The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Terry Lesane

April 28, 2014

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain and Racism

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has to be such a popular read because of its many controversies, especially the issue of racism. Huck Finn’s characters and their development clearly take a strong stand against racism. Jim, the slave companion of Huck is the center of this controversy. Jim’s development, as well as Huck’s, and their relationship as it grows, form the structure of the anti-racism message in this novel.

The introduction of Jim, a slave, which Huck and Tom easily trick portrayed for a fool, and an uneducated black man. This idea is typical of the time and the area in which the story is placed. When Jim and Huck meet on Jackson Island, and he tells his story, we learn that Jim does possess feelings and emotions. Jim has risked his life to be a free man and to work to get his family to freedom with him. Jim’s development is shown through the narrator Huck’s eye, a young white man, who has been taught, like most at that time, that blacks are inferior and their purpose is to live as slaves. As the story progresses, Jim develops a more “human” character, with feelings and a heart. The fact that we are seeing this through Huck’s vision is alone a statement against racism that is solid.

Huck’s development is another very strong statement itself against racism. He is continuously developing and is forced to fight a battle within himself. He must decide whether his mind is correct and what he’s been taught all his life is true and just, or if what he feels in his heart is the real truth. We see Huck’s heart finally win over his mind and he makes a choice to go against what he has been taught and do what felt right. “All right, then, I’ll go to hell. I might as well go the whole hog.” Huck decides to help Jim with his escape to freedom, even if it was against what he knew to be moral and right. This is yet another act that is anti-racist, and a bold statement Twain has weaved into his novel.

Not only as individual characters do Jim and Huck support anti-racism, but their relationship supports this idea as well. The two are brought together by fate, and are compelled to travel down the Mississippi river with each other. Their journey brings them closer and their individual growth as well as how they treat each other shows that blacks are equal to and not inferior to whites. As Huck and Jim travel down the Mississippi River over time their bond begins to grow. They become reliant on one another for safety, comfort and even to some degree, love. Without even knowing or realizing it, during the course of their journey, both Huck and Jim have become dependent on each other for survival. At one point Huck