Theme Of Conformity In The Adventures Of Huck Finn

It is often difficult for the common person to be individualistic by disregarding the social norms that are built so deep into society’s foundations. However, in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, the author is able to effectively exploit the dangers of these normal societal ways of thinking. Throughout the novel, Huck is able to experience the immorality of society through his adventures to the South with Jim, a runaway slave, who he help sto free. Due to his terrible upbringing, many people including Widow Douglas and Judge Thatcher try to gain custody of Huck and transform him into a civilized person, but Huck is very independent and has no interest in changing or conforming. In order to escape his abusive, drunk father Huck fakes his own death, escapes, and subsequently meets up with Jim who has just run away from his owner. Mark Twain uses multiple conflicts to develop the idea that conformity leads to the immoral actions of society.

One conflict the author uses to develop the theme is shown through the Duke and Dauphin manipulating many people in several different towns alongside the Mississippi River. After dealing with the conflict with the Grangerford family, Huck sets back out on the river where he feels free, but encounters these men. One of the scams they pull is manipulating townspeople to pay money to come see a play in which they send out a painted naked man to crawl around on stage. A great number of people attend the show