Huckleberry Finn Character Analysis

In the book "The Adventures if Huckleberry Finn", Mark Twain's writing mirrors the society and problems it had in that time. This book promotes seeing African-Americans as people, which is absolutely groundbreaking and unheard-of in the time it was written, right after the Civil War. Throughout the book,, Huck has a complete change in his feelings towards Jim, starting with his highly influenced young mind, only able to view Jim as a slave, all the way to seeing Jim as a father-figure who can protect and provide for him. Although Huck tries to see Jim as a friend and fatherly-figure, society's beliefs don't allow him to see Jim as anything but a slave.

Huck realizes that Jim is running for his freedom and risking his life for it. Huck comes to the realization that he has to protect Jim and get him the freedom he righteously deserves. Since Huck decides on not turning Jim in he says, “What’s the use you learning to do right. When it’s troublesome to do right”(Twain 69). In this situation it reveals that what society demands shouldn’t always be followed and following your heart will always result in the right decision.

It is through Jim that Huck learns about morals and how to distinguish right from wrong. When Huck plays the prank on Jim in chapter 15, Jim gets upset and scorns him. Jim is mad at Huck for his unthoughtful action and tells him “ All you wuz thinkin’ ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ol Jim wid a lie.” Jims words teach Huck a lesson and makes him realize that people have feelings and that he should not play with them. Jim and Huck’s fatherly bond is what allows Huck’s morals to grow.

(chapter 17). In this dialogue, Huck is beginning to show a more powerful conscience and sense of responsibility from his actions. Both passages demonstrate that he is beginning to understand the meaning of actions and their consequences. This process of growing continues for the rest of the novel, as seen when Huck, felt remorse about his position in the “dirty jobs”. For example, he felt uncomfortable when he was told to rob the Wilks girls of their inheritance: “I says to myself, this is another one that I’m letting him rob her of her money.

He realises that he is helping steal Jim away from his owner who hadn’t done anything to him. Despite Jim being a good friend to Huck he still sees him as someone else's property and as they get closer to Jim’s freedom Huck becomes more and more anxious especially when Jim says he has plans to save his children from slavery. “Here was this nigger, which I had as good as helped to run away, coming right out flat-footed and saying he would steal his children—children that belonged to a man I didn't even know; a man that hadn't ever done me no harm” (Twain, 92). In this ironic statement Huck professes his discomfort with stealing the property of another person, especially Jim’s owner who had been kind to Huck. Huck resolves to turn Jim in and his conscience felt “easy and light as a feather”

Twain uses this time to show how Huck has grown fond of Jim because Jim would “do everything he could think of for [Huck]...” (Chapter 31). Twain’s use of action and showing the reader Huck’s thoughts leading up to the action proves that he successfully conveyed Huck’s character

This is clear when he, “went on thinking.” Huck begins to reminisce about all the good times he had with Jim, and it is very apparent he held them very close to his heart. This is clear with Huck stating, “how good he always was,” when referring to Jim. Huck also begins to connect how important he may have been to Jim, when Huck says, “ he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now.” Huck now has a momentous decision, determining whether or not he will follow the morals he has viewed as good, or those he knows truly for himself.

As the story progresses, Huck's views change drastically. Scattered instances of childish, irresponsible actions still occur, but they are accompanied periods of reflection. An example of this is when he tricks Jim into believing he was dreaming about the fog. When Jim says, "en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em feel ashamed" (Twain 90), this makes Huck feel bad enough to apologize which truly costs him alot of pride as he says "It was 15 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 afterward, neither. I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't have done that one if I'd `a' knowed it would make him feel that way."

An occasion where Huck’s individuality is observed

By then, Huck figures out that Jim feels the same way as any other people would in that situation, this show that Jim worries and cares about Huck. The similarities that they share proves that all people are equal and even uneducated Huck realizes that they share the same feelings. Huck is not well educated do to the conditions he was in, but even for a uneducated teenager, he realizes that people in the world are selfish. What he has been taught conflicts the truth that he believes and he struggles a lot. Looking at jim running away from Ms.Watson, and huck helping Jim contradicts the way he has been taught.

To begin, Huck’s struggles within the deformed conscience of an entire society leads to his maturation. Throughout the book, Huck struggles within himself whether or not to follow his heart or to follow society’s deformed views. In one situation, Huck begins to feel guilty about helping a runaway slave, Jim, to freedom. Huck narrates, “My conscience got to stirring me up hotter than ever, until at last I says to it, ‘let up on me- it ain’t too late yet-

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.

Huck lies to Jim but unlike Jim he does it for his own selfish intent and amusement and in turn makes him upset and this makes Huck upset too because he didn't mean it to make Jim look

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.

Huck’s thoughts represent his conscience overruling society and his emotions are more influential. Huck begins to see a glimpse of how he is working against