Maturity in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Maturity in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

"To live with fear and not be afraid is the greatest sign of

maturity." If this is true, then Mark Twain's Huck Finn is the greatest

example of maturity. Huck is the narrator of Twain's book, The Adventures

of Huckleberry Finn. In the book Huck, a young boy from the American South,

travels down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave. The two encounter

many adventures and meet many different people. Along the way, not only

does Huck mature, but he also becomes a kind and loyal person, sometimes

going against the values of society. This is shown through his many

experiences with the Duke and the King, the Peter Wilk's scam, and Jim.

Huck displays his kindness when he picks up two strangers and lets

them travel with him and Jim. "Here comes a couple of men tearing up the

path...They begged me to save their lives and wanted to jump right in...I

says:...Wade down to me and get in." (19). These two men are complete

strangers, and Huck knows that they are being chased, so they are obviously

troublemakers. Yet he takes them in, and welcomes them aboard, showing

great compassion. Later, the two men lie to Huck and Jim. Huck does not say

a thing, though he realizes they are lying. "But I never said nothing,

never let on; kept it to myself; it's the best way; then you don't have no

quarrels, and don't get into no trouble...I hadn't no objections, 'long as

it would keep peace in the family." (19). It is now clear to Huck that

these men are not going to be a blessing to him and Jim. Still, he never

says a thing, and just wants to have a friendly atmosphere between all of

them. H...

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...t his decision. He thinks hard, then makes a

decision. "I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then I says

to myself: 'All right then, I'll go to Hell'-and tore it up." (31). This

is extremely significant. After debating throughout the novel about Jim,

Huck makes a decision of complete loyalty, even if it means Hell.

In conclusion, Huck is a true, mature friend of kindness and

loyalty. In dealing with his friends, he sometimes debates about which

choice is the right choice, but always picks the noble one, even if it

isn't socially acceptable. He has faced fear-to the extent of Hell-and, in

the end, has not been afraid to be a true friend. That is one of the

greatest signs of maturity.

Work Cited

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, London: W.W. Norton and Company, 1999.

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