Father Figures In Huckleberry Finn

Father Figures In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain presents many complex social issues through the eyes of a boy on a series of amusing adventures. One prominent theme is that of race and slavery, although Twain presents a slightly more subtle theme, that of father figures. Twain furthers his theme using Huck’s actual father, Pap, and Jim, a runaway slave who accompanies Huck on his adventures. Huck’s very factual style of narration and passivity when dealing with Pap, shows the emotional distance he has placed between himself and his father, for his own protection. That emotional distance seems to carry over into the relationship he has with Jim, who adopts a paternal role. Huck seems unwilling to drop that protective

From the start of the novel it is clear Jim as become a person that Huck can come to for advice. Jim even provides advice regarding Huck’s own father.“A body can’t tell, yit, which one gwyne to fetch him at de las’. But you is all right. You gwyne to have considerable trouble in yo’ life, en considable joy. Sometimes you gwyne to git hurt, en sometimes you gwyne to git sick; but every time you’s gwyne to git well agin”(26). Through Jim’s advice, he is able to show the traditional comfort a father may provide while still being honest. The fact that Jim provides Huck with a sort of emotional protection from his biological father, shows how Jim has adopted the role of a fatherly figure for Huck. Another instance when Jim provides emotional protection from Pap is when they discover the house floating down the river;“Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face—it’s too gashly.’ I didn't look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him”(57). Jim even protects Huck from the pain Pap’s death may cause him and in this instance provides not only protection through advice, but through a more authoritarian yet loving command. Jim also takes physical action to protect Huck by covering Pap with the rags, demonstrating the care Jim has for Huck. Jim shows the intensity of their relationship through his reaction of finding Huck; “my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn’ k’yer no mo’ what

The wall that is forged out of necessity is then carried over into a beneficial paternal relationship, with Jim. Huck had become so emotional stoic that it takes the course of the novel for Huck to be able to understand the depth of their connection and how important Jim is to him. Jim’s countless examples of paternal care through protection, advice and sometimes needed discipline and direction, are able to slowly wear away at Huck’s protective defenses, until he is able to finally have a healthy parental