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Why Is Huck Finn Dehumanized

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The novel Huckleberry Finn has been a classic but controversial piece of history. Huck is a young racist boy. The society as a whole was racist. The lack of consequence for treating Jim badly because of his color is all about the time period. The limited knowledge can lead an individual into being a racist, but a strong minded young adult like Huck should be able to know the humanity of black people. Time period does not exclude the behavior. He may have grown up with these beliefs over his shoulder, the reader can see the proof of the appreciation Huck has for Jim. Huck still chose the wrong treatment. He based his actions of how others treated slaves. Huck lied, tricked, and dehumanized. “I never seen such a nigger.” (Twain, p.89). Huck dehumanizes Jim because of his misunderstanding of a story Huck has told. Huck has tricked Jim and humiliated him. Huck is insensitive; sometimes seeing Jim as a worthy human being, but not continuously. With Huck, race determines intelligence, love for family, and self worth. He was shocked to believe Jim actually cared for his family like white people do. Jim is heartbroken about his family and it eats at him, and Huck is confused because all black people are to him …show more content…

Huck belittles and humiliates Jim after Jim has been more of a father figure than Pap ever was. Huck apologizes but doesn’t think he had to because of his racial color. Him being a “nigger” doesn’t make him a regular being to Huck. When the boy says “I knowed he was white inside,” (Twain p.279), about Jim making a selfless decision for helping Tom, the less racist Huck fades. Huck believes he is wrong for helping a black man. a child may grow up in a society of judgement, but can lead a lot opposite of the beliefs he grew up in. Huck’s coming of age doesn’t show in his actions. He will always see Jim as a black man with a white personality. How much more racist can that

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