Hucklebery Finn Literary Figures
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The Adventures of Huck Finn
CHARACTER:
Character Name
Description
Quote
Huckleberry Finn
A young outcast boy who is always forced to survive on his own due to lack of authority. He is quick-witted and able to make intelligent decisions, but is often influenced by his friend Tom.
A black slave that belonged to Miss Watson but escaped after she threatened to sell him. Huck and him went off together on the river looking for the free states.
The king & the duke
Fugitives that joined up with Huck and Jim on the raft. They posed themselves as a king and a duke and performed scandalous plays to rip people’s money off. They were later both tarred and feathered.
DICTION:
The diction used in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is mostly informal and neutral.
SYMBOLISM:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has many important symbols throughout the novel. One major symbol is the raft that Huck and Jim travel on through a majority of the book. In Chapter 18, Huck states, “We said there 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.” Huck said this after he and Jim escaped from the troublesome feud between the Grangerfords and the Sheperdsons. The raft represents to Huck an escape from the troublesome and sick society in the outside world. The raft also represents live itself as it floats along the river.
Along with the raft, the river represents the path of life and how it can turn in many unexpected ways and how obstacles can get in the way of things at any time. During Huck and Jim’s journey along the Mississippi, obstacles in the form of troublesome slave hunters and scandalous royalty constantly took them off course and led them on a temporary sidetrack. Once they are able to overcome the obstacles or outrun trouble, Huck and Jim were back on the river enjoying life. Like the river, life also has many obstacles that must be overcome before one can continue down the path.
THEME:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel about trusting what one believes and
knows is morally right. When the king and the duke sell Jim, Huck writes a letter to the Widow telling her about the whereabouts of Jim. Before he sends it though, he tears it up because he realizes how close of friend Jim has become. Huck disregards law and what is civil in order to save a friend. Throughout the novel, Huck risks his life and the lives of others to save his friend Jim. Huck goes against the laws of civilization and follows his own gut and does what he knows is morally right.
Throughout the novel, other minor themes also surface. These themes include racism and greed. In the book, Jim quickly shows himself to be a very loving and kind man, even more so than many of the white men they run in to. He also shows himself to be quick-witted at times and possessive of some wisdom. Jim proves that black people were not as savage and dumb as people in Huck’s time made them