Huckleberry Finn Conscience Vs. Society
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Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn depicts the struggles of the main character as he takes his journey down the Mississippi River with Jim, a runaway slave. Yet, in the world of Huckleberry Finn, there is a clear divide between the morals of society and the morals Huck displays as the narrator of the story. The situations Huck faces will force him to make decisions that will lead to the overall moral development of his character. Hucks struggle between societys values and his conscience comes to a climax when Huck is forced to decide between helping Jim to freedom, or allowing him to be a slave his entire life.
To begin, Hucks struggle between himself and society is displayed throughout the entire novel. However, this reoccurring conflict comes to a climax when Huck writes a letter to Jims previous owner, then rips apart the letter, deciding that he will go to hell if it would result in Jims freedom. Ironically, Huck believes he will be shunned by his community and doom himself to hell if he aids Jim. Despite this realization, Hucks proclamation ends his internal struggle. In the light of his climatic decision, Hucks entire story symbolizes a search for his own conscience and identity, and this identity is shaped by his effort to make moral assessments despite the pressures of surrounding societal rules. The fact that Huck has not been able to resolve his struggle should not come as a shock to readers, because Hucks sacrifice does not fit in to the racist society that influenced the people of that era, including Huck. The statement becomes even more powerful when it is clear to readers that Hucks decision to recognize Jims humanity and help him to freedom, is not shared by the rest of society.
In addition, Hucks choice to free Jim has brought about an unconscious revelation in Hucks character. Towards the end of the story, when Huck is near the Phelps farmhouse, he looks to “Providence to put the right words in my mouth.” (165) Although Huck has always been prone to improvisation, he now credits his ability to Providence. The statement reveals that Huck, despite his own belief that he is now damned, places his fate in the hands of another. Hucks climatic decision also leads him unknowingly, to become civilized to some point. In the novel, whenever Huck stays with individuals who were considered civilized, such as the Widow Douglass or the Grangerfords,