Finn Essay, Research Paper

Throughout the pages of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck

fights with two distinct voices. One is siding with popular opinion, saying Huck

should turn Jim in, and the other is realizing the wrong in turning his friend in, not

viewing Jim as a slave. Twain wants the reader to see the moral difficulty Huck is

going through, and what slavery can do to a person who is pure like Huck.

Huck does not think about Jim?s impending freedom until Jim himself

starts to get excited about the idea. Huck?s first objection to Jim is gaining his

freedom, when Huck says, ?Well, I can tell you it made me all over trembly and

feverish, too, to hear him, because I begun to get it through my head that he was

most free-and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I could get that out of my

consciounce, no how nor no way.? I think that that was the popular opinion not his

own. Huck did not realize at this point that he was just falling other peoples values

at this time. Huck totally misunderstood slavery. Huck does not treat Jim like a

slave when they traveled together, Huck treated Jim as a friend.

Huck saw having a slave only as owning the person. Not actually being

a slave to someone. Therefore, when he helps Jim runaway it would be like stealing.

His conscience is telling him that Miss Watson, Jim?s master, never did anything

wrong to him and that he shouldn?t be doing anything wrong to her by helping Jim

escape. Miss Watson?s view is totally different from than Huck?s perspective. Huck

always disliked Miss Watson, but now that this society voice plays a part in Huck?s

judgment his views are changed. Society?s view allows Huck to see Jim, a friend,

only as a slave and Miss Watson, almost a foe in his young views, as a dear friend.

Twain is showing the reader the injustices of slavery in this little story,

as well as his moral opinion to slavery. Twain wants the reader to see how slavery

changes people, even those who didn?t understand it fully. Twain wants the reader

to see how unfair slavery was in how it could even change Huck?s opinion. I think

that Twain viewed slavery as wrong, and he showed this threw the opinion of

Huck.

Twain does not let the reader think badly of Huck for very long,

though, having Huck?s true voice shine out by the end of the confrontation. Huck

wants to go and turn Jim in, seeing the act as an obligation rather than a moral

dilemma. He says, ?Well, I just felt sick. But I says, I got to do it-I can?t get out of

it.? Twain wants the reader to see Huck?s change in judgment. The reader is able to

see Huck?s newfound reluctance, brought on by Jim?s words of appreciation. These

words bring Huck back to the realization that Jim is a friend, not property. And even

though Huck still consciously says he must turn in Jim, the reader does not believe

he will do it anymore.

Huck?s confrontation with the slave hunters and his scheme to protect

Jim prove the reader correct in his assumption. Evan if Huck does not know it he

decided to protect Jim at all costs. This is the second voice that Jim hears. This

voice tells him that, ??s?pose you?d a done right and give Jim up; would you felt

better than what you do now? Now, says I, I?d feel bad-I?d feel just the same way I

do now. Well, then, says I, what?s the use you learning to do right, when it?s

troublesome to do right and ain?t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the

same?? Even though these are Huck?s thoughts, the reader knows this was Huck?s

mental battle before he decided to help Jim. Twain wants the reader to see how hard

it is to break out of society?s ideas, but someone has to be willing to do it. Twain

wants the reader to respect Huck?s great moral conversion, even if it is hidden

behind Huck?s lie to do whatever ?come handiest at the time? because the reader

knows Huck will always choose Jim as ?handiest? now. Twain is telling the reader

to do what is ?handiest? but also to remember whom it affects, friend or foe?

Because, even above other peoples views they, should come friends.

Twain?s morals are clearly shown through this short novel. I think his

morals were bold for his time and I respect him in the highest revere for his

braveness at expressing them in a time period when blacks in the south were still

very much hated.

I thought that the tale of Huck Finn was very well told through the

words of Mark Twain. The story had many childlike characteristics but yet delt

with a very mature topic. I think it is a lesson that can be appreciated by all time

periods.