Conflict Between Nature And Civilization In Huckleberry Finn

“Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them” - Mark Twain. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain; there is a basic conflict between nature and civilization. Nature represents freedom, and civilization remains at the mercy of nature. Twain portrays this motif “nature versus civilization”, by using examples of how, Huck is at the center of countless failures and breakdowns in the society around him, but when he is in nature, he is away from the society, that has mentally and physically harmed him.
When Huckleberry is back in civilization, bad events arise, such as his Pap finding and kidnapping him. As Huckleberry explains “He said he’d cowhide me till I was black and blue If I didn’t raise money for him.” (23). Huck’s father is an abusive drunk, who wants his inheritance. Huck’s

father frequently beats him, because he’s jealous that Huck has made a life for himself. This kidnapping of Huck, was an opportunity for Huck to break free from civilization and the society that has harmed him.
Nature represents freedom for Huck. When he finally escapes from Pap, he encounters Jim, a runaway slave. They develop a friendship, that Huck goes out of society’s norm to protect. Huck is lonely on the island, but when he see’s Jim he is glad. He says “Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of him telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing.” (25). Huck grows as a person after meeting Jim on the island. He learns about responsibility, love, and morals; he learns that everyone's, even a slave's feelings should be respected.
A recurring theme in the novel is how civilization remains at the mercy of nature.

Huck relentlessly refuses to be civilized by Widow Douglass. As Huck explains “The Widow Douglass allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time. Considering how dismal regular and decend the widow was in all her ways; an so when I couldn’t stand the window no longer I lit out. I got into my old rags and my sugar hogheads again, and was free and satisfied.” (11). Huck doesn’t like to be civilised. He feels much more free when he is in nature, and in his old rags. Even though Widow Douglass tries to civilize him, he always finds a way to escape, thus the theme civilization remaining at the mercy of nature.
Because of the recurring themes in the novel, civilization at the mercy of nature, and nature representing freedom, Twain is perhaps conveying to the readers that nature is much more enjoyable and superior to civilization. When in nature, Huckleberry grows as a person, learning important values and morals, he isn’t learning back in society, with his Pap and the people around him. Thus nature is much more superior than

civilization.