After lying to Jim and getting caught, Huck thinks on his actions. “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither” (86). Huck knows that his actions are wrong but struggles to apologize to Jim because he is conditioned to believe that Jim has no real value. Huck tries to break free from the influence of society and in doing so, he realizes that his actions are not morally acceptable. With no interference from society, Huck is therefore able to humble himself to Jim and treat him in a way that opposes society’s expectations.
Jim teaches Huck how it is wrong to trick people, but he also helps Huck learn how it is wrong to think negatively of other people simply because of their race. Huck does not think that Jim has the same feelings as a white individual, but Jim being upset causes Huck to learn that an African American does not enjoy being fooled, just like a white person. Through this quotation, it is also seen that Huck believes that he previously was superior to Jim. Huck says that he ‘humbles’ himself to Jim as if Jim is below him. Huck, through Jim's reaction, learns how someone's race does not determine who they are as a person and also that race does not make someone superior or inferior to someone else.
This lead Huck to search for others on the island as he soon realizes he was not alone. A few minutes into his search he discovers Jim, a simple and trusting runaway slave. After convincing Jim that he is not a ghost Huck was thoroughly surprised to find out that Jim had ran away because he found out that he would soon be sold into slavery down south. Even though Huck says that if people were to find out they “would call me a low-down Abolitionist and
It is said that if you carry your childhood with you, you will never grow up. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist, Huck Finn, proves to leave his childhood behind in all he endures while helping a runaway slave. Set in various states along the Mississippi River in the years before the Civil War during which slavery is prominent, Huck Finn is a character who swims against the tide and makes his decisions based on his conscience, not on the influence of society. Although Twain portrays Huckleberry Finn as uncivilized, stubborn, and naïve, initially, by the end of the novel, Twain provides the reader with a “grown up” Huck who ignores societal standards and champions the well-being of all humanity, race, ethnicity,
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).
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. This also shows how his aspects of racism are changing; he starts to believe people are people, no matter
Huck is separated from Jim in chapter 15, and when they are reunited Jim expresses his emotions and calls Huck trash, “my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’… de tears come en…” (183). Huck is emotionally stirred by that and feels mean himself, which is a turning point of significance in the novel. After a few minutes, Huck apologizes to Jim. Huck’s apology puts him in an equal if not inferior position to Jim, and he acknowledges Jim has helped him more than he thanks him
Jim takes what she says and looks at it from a different perspective. Jim says to Huck, "en I's wuth eight hund'd dollars." When Jim says this he is teaching Huck two different morals: one that being racist is wrong but two if the world looks down on you, you can turn something bad into good. The rest of the population just thinks that Jim is a piece of property and is only good for money. Jim teaches Huck tat that is not the way to look at things and to not be a part of racial
Huck also had to dress like a girl just to get information about something while I just go up and ask. He steals stuff from almost everyone he can but I don’t steal even when it’s necessary to. Huck doesn’t really care about anyone other than Jim because they are both running away trying to escape and have their freedom in life while I care for everyone I know and I am not running away just to gain my freedom. Huck is mostly a trouble maker in everything he gets into he steals, curses, talks back, and sneaks out of the house at night while I do what I’m told, don’t curse, and I don’t
They become travel companions after a series of events in which Huck is believed to be dead, and Jim, on the run. When he is first introduced, Jim is “Miss Watson’s big nigger” (Twain, 3), merely a servant Huck plays tricks on. As they progress on their travels, Huck not only refers to Jim by name, but became more of a companion rather than a servant. He is given a say in their plans, “[Huck] must go in the dark and look sharp” (Twain, 41) and Huck is receptive to his ideas and advice. Having been raised with the clear distinction of race and the idea that there should be no “free nigger[s]” (Twain, 21), Huck and Jim’s relationship shows a remarkable transformation from a servant-master relationship to one that is less prejudiced, travelling having given Huck the opportunity to see Jim as a person, rather than a servant, and Jim given the freedom of expression.