Different Values In Huck Finn's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

As the novel opens, we are welcomed with the beloved character of Huckleberry Finn in the state of Missouri around eighteen thirty or eighteen forty. With the eighteenth century being a powerful time of war, revolutions, and injustice, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn creates a visual representation of the hard times faced in the world. Many readers have experienced this controversial novel for the past two centuries, each providing their own interpretation of the novel itself. With two readers from different centuries, let alone the same century, or even the same decade, they could have different depictions of the novel. Therefore those impacted by the novel, could possibly develop different values from the book overall, based on their …show more content…
Their contrasting points of view will both be brought to attention, but certain attributes may be seen more drastically. Those who accommodated during slavery and recently after it was abolished, will pay close attention to the negativity in the book, such as Huck’s treatment towards Jim throughout the novel. Huck’s racist, demanding, and insensitive remarks towards Jim began when both were on the island. Huckleberry decided to deceit Jim by leaving a dead rattlesnake near him as he was sleeping, causing the dead snake’s mate to bite Jim (Twin, pg. 59). After this altercation, Huck begins to feel a sense of guilt, nevertheless this doesn’t stop him from continuing to treat Jim with disrespect and demeanor. Later on in the novel, Huck begins analyzing King Solomon to Jim, but soon becomes provoked by Jim’s incomprehension. As Huck becomes more frequently frustrated with Jim and his incompetence to understand, Huck slurs, “I never see such a nigger” (Twain, pg. 83). Throughout the novel, Huckleberry continues to act with a matter of insensitivity and racism towards Jim, eventually causing Jim to retaliate. He then takes a moment to address his anger with Huck’s bothersome, demanding behavior towards him. As a storm approaches, separating the two men in different directions on the river, both Jim and Huck become worried. After the storm passes through, Huck finds Jim sleeping on the raft. Once Huck submerges to the raft, Jim awakes as Huck tries to make him believe that the storm and their separation never happened. Aware of what actually occurred, Jim becomes aggravated with Huck and began to question Huck’s feelings towards him. “En all you wuz thinkin ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie…” (Twain, pg.