Huck Finn Character Analysis Essay

Is huck in The Adventures of huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, a skilful literary character for young readers today? He is seen at the show upset of the novel as a trouble many young child who needs to be taught how to act in a civilized manner and Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, models of constituted society take him in, attempting to educate him. His father however kidnaps him, and huckaback is no longer trapped by the conformity of society, save rather by the harsh treatment of his abusive father. Still seen as a misfit child, his character gains some respect from the reader when he is able to fake his feature death and escape from his fathers jail. When huck and Jim, Miss Watsons runaway slave, origin encounter one another after both of them have escaped from society, huckaback views Jim as property, solely decides to abet him anyway.At this full point Hucks character is developing along with the readers respect for him as a young adult. His consequential decision to hel p Jim escape from slavery foreshadows Hucks moral change that will eventually occur in the novel. As the written report progresses, Huck and Jim spend significant time together locomotion down the Mississippi River, where Jims single(a) character begins to develop along with the two fugitives ad hominem kin. By the end of the novel Huck sees Jim as an equal, accept deep down in his heart that Jim is a free man. Due to his departure from conventional society as well as his individualal relationship with Jim, Huck is able to undergo extensive moral development as the novel progresses.Although by the end of the novel Huck has become an individual with his own opinions and morals, throughout the first section of the story he is still a radical young boy being trapped by the conformity of conventional society. Prior to being taken in by Miss Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck lived a rugged life with his abusive, alcoholic Pap. Huck was sharp with this lifestyle of not going to school , and stealing to get by day to day. His introduction to society and the normal lifestyle it brings with it, strangles the adventurous nature of Hucks character and he becomes unhappy. After getting used to attending school regularly, using table manners, and being taught to believe in God, Huck makes an important observation by saying, I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones too, a miniature bit. The widow said I was coming along slow but sure, and doing satisfactory. She said she warnt ashamed of me (Twain 15).At thispoint it is apparent that Huck has not yet developed a mind of his own. He is letting society influence the way he acts and thinks, not showing any of his square character. By conforming and adopting the ideals of conventional society, Huck is not thinking or living to his full potential. The reader does, however, see a slight change when Huck and Jim meet at Jacksons Island where Huck admits that people could call me a low-down Abolitio nist and despise me for keeping mum- but that dont make no difference (Twain 36). Even though he knows society would not agree with his decision, Huck has agreed to help Jim escape.Hucks personal choices, as well as morally challenging decisions made while traveling the Mississippi with Jim, are crucial to the development of his character. Although Huck did decide to help Jim escape from Miss Watson, he was originally only in it for the adventure and planned on turning Jim in further down the river. However, Jim turns out to be a caring man who treats Huck with immense respect and attention. Had Huck still been under the influence of conventional society, his decision probably would have been different, because slaves were considered nada more than property and Huck had been taught to believe that fallacy. The two runaways form a relationship while traveling down the Mississippi River in which they help and shelter each other. Huck begins to think of Jim as a friend and the father he never had. This change is made when Huck admits that it was fifteen minutes sooner I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger but I done it, and I warnt ever downhearted for it afterward, neither (Twain 86). Along with Hucks feelings of some form of racial equality came feelings of guilt.Huck is still feeling guilty for stealing another persons property, someone who had never done anything to harm him. One literary critic says that, No more devastating comment has ever been made on the fraudulent pretensions of civilization then the great scene in which Huck struggles with himself over the question of whether to turn Jim back to Miss Watson (Podhoretz 2). At this crucial point in the story it can be noticed that the influence of society is still hovering over Huck in some way, but he is attempting to develop his own moral opinion on the subject.In his struggle, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson telling her where she can find and recapture her runaway slave, but before sending the letter, hethinks about his relationship with him and the positive influence Jim has had on him, thinking, all right, then, Ill go to hell- and tore it up. It was thoughts and awful lyric but they was said. And I let them stay said and never thought no more about reforming (Twain 214). Here Huck has reached his greatest self consummation he figures out the morally correct thing to do, without the influence of society.No sooner did Huck reach his paramount decision, than his convictions are challenged when Jim is sold to the Phelpss woodlet and he comes into contact with his old friend Tom Sawyer. The woodlet belongs to Toms Aunt and Uncle, who are expecting a visit from Tom. Huck arrives at the plantation with the intent of finding Jim and setting him free once again, but the couple mistakes him for Tom, he goes along with it. Tom arrives at the plantation and Huck living at that place with him, begins to regress from his newly found moral givement. The int roduction of Tom into the story is symbolic of the introduction of conventional society back into Hucks life. He has always seen Tom as being the more intelligent half of the twosome, and when they team up to free Jim, Huck returns to the lower position. Huck allows Toms elaborate escape plan and foolish games to influence his actions. He is focused on achieving freedom for his friend, and is willing to do anything to accomplish that goal.Huck passionately proclaims his reliable feelings to Tom when he states that, What I want is my nigger and if a picks the handiest thing, thats the thing Im a-going to dig that nigger out with and I dont give a dead rat what the authorities thinks about it nuther (Twain 246). Seeing Jim being held captive on the plantation reminds Huck to stay true to his self-proclaimed values, and not lose sight of a promise to Jim to gain him his freedom. Achieving this goal and freeing Jim from slavery would enable Huck to remain an individual and overcome the influence of society that had entered back into his life. At the end of the story Huck is able to talk to Jim with a feeling of accomplishment as he tells him that hes, a free man again, and you wont ever be a slave no more (Twain 275).How is Huck able to achieve this accomplishment? It is his departure from conventional society as well as his relationship with Jim that allows Huckto develop considerable moral character. At the start of the story Huck is restricted by society and forced to believe what they tell him to believe, so he does not feel any personal connection with Jim. formerly Huck leaves society he starts to form his own opinions and moral values based upon the way Jim acts towards him. His relationship with Jim makes Huck realize the equality of blacks and he thinks of Jim as a trusted and respected person and friend. On the Phelps Plantation the introduction of Tom acts as the entrance of society back into Hucks life, and causes him to regress, but he is able to ov ercome its influence by the constant reminder of Jims captivity. Huck, in the end, demonstrates the importance of establishing a mind of your own, outside that of conventional society.