Huckleberry Finn Morality Quotes

Since the dawn of time {Adverbial Subordinate Clause}, Man has searched for the meaning of life. There have been many philosophers and intellectuals trying to find an answer to such a complex question. Even in our society, where we stand as pioneers in an unprecedented era of technology; the answer still demands a response. A modest author, David Levithan {Appositive Phrase}, once said, “If you want to live within the definition of your own truth, you have to choose to go through the painful process of finding it (goodreads.com).” This quote can relate to the novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, because it captures the experience of the protagonist, Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain, author of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, writes the story of

an indigent southern adolescent boy who is propelled into a diverse and uniques adventure in the backdrop of the Mississippi River.

Through his adventures and upbringing, Huck Finn learns to establish in himself a meaning of life supported by his own morals and beliefs, which in fact go against the conformity of the time.

By the inherent nature of his upbringing {Adjective Subordinate Clause}, Huck Finn rejects the values and traditions of the civilized world; through this rejection he begins to establish his character. Huck hails from what most people consider sordid circumstances. His father, in the novel, is a roaming drunk, who abuses Huck constantly. Thus Huck has habits that are quite backward. When he is taken in by the widow Douglas, she restricts Huck from living the only lifestyle he knows. He dislikes the traditions and practices he is exposed to in the civilized world, and he reflects “I [feel] so lonesome, I most wished I was dead (3).” This explicit statement demonstrates how Huck greatly dislikes the civilized world, and yearns to go out and find his meaning. After escaping his father and the realm of civilization, Huck experiences a thrilling adventure with his friend Jim. He had just met a beautiful family, the Grangerfords,

who were blatantly killed in cold blood, simply because of a family feud. After seeing the brutality of civilization, Huck runs to the safety of his raft with Jim, and he says “warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft (88).” In this passage Huck demonstrates how the uncivilized world, symbolized in the raft, appeals much more to him as a person. He admires the simplicity of it and the freedom it offers. At the very end of the novel, after the central predicament terminated in a quite spectacular way. Aunt Sally offers to adopt Huck, and raise him as one of her own {Compound Sentence}. Even after the hardship that Huck bared, he still refused to be an active member of society. He says to himself, “Aunt Sally [was] going to adopt me sivilize me and I can’t stand it. I been [in this situation] before (220).” Clearly, Huck has set himself to be a boy of nature and freedom. This is one of the aspects that lead Huck to find the meaning in his life.
Huck Finn in face of the conformity of society, is tempted to turn in his friend and fugitive partner, Jim; but he decides to act on behalf of his beliefs rather than society's opinion; thus establishing his own character through his actions.

Constantly, Huck is tempted to just go turn in this friend, because society sees the act of running away with a slave as vile. He is faced with a dilemma to either act upon the conformity of society or do what he believes is right based on his values. He chooses to be loyal to his friend, and sets his own values in life. In a scene where, Huck and Jim first meet each other, Huck says, “'Jim, this is nice,' I says.’I wouldn't want to be nowhere else but here (9).” This scene embodies everything Huck stands for and believes in. Simply because he is having the time of his life outside civilization, and with his friend Jim, a runaway slave; all of which challenge the conformity of the time. Huck, as said before, has strong loyalty for friend Jim. This loyalty stems from a promise made near the beginning of the novel. In retrospect, if Huck turned in Jim, arguably his life would be easier, yet he never does. He sets down a principle in his life, and proudly tells Jim, “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist … but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell (28)" There eventually comes a time where this loyalty is tested to its limit, in a scene of which is considered by most people to be the moral climax of the book. Jim

is missing, and Huck does not know what to do. He writes Ms. Watson to tell her the truth of Jim, but feels uneasy doing so. A conflict between the morals of society and Huck’s value arises. He eventually decides, ands says all "All right, then, I'll go to hell (31).” By doing this, Huck indefinitely establishes his fundamental core values and finds his meaning of life by doing so.
In conclusion, the meaning of life can be open to a wide variety of interpretations. We as a human species are so unique and complex that this meaning will never be set definitively. The lives we experience and the actions that we do mold our character, and lead us to find our own unique meaning. Mark Twain, in his novel, molds Huck Finn into a boy with proper values and beliefs. Huck, in my opinion is an American hero, because he stands out with his own radical and progressive value in a corrupt society.