Huck Finn Dbq Analysis

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. In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim teaches Huck about civilization, family, and racial inequality.

He does not think it is right to help take away slaves from people that he doesn't even know. To turn Jim in for these reasons would be the influence of society on Huck. Huck's decision on this marks another major step in Huck's moral maturation, because he decides not to turn in Jim on his own and adds another moral that he made and no one told him. This is the first time he makes a decision all on his own. Both this incident and the Wilkes Scheme represent Huck's ultimate realization and rejection of society. Huck states, "I'll go to hell" (207) to see Jim into freedom decision to help Jim. Also Huck matures through situations full of guilt. In Chapter 28 Huck encounters this type of situation when the King and the Duke are ruining lives of the Wilkes and their slaves. “Miss Mary Jane, I have a new plan. This plan won’t require you to stay at the Lothrops for four days. I want you to leave immediately and stay the day there. At nine o’clock tonight, tell them that you have forgotten something and must return home. If you arrive here before eleven o’clock, put a lighted candle in the window. If I see the candle, I’ll come to you. If I don’t come to you, you will know that I am on my raft and have gone away. Only then should you tell the men of this town that the king and the duke are not really your uncles.” “I’ll do that,”(104-105). This situation really illustrated how

In Chapter 16, when Huck sees Jim’s reaction to being near freedom, Huck describes his feeling as, “miserable”, “abusing”, “scorched”, and “die”. Although Jim is happy to face his future, Huck becomes burdened by societal beliefs and more importantly, his own moral values. For Huck, bestowing freedom to a slave is shameful and unethical; no different from one’s “property”. This also implies that Huck values the societies view more than his relationship with Jim. Later on, Huck’s view of the past changes as he separates his own conscience from the societal values. This is seen in chapter 31, when Huck reflects on his journey as “good”, “laughing”, and “best”. Despite conflicting with societal values, Huck was able to enjoy Jim’s companionship. This is a direct result of him starting to believe that Jim is his equivalent and is worthy of being his friend. By referring to slaves as “n*****” and other derogatory dictions earlier in the novel, then calling Jim “white” and using joyful dictions, Twain highlights Huck’s shift in view from the typical societal view that slaves are “properties” to his own belief that people are not inherently

Jim teaches Huck lessons about right and wrong, especially about race. One example of how Jim teaches Huck a lesson is when Huck plays a trick on Jim and Jim becomes upset. Huck says, "It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a n*****; but I done it...I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd 'a' knowed it would make him feel that way" (Twain 97). This quotation shows how Jim teaches an important lesson to Huck. 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. Another example of how Jim teaches Huck a lesson is when Huck sees Jim grieving over missing his family. In the story, Huck says, "He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick;...and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their'n" (Twain 166). In this quotation, Huck learns another important lesson concerning race. Huck previously believes that Jim, as well as other African Americans, do not have sentimental feelings like white folks do. Huck believes that Jim is like an animal who only cares about themselves and how they can survive. However, Jim's mourning helps Huck to learn that Jim has the feeling of love, and that Jim cares

In the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn is the main character that is accompanied with the fugitive slave Jim. The story is set before the Civil War, and it is clear that Jim is seen more as property rather than a person. Jim also presents a feeling of inferiority throughout the book, going without question as to what Huck or Tom Sawyer did. While Tom makes this adventurous, yet overly thought out plan, Mark Twain writes “Jim, he couldn’t see no sense in the most of it, but he allowed we was white folks and knowed better than him; so he was satisfied, and said he would do it all just as Tom

There are certain things that set humans apart from other creatures. Intelligence, emotion, and humanity are concepts that many understand while others struggle to grasp. In a time before the Civil War, African Americans were treated with a lack of humanity and respect. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, exposes the racism towards African Americans in the 19th century by showing the interaction of Jim with white Americans. Jim is a runaway slave owned by a white lady named Miss. Watson; while his partner during his adventures down the Mississippi River, Huck is a young boy raised in a slave-owning culture. Jim will have to struggle with Huck’s moral dilemma of whether or not to view Jim as an equal; Twain continues to set Jim

Mark Twain portrays Huck as a character superior to Tom by making Huck as the complete opposite of Tom. In this book, overall, Huck has foresight about in which event will happen; for example, Huck’s notable quote “I’ll go to hell” implies that he is completely aware of the fact that he will eventually get punished for his action, which was to release Jim--an act that is not accepted by the public. Additionally, Huck is introspective (deep), realistic, and mature; even though ironically, Huck lies in order to resolve the situation. Huck’s maturity is shown in his beliefs, where he believes that Jim (or possibly other black slaves) should be treated equally like any other whites and views the minorities as equal people. On the other hand, Tom simply believes Jim should be released just because Tom believed the story of releasing Jim would make a great adventure. Moreover, Tom’s overall craving for adventure exhibits his childlike and fantastic qualities, which contrasts Huck’s quality of being a mature boy. By describing Huck as a boy who is more thoughtful than Tom, Mark Twain deliberately makes Huck to be superior to Tom (which ultimately implies Twain’s contrast of realism and romanticism).

Chp.31). As Huck and Jim navigate down the Mississippi River, sharing narrow escapes and miracles, their bond develops. Huck comes to love and respect Jim, but the notion of doing the “right” thing tells him to turn Jim in. From his bringing up, he believes he has a moral obligation to turn Jim in, because Jim is Miss Watson’s ‘property’. But, reminiscing of his Journey with Jim and “how good he always was”, Huck denies the moral code society placed upon him and decides he will do everything to go save Jim. Smiley says that throughout the entire story “Twain really saw Jim as no more than Huck’s sidekick”, as "Jim is never autonomous never has a vote, always finds his purposes subordinate to Huck's, and, like every good sidekick, he never minds” (Smiley). Yet, we see in Huck’s moral dilemma, how he understands how great and amazing of a person that Jim is when they were “floating along talking, and singing, and laughing”, that he finally defeats the concept of Jim being just a ‘sidekick’ or a slave (HF. Chp 31). Huck truly sees Jim as his equal when he commits his entirety to saving Jim, getting mad that to society, Jim amounted only to “forty dirty dollars” (HF. Chp 31). Although he considers turning Jim in and struggles against the constant thought because society would get angry “that Huck Finn helped a nigger to get his freedom” and he would be condemned “to everlasting fire” , we see a person able to defeat mainstream conventions and strive for what he as an individual believes stands as truly right (HF. Chp 31). Smiley claims that the story is only “lighting out for the territory" for racism, but without first convincing the majority of people to judge people by their value rather than what

The dramatic situations Huck and Jim share create trust, which strengthens their relationship despite society's view on black people. The juxtaposition of society and Hucks morals are put to test during the scene when Jim and Huck get separated due to fog. Huck believes it is a good idea to lie to Jim and tell him that's it was all a dream. Jim becomes angry at Huck, not for lying, but for not understanding the consequences of his actions. Huck was truly remorseful, and against society, he was willing to apologize to Jim, even though he was a black man. Childhood innocence comes into play because this story was written when slavery was around and further

In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck and Jim bond closely to one another, regardless of the fact that they belong to different ethnic groups. Huck, a coming-of-age teenage boy, lives in the Southern antebellum society which favors slavery. At the beginning of the book, Twain claims that “Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; and persons attempting to find a plot will be shot” (Twain 2). Ironically, through his experiences with Jim, the uncivilized Huck gradually establishes his own moral beliefs, although sometimes struggling against the influence of society.

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. No matter what happened, Jim was always there for Huck, and Huck was always there for Jim. Even though in the beginning of the novel Huck started questioning what he was doing. Jim showed Huck that you don’t have to be the same skin color or ethnicity, or anything to be friends and care about one

Individuals often say that the right way may not necessarily be the popular way, but standing up for the right thing, despite it being frowned upon, will be the true test of one’s moral character. This relates to the moral growth that Huck Finn experiences throughout his journey. Mark Twain’s controversial novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, can be said to be a compelling story about how one individual, Huck Finn, goes against society’s ideals. Huck’s moral development can be said to be based primarily on those around him, especially Jim. Many instances also influence Huck’s morals, particularly during the raft journey that will change his beliefs and morals. 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.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an American classic, it was the starting point for all great American Literature. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been awarded all of these honorable titles because of its abnormal and controversial plot line. During the time period when the book was written, it was unacceptable to view African- American’s as anything other than slaves. They were viewed as inferior to whites and were treated like property, they had no rights. The main character of the book, Huck, disagrees and disobeys these norms and pushes the boundaries of society when he becomes friends with a slave from his childhood; Jim. As the book went on, Huck is in a constant argument with himself about his feelings toward Jim. Throughout

Huck had a plight while on the run with the runaway slave, Jim. Harvesting and helping a runaway slave was a crime, but Huck just could not let Jim go. Huck cared immensely for Jim as any friend would. That much was a risk worth taking to Huck. In document E, Huck says, “‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’ -and tore it up.” The letter in which Huck tore up was a letter to Miss. Watson selling out Jim’s location. He had written it during a dilemma he was having, he did not know if he should do what was the legal thing to do, or the thing that felt best. Ultimately, friendship is what saved Jim from being recaptured. In document B, Jim also refers to Huck as a friend. That is when Huck began to see him as an equal. Towards the end of their journey, Huck saw that just because of the skin color difference, that the two of them were no different. They had both left home for the same reason, and the same reason brought them down the Mississippi, igniting a

Specifically, through the controversy of slavery at the time, Huck learns how to listen to his intuition and conscience. His slight hesitation escaping with Jim makes him question the authenticity of his morality. He says, “I begun to get it through my head that he was most free--and who was to blame for it? Why, me … But you knowed he was running for his freedom, and you could ‘a’ paddled ashore and told somebody” (Twain 87-88). At this stage in the novel, it is important to denote his ambivalence toward the situation. Though he helps Jim, he feels a sense of guilt for going against societal standards. Regardless, Huck has a myriad of opportunities to turn Jim in--and doesn’t. This verifies that Huck progresses in developing his maturity and poise. 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