Moral Dilemmas In Huck Finn

Huckleberry Finn is a young boy in an old world. Through his actions, he displays that he has good heart, although he lives in a time of mixed morals. Huck belongs in the bottom of the social hierarchy, he has received very little education and religious practice. Throughout his adventures, Huck is able to grow as a person, learning from the people he meets. Along the way, he faces several moral dilemmas which serve to teach the audience that doing what is correct is more important than doing what society has imposed.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begin as soon as his alcoholic, abusive father kidnaps him upon discovering about his newfound wealth. Huck manages to escape and runs into Jim, a slave who is on the run after learning that

his owner was about so sell him away. Huck, being from the 1800s and viewing Jim as property, hesitates to join Jim. Along the way, Huck makes bad moral decisions such as stealing food and supplies from local residents and stealing a skiff from a sinking ship with others on board.
As his adventures continue, Huckleberry begins to change, he becomes adult-like in his decision-making.

Later in his journey, two more individuals join Huck and Jim. They turn out to be criminals posing as a king and a duke. Huck realizes that they are lying, but he “never said nothing, never let on; kept it to myself; it’s the best way; then you don’t have quarrels, and don’t get into no trouble” (125). Huck decided not to expose them as it would bring unnecessary conflict. This shows that Huck is becoming more wise as it requires willpower to do nothing when openly lied to. Afterwards, Huck enters a new town and is acquainted with the Grangerfords, a family who is in a feud with the Shepherdsons. While staying with the Grangerfords, Huck delivers a note to one of the family members which results in her running away to marry a Sheperdson. This causes great distress among the family. Huck thinks he should have “told her father about the paper and the curious way she acted, and then maybe he would ‘a’ locked her up, and this awful mess wouldn’t have ever happened” (115). Huck blames himself for what has happened. It would have easy for to blame someone else, but he was mature enough accept his fault. Later being stuck in a sticky situation where Jim is caught and sold, Huck writes a letter to Jim’s original owner, telling where he is in order to resolve this situation. However, he says, “”All right, then, I’ll go to hell”- and tore it up” (214). He ripped up the letter because he finally sees Jim as a friend and as a person at this point and would do what is “wrong” in order to save him. This action shows how Huck’s morals have changed. He did what felt was right, although society told him otherwise and he decided to resolve the situation on his own instead of relying on someone else.
This Journey has changed Huckleberry Finn in several ways. It has taught him to do what he thinks is right and to be responsible for his actions. These lessons that Huck learns

on his journey are what help the story develop.