Jesus Christ “shed more light on [all] things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined” (Schaff 1). Jesus represented everything statisfacotry in the world. He made the best of each and every situation, just as Jim did. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Huck makes friends with a runaway slave, Jim. Jim becomes a companion with Huck and others throughout their journey. Many times he performs actions that represent actions that are pure and holy, as Jesus Christ would. Jim represents a Christ figure due to his sacrificial actions and gratitude towards Huck despite his ignorance. Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim prioritizes other’s needs before his own by sacrificing his freedom to save other characters. When the doctor could not save Tom without assistance, Jim steps out from where he is hiding to help …show more content…
When Huck supports Jim in his dream of being free and helping him accomplish his dream, Jim demonstrates his gratitude through praising him. As they impend toward Cairo, Jim is highly overwhelmed with the fact that he will soon be free all because of Huck. He believes that his freedom “...couldn't have ever been for Huck [and for that]... Jim wont ever forg[e]t [Huck]” (Twain 67). This exemplifies how grateful Jim really feels. He appreciates everything that Huck has done for him to help him be able to be a free man that without him, most likely, would have been impossible. Once again on Jim’s journey to freedom, two men stop their canoe and question Huck about whether or not a runaway is aboard the boat. Huck makes up a lie to cover up the Jim technically qualifies as a runaway. He “...saved Jim [,]by … [saying his “father”] had smallpox [,whom] was so grateful…” (Twain 161) for what he did for him . If Huck did not do this, Jim would have been captured and taken back to Miss.Watson; therefore, taken back into
As a slave? As a friend? As a father figure? Huck finn saw Jim as a friend more than a slave, and or father figure.
Jim was with Huck since the beginning and took care of him and cared for him also teaching him lesson on the way. Jim is trying to protect huck from the outside evil of the world. When Jim finds Huck’s dad’s body in the houseboat he would let Huck see the body because he wants huck to be happy “ Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face-it’s too ‘gashly’” ( Twain 57). Even though Huck’s dad beat huck all the time Huck still loves his dad.
By looking at this quote you can tell how grateful Huck was for Jim and he he treated him. Huck also refers to Jim as one of his only friends. This shows how close of a friend Huck viewed Jim
In addition, he was always happy to be with him, unlike his actual father. “I was ever so glad to see Jim,” (Document B). This shows that even though Jim thought Huck was dead, Huck still came back to see him because he cares about him so much. Jim was seen as a slave, a friend, and a father figure throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Huck. He was a very important part of Huck’s life and helped him mature mentally and physically.
Marx commentates that ” [Jim] drops his habitual pose of docility, if it is a pose, and angrily denounces Huck for making him the victim of a cruel joke. “ This is one of the only times we see Jim get frustrated, with anybody, showing that Jim has human feelings. When Huck tries to convince Jim that he was dreaming, and Jim finds out that Huck is lying, Jim becomes untrustful of Huck, but then Huck, who grew up being above slaves, goes to apologize, showing that Huck is starting to realize that Jim is a human being too. Lamothe states ”Huck learns to shed his prejudices and to see Jim as a human being, not an inferior run-away slave.
“Pretty soon he gapped and stretched himself, and hove off the blanket, and it was Miss Watson’ Jim. I bet I was glad to see him”. Huck’s attitude towards finding Jim, demonstrates the type of person Huck is, friendly and benevolent. It also shows the difference between him and other people during that time, especially since the right thing would have been to turn him in. Furthermore, the finding of Jim would be the start of Huck’s transformation into an archetypal hero.
Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain attacks the institution of slavery, by allowing readers to feel empathy for Jim through showing his fears and concerns about running away from Ms.Watson, and the friendship between Jim and Huck. Mark Twain uses Jim to criticize the ideas of slavery society held onto from before the Civil War by causing readers to feel sympathy for him. This can first be seen on page 45 when Jim admits to Huck why he ran away, “She always said she wouldn sell me.. I hear ole misus tel de widder she gwyne to sell me down to Orleans,” (Twain 45). Jim’s fear of being sold shows a side of the slave trade no slave owner ever recognized.
Everybody has someone in his or her life who teaches him or her how to be a better person. Throughout the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses Jim, a slave, as a source of symbolism for Huck’s maturity. First, Jim teaches Huck about what it truly means to be civilized. Next, Jim shows Huck about the value of family. Lastly, Jim teaches Huck about racial inequality and how to accept people.
After Huck finds out that Jim is captive, Huck “set down and cried. [He] couldn’t help it” (210). After returning to the raft and not finding Jim there, Huck is overcome with emotion. The fear of Jim not being around causes Huck to realize how important Jim is to him. The friendship they developed on the river and through their adventure causes Huck to be more concerned for Jim’s safety than society’s need to keep Jim captive.
Jim displays many father like characteristics towards Huck while on the river. Jim has a strong desire to keep Huck safe. During their trip Huck is approached by men who are searching for runaway slaves, and this makes him contemplate whether he should turn Jim in. Yet, Huck feels extremely guilty for even being curious on the topic and says, “S’pose you’d a done right and give Jim up; would you feel better than what you do now? No says I, I’d feel bad” (Twain 69).
Jim tells Huck he hit her for not listening to get to work, but he then finds out she has been recently made dea when she did not react to the door slamming shut from the wind. He realizes he hit her when she never even heard Jim to begin with. Jim was so distraught begging for forgiveness from the Lord and his daughter, because he would never forgive himself for his mistake. This shows Jim’s deep rooted connection with love of others and his humanity. Not only that, but Huck realizes he cares deeply for his family and is capable of emotions that otherwise racist ideologies have told him are not possible.
Jim, a runaway slave and one of society’s outcast members in Huckleberry Finn, portrays the admirable characteristic of self-sacrifice. Jim is a father himself and when Huck and Jim are switching shifts for watch on the raft at night, Jim lets Huck sleep through his shift often. This simple act of kindness greatly illustrates the type of self-sacrifice that Twain would want in his ideal person. Huck considers, “I went to sleep, and Jim didn’t call me when it was my turn. He often done that.
The Light of Friendship born on the Mississippi River Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the relationship between Huck and Jim are the main topic of the whole book. They all had their own personality and characteristics. The relationship between Huck and Jim changes as the story goes on. In the very beginning, it was clear that Huck considers Jim as a slave, on the other hand, Huck did not regard Jim as a normal human like himself.
Although there are numerous instances where Huck’s moral growth can be seen, the individuals around such as Jim, will influence his moral growth greatly. Jim, a runaway slave, is the most influential individual when it comes to Huck’s moral development. During the beginning of the novel, Huck’s morals are primarily based on what he has learned from Miss Watson. Huck begins to become wary of such ideals that Miss Watson has imposed on him, and decided all he wanted “…was a change” (Twain 10).
Naturally, as his bond with Jim cultivates, Huck unknowingly treats him as a human. Through Huck’s sensibility, he states, “It didn’t take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn’t no kings nor dukes at all … I hadn’t no objections, ‘long as it would keep peace in the family; and it warn’t no use to tell Jim, so I didn’t tell him” (Twain 125). Correspondingly, Huck gains a consideration for Jim and his personal feelings, which he expresses nonchalantly through motley aspects of their journey.