Deceit and Trickery in The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

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Deceit and trickery can be lifesavers. In the, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, deceit and trickery are essential traits in Huck’s life. Huckleberry Finn is a young boy living in the South in the late 1800s. Being in such a racist environment, Huck is not prevented from associating himself with African Americans. When Huck runs away from home, he runs into one of his own family’s slave who is escaping. Huck soon befriends the slave named Jim and both of them travel on a raft to the North seeking freedom. Jim being a runaway slave, presents many problems for both Huck and Jim. Huck must use different styles of trickery and deception to stay out of danger, and also help his companions. Twain suggests in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, deceit is essential to function in a corrupt society.
Huck faces many dangerous situations throughout the story and must use deceit to save himself from a racist society. Huck travels with an escaped slave putting him in fatal danger. When traveling with Jim on the river, Huck runs into a serious problem. Men searching for escaped slaves, wish to search Huck’s raft where Jim is hiding. If Jim is found, Huck could possibly be killed or be in terrible trouble. Facing a life or death situation, Huck uses the only thing that can save him. Huck deceives the men by lying to save himself. Huck tells the men, “He’s sick- and so is mam and Mary Ann”(Twain 95). The men are terrified that Huck’s family is sick and continue on without searching Huck’s raft. Jim is saved but more importantly, Huck has saved himself from any danger. Huck later runs into more trouble from slave hunters. The hunters have received word that Jim is hiding out possibly in a cave. Huck knows they are being tracked and nee...

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...er think he is her nephew, Tom Sawyer. By doing so, Huck could easily stay around Jim and find away to help him escape. This would also prevent any suspicion and would keep Huck from danger and trouble. Huck has changed identities twice showing, “His lies often trip him up and force him to invent other lies. Does he tend to lie only out of necessity?”(Rasmussen). By using disguise, Huck helps himself and others to function in a corrupt society.
Huck associating himself with Jim presents many problems throughout the story. Both characters run into family and slavery problems causing them great danger. Huck must use deceit and tactics of disguise to protect himself and the lives of others. It is shown in the story; deceit and trickery are essential to persevere in a corrupt society. Although Huck is a young boy, he understands how essential trickery is to survive.

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