Huck Finn
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Friendship Built Against the Odds: A look at a young boys travels to find himself, in
Mark Twains the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a quest for self discovery, friendship, family, and most importantly freedom, freedom from many circumstances, abuse, civilization, captivity, slavery, and much more. This inviting book written by Mark Twain has been set in a whole other time. A look into the minds of the past in a time long forgotten, this book manifests a look into Americas past and the ability for people of any age to develop and progress in a world in which society is the biggest obstacle.
The main character in this book is a young boy named Huck Finn. Huck who is very much a wild child has been taken in by a widow and her sister and given the opportunity to be a civilized boy, which Huck thinks is just horrible. “The widow Douglas, she took me in for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldnt stand it no longer, I lit out” (adventures 3). Needless to say throughout the entire book Huck never accomplishes civilization.
Pap Finn, another character in the book, who happens to be Hucks abusive, controlling, greedy, and jealous father, kidnaps him from his civilized surroundings and relocates him to a cabin down the river. In this cabin Huck is imprisoned for weeks. His father is the only person he comes in contact with, and even then that often comes with a beating. After deciding he can no longer handle his fathers abuse Huck plots to escape. He does not wish to go back to civilization, so he schemes his own death and heads up the river. “Well, last I pulled out some of my hair, and bloodied the ax good, and stuck it on the back side, and slung the ax in the corner. Then, I took up the pig and held him to my breast with my jacket (so he couldnt drip) till I got a good piece below the house and then dumped him into the river” (adventures 29).
Now in hiding Huck is alone, often in places throughout the book Huck feels alone physically, and also emotionally. That is until Huck finds a companion, in an older slave, Jim. With Jim, Huck has experiences that will allow him to make his own choices and move away from what society has taught him. Huck has many internal disagreements with himself while on the lamb with a runaway slave as he tries to discover where his mind truly lies on the differences between right and wrong.
Jim said it made him all over trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom.
Well, I can tell yoeu in made me all over trembly and feverish too, to hear him,
because I begun to get in through my head that he was most free- and who was to
blame for it? Why, me. I couldnt get that out of my conscience, no how nor way.
It got to troubling me so I couldnt rest; I couldnt stay still in one place. It hadnt
ever come home to me before, what was this thing that I was doing. But now it
did; and is staid with me, and scorched me more and more. I tried to make myself
out that I warnt to blame, because I didnt run Jim off from his rightful owner;
but it warnt no use, conscience up and says, every time, ” But you knowed he
was running for his freedom, and you could a paddled ashore and told
somebody.” That was so I couldnt get around that, noway. That was where it
pinched. Conscience says to me, ” What had poor Miss Watson done to you,
that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one
single word? What did that poor old woman do to you, that you could treat her so
mean? Why, she tried to be good to you every way she knowed how. That what
she done. (adventures 178).
The above quote was not the only time Huck felt guilty about helping a runaway slave escape to freedom. He questioned himself anytime a moment presented itself that he would be able to tell someone about the runaway slave he is traveling with. In the book the point comes where Jim is captured and Huck feels obligated to let Jims owner Miss Watson know what has happened.
So I was full of trouble, full as I could be; and didnt know what to do. At last I
had an idea; and I says, Ill go and write the letter- and then see if I can pray.
Why, it was astonishing, the way I felt as light as a feather, right straight off, and
my troubles all gone. So I got a piece of paper and a pencil, all glad and excited,
and sat down and wrote: Miss Watson you runway nigger him is down here two
mile below Pikesville and Mr. Phelps has got him and he will give him up for the
reward if you send.
HUCK FINN.
(adventures 178).
Although Huck often felt at fault for Jim attempting to reach freedom he had also felt pleasure with Jim in his company. Huck soon learns that Jim is much more to him than just a travel buddy, but a friend, a protector, a confidant, a father, and ultimately a family. In the book Huck shows his feelings about Jim and the relationship they form.
Sometimes wed have the whole river all to ourselves for the longest time.
Yonder was the banks and the islands, across the water, and maybe a spark-
which was a candle in a cabin window- and sometimes on the water you could
see a spark of two- on a raft of a scow, you know; and maybe you could hear
a fiddle of a song coming over from on of them crafts. Its lovely to live on a raft.
We had the ski, up there, all speckled with