Huck Finn And Jim's Relationship

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Is it possible for a young white boy and a black slave become friends during the 1800s? Most people would answer no when asked this question during this time, due to the segregation between black and white people. However, in Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a young white boy named Huck Finn went against society’s beliefs, allowing him to form a relationship with a slave named Jim. Huck’s relationship with other characters are unique in their own way, but his relationship with Jim is one that is ever changing as well as sincere. His growing bond with Jim leads Huck to question many of the teachings that he has received in the past, especially those about race and slavery. Twain illustrates Huck and Jim’s bond and relationship …show more content…

Slaves were often viewed as property to be owned, less than human, and incapable of feelings and thoughts. Huck has always distrusted society and its morals and intentions because society treats him as an outcast from everyone else. In the beginning of the novel when Jim was Miss Watson’s slave, Huck never really paid much attention to him. He didn’t dislike Jim, but he also didn’t quite like him either. Huck does trust Jim somewhat because he went to Jim to seek advice about his father: “Miss Watson’s nigger, Jim, had a hair-ball as big as your fist… and he used to do magic with it. He said there was a spirit inside of it, and it knowed everything. So I went to him that night and told him Pap was here again…” (17). This shows that Huck didn’t view “niggers” the same way as others did. When the two set out on the raft after they had both run away, Jim attempts to protect Huck by any means possible. He would take care of Huck and made sure he was okay. Jim viewed Huck as a close friend and companion. However, during the beginning, Huck didn’t treat Jim the same way that Jim treated him because he still viewed Jim as a …show more content…

For example, when Huck and Jim argued about their opinions about King Soloman, Huck eventually gives up starting that “it warn’t no use wasting words--you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So i quit.” (80). Here, Huck believes that Jim is incapable of learning, using reason and logic, or making intelligent arguments. Another example of a set back was the numerous pranks that Huck pulled on Jim. They reflect Huck’s attitude towards him. After the incident where Huck and Jim were separated during the fog and they were finally reunited, Jim was happy and thankful and Huck thought it was a great time to pull a joke on Jim. Jim was so relieved to see Huck was okay after being separated and

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