More handpicked essays just for you.
Essays on huckleberry finn character analysis
Symbolism in the adventures of huckleberry finn
Essays on huckleberry finn character analysis
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, utilizes Huckleberry and Jim as the protagonists to display the significance of an interracial father-son relationship. In the novel, they have a father-son relationship. Pap is the show of a poor father; he is an alcoholic, a fraud, and abusive towards his own son. This forces Huckleberry to try and find another father figure, who better than Jim. Huckleberry struggles between the judgment of his own conscience and doing the "right thing” that he learned in a white society.
At first, Huckleberry treats, Jim as an ignorant slave and plays tricks on him. “Tom he made a sign to me—kind of a little noise with his mouth—and we went creeping away on our hands and knees
…show more content…
(Twain 4).” As previously stated, “when we was ten foot off Tom whispered to me, and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun. Tom said he slipped Jim’s hat off of his head and hung it on a limb right over him, and Jim stirred a little, but he didn’t wake (Twain 4).” However, Huckleberry then relies on Jim. When Huckleberry sees Pap’s shoe-prints, he goes to Jim to predict the future with his hair-ball. Pap abused Huckleberry, abducted and frightened him. For that reason, Huckleberry out of fear, feigns his own death to escape Pap's grasp. Then, when Huckleberry fakes his death and he escapes to Jackson Island, there he encounters Jim as a runaway slave. As a result, Huckleberry does not tell anyone that Jim is a runaway slave and hides him if they are nearly discovered. In Chapter nine, they were paddling when a two-story house was floating. Huckleberry decides to investigate, Jim tells Huckleberry that he should go first, Jim does and there is a dead man’s body. What is more, Jim “throwed some old rags over him (Twain 52).” Jim does this in order to protect Huckleberry from seeing the dead man’s body. This is another way that Jim is a father figure to Huckleberry, shielding him from pain. In Chapter ten, Huckleberry hides a dead rattlesnake in Jim’s bed and the rattlesnake’s mate bites Jim on his heel. Jim was very ill and Huckleberry nursed him back to health. In Chapter fifteen, Huckleberry and Jim are separated by a fog while on the river, Huckleberry plays a trick on Jim to convince Jim that the fog and separation were all a dream. Jim almost believes Huckleberry until he notices debris on the raft, Jim then scolds Huckleberry. Similarly, how a father would chide his child. Huckleberry realizes that Jim truly does care. Huckleberry eventually apologizes. Also, in Chapter sixteen, when Huckleberry was asked by two white men with guns if the men on his raft were “white or black (Twain 93).” Under that circumstance, Huckleberry lied to both of the men “he’s white (Twain 93).” When the men try to peak at the raft Huckleberry lies again, “ it’s pap that’s there.
He’s sick—and so is mam and Mary Ann (Twain 93).” Huckleberry judged that it was needed to defend and support Jim. In Chapter thirty-one, when Huckleberry finds out that the Duke and the Dauphin sold Jim to the Phelps’s family. Huckleberry resolves to write a letter to Miss Watson, but feels at fault for his actions.
Then, he is faced with an inner conflict, must he follow what white society has taught him and write to Miss Watson, and give out Jim's location, or follow his own morals and set Jim free. “I took it up, and held it in my hand. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: `All right, then, I'll go to hell' - and tore it up (Twain 217).”
Thus, Huckleberry removes the thought of writing to Miss Watson and decides that if saving Jim would result him a place in hell, so be it. His verdict that he is even willing to go to hell to save Jim means that his devotion and love towards the man is endless. Huckleberry ventures of to find the Phelps’, he finds Jim and saves him with the help of Tom Sawyer. The relationship of Jim and Huckleberry is like that of a father and son, they protect one another and seek each other's
approval. In the end, Huckleberry has no true father, but after spending time with Jim and realizing his true qualities he holds a closer bond to Jim than any other male figure he has encountered. Compared to Pap, Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas, Jim was the only one who could be a good parent and get through to Huckleberry. Pap cared more about alcohol and at the money, widow Douglas was a bit of a good guide for him. She tried to teach him religion, she told him about the Bible, specifically the story of Moses.
Together, Huckleberry Finn and a runaway slave named Jim head south along the Mississippi during one summer. During their adventures, Huck has trouble with his conscience—he knows Jim is a runaway, and that the socially correct thing to do would be to turn him in and get him sent back to his owner. However, whenever the opportunity to do so arises, Huck finds it impossible to do. Near the end of the book, when Huck is out meandering and Jim is still on the raft in the river, Jim is captured by an old man as a runaway and gets sold for $40. It is here, at this point, that Huck has his largest moral dilemma. Should he let Jim remain captured, as he is legally the property of Miss Watson, or should he rescue the true friend who has stayed steadfastly and unwaveringly by his side? Huck does not want to remain “wicked,” as he himself calls it, so he writes a letter to Miss Watson informing her that her slave is being held by a Mr. Phelps down south of Pikesville. He cannot, though, bring himself to send the letter. He winds up ripping the letter to shreds, with the comment, “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (p. 207). He is willing to sacrifice his soul, and do a deed he believes he will be damned for, to save Jim, the runaway slave. It takes a character of great moral strength to do what he did.
Huckleberry Finn learns the value of Jim's life as they formed a strong bond with one another. When the Duke and Dauphin sold Jim, Huckleberry realized that he would do anything to save Jim even if it means he will "go to hell" (Twain 217) for not following societies orders. Huck shows the hero side of him when he realizes that he will
When Huck and Jim first meet each other on the island they are just acquaintances who had little history together but the decision they make to help each other foreshadows their relationship later on in the story. When Jim first finds Huck he states, "Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? En you ain' dead—you ain' drownded—you's back agin? It's too good for true, honey, it's too good for true. Lemme look at you chile, lemme feel o' you. No, you ain' dead! you's back agin, 'live en soun', jis de same ole Huck—de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness!" (Twain ). By this time, Jim has heard the news of Hucks “death”, so when they find each other on the island it comes as a surprise to Jim. “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum--but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell, and I ain't a-going back there, anyways” (Twain ), Huck thought. After Jim told Huck that he was a runaway, Huck promised not to tell anyone, which shows his values and foreshadows their relationship later on in the story. After leaving ...
Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest American novels ever written. The story is about Huck, a young boy who is coming of age and is escaping from his drunken father. Along the way he stumbles across Miss Watson's slave, Jim, who has run away because he overhead that he would be sold. Throughout the story, Huck is faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not to turn Jim in. Mark Twain has purposely placed these two polar opposites together in order to make a satire of the society's institution of slavery. Along the journey, Twain implies his values through Huck on slavery, the two-facedness of society, and represents ideas with the Mississippi River.
...f him as a person. He then finally thought of how Jim called him honey and how Jim was all he had. “I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt tow things, and I knowed it. I studies a minute, sort of holding my breath and then says to myself: “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” – and tore it up” (Twain 210). This moment was greatest turning point of the book.
...needs to decide whether to go after Jim or not. During a great moral debate. Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson, telling Jim's whereabouts. Soon after writing it, he feels bad about his decision.
Mark Twain displays good in humanity through depictions of courage in the characters of Huck Finn and Jim. Huck Finn was certainly one of the bravest characters in the book to have faced all of his adventures. When he and Jim happened upon a crashed steamboat, "The Walter Scott", and discovered a ruthless band of cutthroats, Huck had the courage to try and stop them. Huck said, "But if we [Huck and Jim] find their boat we can put all of 'em [the cutthroats] in a bad fix-for the Sheriff 'll get 'em" (Twain 90). Huck had the fearlessness to risk his own life to bring several murderous criminals to justice. The character Huckleberry Finn displayed the human virtue of heroism when he decided to free Jim from the clutches of the Phelps family. Although he thought it would cost him his soul, Huck had the courage to follow his heart in freeing Jim as summed up by his thought, "All right, then, I'll go to hell"(Twain 273). Twains other main character besides Huck Finn is a runaway slave. This slave, Jim, exemplified true courage. When Jim decided t...
Jim had run away from his abusive father and enabling small town to find himself traveling down the Mississippi on a raft. His traveling partner was a black slave, Jim. Wondering why Jim was there, Huck discovers that Jim had run away from his slave owner, Ms. Watson. Jim had spoken about his harsh life as a slave, and resented talk of being sold down to Orleans for a “big stack o’ money.” Huck felt that Jim’s escape was wrong, but kept his promise of secrecy, like any good friend would.
While traveling together down the river Huck and Jim, accompanied by the king and duke, came to a stop after passing their original destination, Cairo, during the night. While at the stop Huck overheard the king and duke put out a reward for Jim. Huck knows that if Miss Watson finds the reward notice, he will return back with Miss Watson.Therefore she will sell him elsewhere. When faced with this difficult situation Huck decided to write a letter to Miss Watson, however, after finishing his final sentence he realizes how Jim contains similar emotions and feelings as him and other caucasians. Huck yells after tearing up the letter “All right then, I’ll go to Hell” (Twain 31). This action supports the individual's right to think differently from mankind and express their free will or ability to choose how they interact with others. Huck treats a person of color equally when Jim discusses his relationship with his family and his past. While listening to Jim talk about his family, Huck understands that Jim cares about his family as much as a white person does and so he says “I knowed he was white inside” (Twain 30). This interaction between Huck and Jim signifies that Huck sees Jim as equal despite the racial bias set forth by mankind's stigma around different races. This scenario accurately supports Twain's idea of equality and fair treatment for all
Before Huck sets out on his raft adventure, he is exposed to the values and morals of his poor, drunken father. Pap Finn instills a "Southern race prejudice" and leads Huck to believe "that he detests Abolitionists" (374). Huck comes into conflict with this philosophy as he journeys on the raft with Jim. He can not decide if he is wrong in helping Jim escape slavery or if the philosophy is wrong. The education of Huck also stirs some values from Pap. When Pap tells him that education is useless, Huck is confused because the Widow Douglas told him that education was important. As a result, Huck's values towards education are uncertain. Pap Finn, as a figure of the lower class, does his part to confuse the growing morals of his son.
In Mark Twain's novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the adults in Huck's life play an important role in the development of the plot. Pap, Huck's father, constantly abuses the boy, never allowing him to become an intelligent or decent human being. He beats and attacks Huck whenever they meet up, and tries to destroy Huck's chances of having a normal life. This situation is balanced by several good role models and parent figures for Huck. Jim, the runaway slave, embraces Huck like a son, and shares his wide ranging knowledge with him. He also protects Huck on the journey down the river. Widow Douglas is another good role model for Huck. She tries to civilize him and make him respectable to society, while also being caring and compassionate. There is a stark contrast in the ways Huck is treated by adults, and all have an affect on him.
Jim serves as a paternal figure for Huck, contrasting with the actions of Pap, as he cares for Huck’s safety and wellbeing. The reader learns that Jim can properly fit the role of a “true father” for Huck because Jim has a family. Twain reveals that his “wife and his children” are away from him, causing him much sadness (Twain 225). Thus, he attempts to fill the gap by acting as a father towards Huck. Jim shows great love and care while constantly protecting Huck, even though Huck seems to be uncaring. He does not wish to see Huck in any pain or danger, and therefore keeps the truth away from Huck. When the pair finds the floating house with supplies, they also see a dead body. The reader notices that Jim is...
Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered the great American novel with its unorthodox writing style and controversial topics. In the selected passage, Huck struggles with his self-sense of morality. This paper will analyze a passage from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and will touch on the basic function of the passage, the connection between the passage from the rest of the book, and the interaction between form and content. The passage takes place in chapter 26. However, to better understand the passage itself, I believe it is necessary for some background information to be told.
...e to Miss Watson (224). Huck’s own morals replace the belief society gave him and convince him that turning in Jim would be wrong. As a result, he resolves that he will set Jim free again, and continues helping him.
The way Huck and Jim encounter each other on the island, draws parallels in their similar backgrounds. Huck is torn between a life of manners and etiquette and a dangerous life a freedom, and while Jim at an impasse because he is being sold into slavery farther away from his home and away from his family. Each choice, for both characters comes with a cost so they both decide to runaway, in an attempt to assert some control over their lives. After spending much time together, the pair establish a connection which at times Huck feels guilty about since it violates everything he was raised to believe. At a certain point, Huck considers turning Jim in by, writing a letter, but after recalling the goods times they shared, Huck exclaims, "All right, then, I 'll go to hell!” (Twain) and quickly tears up the letter. Twain depicts Huck and Jim 's eventually friendship as a source of emotional strife for Huck and Huck constantly has to decide whether to abandon Jim and turn him in or abandon his religious beliefs and stay with Jim. The ripping up of the letter that would have turned Jim in symbolizes the choice Huck 's has selected. For this moment onward, Huck is dedicated to keeping Jim from being sold back into slavery and has no intent on going back on his choice. While there are times, Huck pays attention to the color of Jim 's skin he believes that