huck to develop his ethical values while using his own

Often times Huck found himself in a moral dilemma on whether to do what society instilled in him or to do what he thinks should be done. Huck betrayed those feelings of “what society would want” him to do in order to be a good friend to Jim, putting his own self up at risk again for Jim. Jim was being held captive by Huck’s current host and Huck, abandoning his duties of his superior race and being a good Christian, as the Widow called it Huck suddenly has an epiphany “All right then, I'll go to hell!” as he goes to “steal Jim out of slavery” (212). Seeing the situation through Huck’s perspective it gives the reader every little detail that goes into his thought process in his decision making. These types of actions were considered wrong by society at that time and place but Huck sets that all aside and does what he feels is the right thing. Most of the time Huck has to think on his feet making the decision making process even more difficult, like the time when Huck was going to give Jim up as a runaway slave. “Then I thought a minute, and says to myself, hold on, s’pose you’d ‘a’ done right and give Jim up, would you feel better than what you do now? No, says I, I’d feel bad---I’d feel just the same way I do now” (91). Even through Huck’s dialect you can see him argue with himself on what the right thing to is, but he throws out what society would do and does what his heart tells him. Through Huck arguing

In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain presents the problem of slavery in America in the 19th Century. Twain poses this problem in the form of a character named Huckleberry Finn, a white boy raised in the antebellum South. Huck starts to question his view regarding slavery when he acquaints himself more intimately with a runaway slave while he himself tries to run away. Huck’s development as a character is affected by society’s influence on his experiences while growing up in the South, running away with Jim, and trying to save Jim. Although Huck decides to free Jim, Huck’s deformed conscience convinces him that he is doing the wrong thing.

Many aspects of the novel that initially drew me in ended up staying true to their claim and impressing me even more than I originally expected. For instance, the complexity of the characters, specifically Jim, is simply astounding. To demonstrate, despite being on the brink of achieving freedom, Jim chooses to take the chance of losing it when he refuses to leave an injured Tom behind whilst saying that he “‘doan' budge a step out'n dis place 'dout a DOCTOR, not if it's forty year!”’ (Twain 275). This not only depicts Jim’s selfless nature, but also portrays the full extent exactly how far he is willing to go for his friends. To elaborate, his original reason for abandoning his mistress was in order to achieve freedom for himself and his family. However, after learning to cherish the time and memories he and Huck have spent together on the raft, Jim risks failing to achieve his one goal in order to make sure his friends are safe. Another prominent feature of the novel is the method in which they address the topic of racism and slavery. Again portrayed through the character Jim, Twain interweaves threads of racism into his actions and speech in order to depict the social hierarchy of the time period. To illustrate, although his personality can attribute for certain aspects of his actions, the audience truly learns to recognize the effects of institutionalized racism when Huck reveals that