Theme Of Conscience In Huckleberry Finn

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Stephen Covey once said "Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change." In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck struggles with his "deformed conscience" and his "sound heart" throughout the novel. However, Huck has the power to change. Huck's conscience dictates his life in the beginning, throughout the book he battles his conscience, by the end his heart wins. Huck's conscience or society deciphers his actions, thoughts, and words in the exposition of the novel. "The widow rung the bell for supper, and you had to come to time" (1). This quote, completely tells how …show more content…

"Is your man white or black? I didn't answer up prompt. I tried to, but the words wouldn't come... He's white" (68). From this quote, Huck contemplates his decision to turn Jim,a slave, over to the slave catchers. Huck's conscience is telling him to turn Jim in. Society influenced Huck that runaway slaves are disobedient to their masters. Huck views for a white man to aid a runaway slave would be against society's order. However, Huck's heart is telling him to help Jim because he is starting to form a relationship with him. Huck decides to go with his heart, however he still does not feel right he feels as though he has betrayed society trust. "I got to tell the truth...These uncles of yourn ain't no uncles at all—they're a couples of frauds—regular dead-beats" (141). This quote, demonstrates Huck standing up against society for what he believes in. In all the scams the King and the Duke play on innocent people Huck does or says nothing. Huck fears that if he turns the King and the Duke in they will tell who Jim really is, and Huck will break his loyalty to Jim. Before, they could scam the Wilk's family, as in the quote, Huck tells Mary Jane about them being frauds. Huck stands up to them for the first time demonstrating that he now know where the line between right and wrong is. This is very crucial to see that Huck is gaining new morals, one of which is Huck listening to his

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