The Theme Of Freedom In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

"Sometimes we would have that whole river all to ourselves for the longest time. Yonder was the banks and the islands, across the water; and maybe a spark or two--on a raft or a scow, you know; and maybe you could hear a fiddle or a song coming over from one of them crafts" (Examining the River in Terms of Symbolism in 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'). Freedom is a wonderful thing many Americans today take for granted. According to Webster's Dictionary, the word freedom is defined as "the condition of being free from restraints." Although, both characters, Huck and Jim, were free in different senses, they were still free. "...Because the river was so peaceful and calm that it led to their freedom to do as they please without the barriers given by society on land" (Examining the River in Terms of Symbolism in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn")"Jim is safe from those who hunt runaway slaves. On the river, Huck has the time to ponder all that goes on around

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

Huckleberry Finn is also lifted into great literary status by Twain’s compelling use of symbolism. An example of this symbolism is the Mississippi River. Throughout the novel, the river symbolizes life’s journey and, eventually, Huck’s natural integrity. It represents a place of ease and safety for both Huck and Jim. There is a major difference between their life on the river and their life on the land. On the river, life for Huck is peaceful and easy yet not without its dangers, whilst life on the land is most often cruel, demanding, and deceitful. Another example is how life on the raft is a paradox because, even

Along the way they face many obstacles both mentally and physically. Many of the obstacles that occur in one’s head are in association with Huck, he often argues with himself to make choices. After all Huck 100% supports slavery but Jim changes this perspective slightly,

“He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me; though I used to take to the woods most of the time when he was around “ (Twain 3). Huck’s father is so abusive that he cannot stay, and so he fakes his own death. Faking his death and fleeing to Jackson Island is the only thing Huck can do enable to save his own life from the dangers of Pap, and his way to escape from society. Huck finds that he is not the only inhabitant on Jackson Island, and he finds that the other inhabitant is Jim, Mrs. Watson’s slave. Jim tells Huck that he overheard Miss Watson discussing selling him for $800 to a slave trader who would take him to New Orleans, which would separate him from his family. Both Huck and Jim come to conclusion that the river is the only route they can take if they want to be free. “So in two seconds away we went a-sliding down the river, and it did seem so good to be free again and all by ourselves on the big river, and nobody to bother us. (Twain 29). The river represents freedom and it goes with the calm, steady flow,which Huck wishes to be. Huck uses the river as an escape to escape the norms of reality and society. Huck represents a boat that is floating down the river, but he is still being pointed to the direction others want him to go. Life on the shore is harder because a boat ,Huck, obviously doesn't belong on land. Huck is being forced to fit the standards of Pap,

Furthermore, the novel illustrates the unrestricted freedom the river provides through the connection with nature, independence from slavery, and the pair’s relationship. After escaping the clutches of the restrictive lifestyle of Miss Watson and the violent relationship with his father, Huck seeks refuge in the waters surrounding himself with nature, considering it as his home as he proclaims, “...there warn’t no home like the raft…Other places feel so cramped and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft” (Twain 117). As Jim escapes from civilization towards life on the raft where open friendship and freedom that the river provides overcome prejudice against racism and slavery, he grows as an individual as he declares risking his life and freedom for Huck, “my heart wuz mos’' broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn' k'yer no mo'

The aforementioned quotation best describes Huck's philosophy when faced with ties that bind. When he is unable to take the restrictions of life any longer, whether they be emotional or physical, he simply releases himself and goes back to what he feels is right and what makes him happy. Hence, one of the most prominent and important themes of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is freedom. Freedom not only from

Freedom is something that comes unnaturally to Huck. Huck grew up with no parent figures so freedom appears to be somewhat easy for him to attain, but he has a problem

Life on the river for Huck and Jim is very peaceful. Jim built a snug wigwam to keep their belongings dry, they could just lay looking up at the sky, and they good weather. Huck says, “We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness” (Twain, 64). The river provided Huck and Jim many things, not only food, but also a way to escape. For Huck, the river provided him an escape from his life with his father and the Widow. For Jim, the river provided an escape from being a slave. On the river they were both free from their past lives. Mark Twain, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, shows us how nature can offer an escape from society’s restrictions and evils. Even though nature has changed immensely since this book was written, it still provides an escape from society. In today’s world, nature can be utilized as a thinking place or as a place to recover from pain. There are many more themes that we can see in today’s society. Several themes of Huck Finn are still relevant today, including “Nature offers an escape from society’s restrictions and evils,” “People tend to act cruelly or irrationally in groups,” and “Discrimination causes pain and suffering for many people”.

2- Jim a slave that has a different meaning to freedom as opposed to Huck, he is a slave that seems to be a very simple, trusting and believes almost anything he is told. When it comes to social standards Jim always tries to choose the right path for himself and Huck. Jim is bonded to be a slave and wants to be free to live with his family without persecution and consequences. Jim sees Huck as his only friend and would be grateful if and when he can have liberty and all thanks to him. “Pooty soon I’ll be a-shout’n’ for joy, en I’ll say, it’s all on accounts o’

Freedom is what defines an individual, it bestows upon someone the power to act, speak, or think without externally imposed restraints. Therefore, enslavement may be defined as anything that impedes one’s ability to express their freedoms. However, complete uncompromised freedom is virtually impossible to achieve within a society due to the contrasting views of people. Within Mark Twain’s 1885 novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, numerous controversies are prevalent throughout the novel, primarily over the issue of racism and the general topic of enslavement. The characters in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn along with their development take an unmistakable, resilient stand against racism and by doing such in direct relation

Freedom takes on a different perspective for each of the characters in Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The story describes the journey of a young mischievous boy, Huck Finn, and Jim, a runaway slave, as they travel along the Mississippi River in hopes of gaining the freedom that they each had envisioned for themselves. Mark Twain creates a social critique by contrasting the idea of freedom against slavery, civilization and other social norms. Huck’s escape is a flight from the civilized world where, in his ideal world, he would be free of petty values and his violent father; whereas Jim is escaping from the physical clutches of slavery. Although not a slave like Jim, Huck nevertheless feels trapped by the restrictions

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 �The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn�, the Mississippi River plays several roles and holds a prominent theme throughout much of the story as a whole. Huckleberry Finn and Jim are without a doubt the happiest and most a peace when floating down the river on their raft. However, the river has a much deeper meaning than just a compilation of water. It almost goes to an extent of having its own personality and character traits. The river offers a place for the two characters, Huck and Jim, to escape from everybody and even everything in society and leaves them with a feeling of ease. In the middle section of Huckleberry Finn, the river takes on more of a concrete meaning and will be discussed more so in the paragraphs that follows.

When Huck runs away from his father, he goes down the river in a canoe that he found until he gets to Jackson Island. There he is able to relax and recharge while feeling “rested and ruther comfortable and satisfied” (44). While Huck is on the island, no one can find him and take him back to the widow or his father. He is safely hidden from everything he was trying to escape from. Jackson’s Island is where Huck and Jim find each other after they’ve both escaped and it’s the place where they first become acquaintances. “…it was Miss Watson’s Jim! I bet I was glad to see him” (49). In this moment, Huck and Jim are no longer on their own. From then on, they both had each other and nature to rely on to help them escape from what was holding them back. The river is the only place where Huck, a white boy, and Jim, a black slave, are able to interact as friends and form a deep level of bonding. Jim even tells Huck, “’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’” (106). In normal society at that time, a black and white would never have a friendship like theirs, but on the river there’s no one to see them interacting and judge them for it.