This is the climax of the novel, in which many of the underlying themes are made clear. Huck’s morals overcome his fear for punishment, and he is determined to help Jim even if he has to go to hell for it. Furthermore, Jim is a runaway slave, and in the context of the story, helping a runaway slave, albeit one that was sold and has a new owner, would be almost traitorous to Huck’s community. Another revelation is that Huck has transcended the racial constructs of the time, recognizing Jim’s humanity and considering him someone worth rescuing at great personal risk. In this scene, Huck finally breaks the restraints of society, and indeed, his environment, by ignoring all societal and theological constructs and instead choosing what is right by his conscience. …show more content…
Twain foreshadows that Huck may go to other extreme measures to help Jim to freedom in the future, and indicates that the novel will take another twist in its closing. This also contributes to the sense that Huck is nearing desperation to help get Jim out of his
Throughout the novel, Huck symbolizes the eternal struggle between pre-established communal expectations and moral consciences. Jim: A runaway slave with a mission to avoid eternal separation from his family,
By the end of the book, he had started to realize that he really did care about Jim. Huck is writing Miss Watson a letter towards the end of the book talking about where Jim is and how she can get him back. After writing the letter, Huck starts to think about the good times he had with Jim and says that “...somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places for me to harden against him, but only the other kind.”(213). This was the most powerful part in the book for me because after thinking of all the good that Jim has brought him, he tears up the paper and says “All right, then, I’ll go to hell”(214). In Huck’s mind, he had the choice to send the letter and go to heaven or to try to save Jim and go to Hell for doing the wrong thing as far as the widow taught him.
Huck sees Jim as just property and an ignorant slave who is below him. He does not really care about him very much, but we see that he cares enough to risk helping a black man get to the free states. We see Huck play a trick on Jim when he puts a snake next to Jim when he is sleeping and scaring him half to death when Jim woke up.. Huck just sits there and laughs at Jim. This is the typical 14 year old who loves to play tricks on the adults.
Suddenly, Huck’s eyes are opened to the shortcomings of people he was previously blind to. Huck reaches the pinnacle of his moral development when he decides that Jim is worth going to hell for, no matter what society may think about a slave’s worth. After much internal turmoil, he decides, “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (Twain 215). This is a significant point in his changing perception of what is “sivilized”, as he finally decides that the ideals he has been taught are truly not worth it.
Huck is looking for a father, and Jim is looking to join a family. The two complement each other well (4). Helping an escaped slave is a criminal offense during this period of time. It could be argued that Huck is not fully aware of the consequences of his actions, but as the reader sees time and time again, Huck is a very wise, very practical, very street-smart boy.
Huck came to a realization that there are slaves who are genuinely good people, one of them being Jim. He was always excited to
“All right, then, I’ll go to hell… And for a starter I would go steal Jim out of slavery again”(215). Though Huck feels he’s doing something right, back then people would have saw this as a crime. Thus, demonstrating his relationship and bond that he creates with Jim throughout their adventures and journeys. Not to mention his attempt to save Jim, characterizes Huck as a hero.
Huck has to decide whether to send a letter to Mrs. Watson, his former legal guardian and Jim’s former owner, that Jim is captured which meant that there is a possibility of getting executed, or to do what is morally right and free Jim from captivity. Huck took some time to reminisce about their adventures and what Jim would have done if he were in the same situation. Huck started writing the letter then came to a realization that what he is about to do is wrong. “Id got to decide forever betwixt two things and I knowed it.
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.
Huckleberry meets Jim, a runaway slave, after he escapes his abusive father to live on his own. As Jim and Huck make their way down the Mississippi river to Jim’s freedom, Huckleberry struggles with two contrasting voices in his head. He knows that he is going against his society’s morals by helping a slave run away, but in the back of his mind he also knows that it would be wrong to turn Jim in. Huck debates the issue and tells himself “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” (228) when he decides to not turn Jim in. Huck’s conclusion that he will go to hell when he is actually doing the ethical thing by helping Jim, presents the hypocrisy in society’s religious assumptions.
But Huck also feels like he can not turn Jim in because deep down he knows that Jim’s life will be better not being a slave. This shows that Huck battles between himself whether to follow society’s rules or his own morlas. When Huck chooses to not turn Jim in as a runaway slave, that makes it evident that he matures or so it
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.
Huck insinuates both that Jim’s superstition is silly and that his actions may have actually brought them good fortune. Jim responds, “Never you mind, honey, neveryou mind. Don’t you get too peart. Mind I tell you, it’s a-comin”(62). Huck then narrates that Jim’s prediction comes true.
Throughout their journey, Huck is aware that Jim has escaped but does not know whether or not to turn him into the authorities. Huck’s mentality about society matures and he realizes his need to protect Jim from dangers. As the novel progresses, Huck begins to realize the flaws in society. Huck ultimately chooses to follow his own
This transition is the result of the extended period of time that the two spend together, which allows Huck to look past the differences that he has been taught to observe for his entire life and view Jim for what he is; a fellow man. By the end of this passage, Huck’s resolve to do right by Jim is so strong that he is willing to suffer eternal damnation rather than betray Jim. Perhaps Huck’s most important statement in this passage is “Alright then, I’ll go to hell”; here he decides he’s willing to go to hell for eternity rather than causing Jim to return to his life as a slave. At first Huck just thought of Jim the property of another person, a good to be bought and sold regardless of any evidence that he was a human being. As they travel together, this viewpoint is gradually weakened by examples of Jim’s humanity, culminating in a model shift that goes against everything Huck has been taught about the societal status of a