The Reality of People

The Reality of People

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a satirical novel by Mark Twain, is a controversial topic in a variety of districts and schools systems. According to the American Library Association, Huck Finn was the fifth most challenged book from 1990-1999, and the #14 most challenged book from 2000-2009. This is mostly because people believe that it embodies racial stereotypes of African Americans. However, the book should still be taught in public schools because many pre-Civil War stereotypes are challenged by Twain, who gives a variety of personalities to an array of characters regardless of race. His story deeply addresses the core issues of his time period head on, with characters who do not fall under what used to be considered the normal of the Southern United States.

Twain breaks many stereotypes in the novel, but especially so with the deuteragonist Jim. Throughout the book, Jim demonstrates compassion, gratitude, and intuition. None of which were seen as common traits in African Americans at this time in history. While in the cave with Huck, Jim quickly covered the dead bodies face with a rag, then called out saying, “It’s a dead man. Yes, indeedy; Naked too. I reck’n he’s been dead two er three days. Come in Huck, but don’t look at his face - it’s too gashly”(Twain 18). Jim knows that this dead man is Huck’s father, and saves Huck the pain of having to look at dead father’s body, or at least know what it is he is looking at. This portrayal of Jim challenges African American stereotypes because compassion was not a trait slaves were recognized for having. Another way Jim transcends African American stereotypes is when he displays gratitude to Huck. While on the Mississippi river, Jim says “Dah you goes, de ole true Huck; de on'y white genlman dat ever kep' his promise to ole Jim”(Twain XX). At this point in the story, Huck and Jim are nearing the North and Jim starts to to feel it. Instead of rejoicing all to himself, he praises Huck for what he has done. This breaks the old stereotype that African Americans weren’t fully human, only ⅗ of one. Jim’s gratitude toward Huck shows self humbleness, which is a virtue hard to come by. Twain portrays a slave as someone that is kind hearted and grateful making him enjoyable to be around. Furthermore, Jim shows that he is intelligible which breaks the stereotype of African Americans not being so. While on the island with Huck, “Jim took up of the top planks of the raft and built a snug wigwam to get under in the blazing weather”(Twain 60). Jim analyzes the situation and finds a solution to this issue of the heat. He does this quickly and intuitively fixes the situation. Jim proves that he is intelligent, even more so than Huck in this particular situation. Twain broke many racial stereotypes of African Americans of his time. He presented characters as realistic, not as a deeper