Defining Moments In Huckleberry Finn's Life

Many novels stick out to people because of defining moments that have an influence on the story. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has this like other classic novels. The moment when Huck decides to humble himself to Jim changes the course of the rest of the novel, illumination their friendship that transcends societal norms.
When this novel starts, Huckleberry has no problem playing a prank on Jim, with Tom once, and leading up to their illuminating moment. Early on Huckleberry sneaks off with Tom during their “great escape.” Jim hears them and stays to keep an eye out. He soon falls into a slumber, and Tom puts his hat up in a tree. This confuses Jim when he wakes, and Huckleberry’s only worry was that he would wake up, notifying the Widow of Huckleberry’s antics. Huckleberry’s uncaring attitude toward Tom’s prank of Jim highlights his opinion and attitude towards slaves as a whole. He simply doesn’t care. This is also emphasized by the fact that none of the other slaves names are ever mentioned, they are nothing to him. However, this also shows that in some ways Jim is special to him, and opens the stage for a budding friendship.

Huckleberry is on his own way on the river when he runs into an unexpected friend.

When Huck finds Jim on the river he is ecstatic to have someone there with him, and doesn’t think twice about Jim being a runaway. They continue on together, and Huck shows kindness to him. When he runs back to tell him their being chased when he could have gone off on his own. This supports the argument that Huck is starting to see Jim as his equal worthy of his respect. He could have struck out on his own because people are only looking for Jim- not Huck. It would have been simple to leave Jim behind and he wouldn’t have any more problems. No one in town would believe Jim if he said Huck was alive either, since many thought him his murderer. Hucks caring opens the way to the illumination part in the

novel.
Finally Huck’s relationship with Jim grows even more to the point where Huck “humbled myself to a nigger.” Huck had played a cruel prank on Jim. This loops back to the beginning when Huck had no respect for him and did the same thing. Jim is very upset and Huck immediately regrets his actions, and says he humbled himself to a nagger. This is such a grand moment because Huck has finally accepted Jim as an equal, paving the way for the rest of the novel. It is the moment Huck throws away the teachings of society and starts on his own path. Huckleberry begins his real journey, after he breaks through societal racism.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has its illumination moment when Huck humbles himself to Jim, and the rest of the story flows afterward. This moment highlights the racism against blacks during this time, and that a human is just that, regardless of color. This illuminating moment were Huckleberry humbles himself to Jim makes the novel great because of the forbidden friendship between Jim and Huckleberry.