The river most obviously symbolizes freedom to Huck and Jim (the escaped slave travelling alongside Huck); an escape route from the society that continually leaves them helpless to control their own lives. For Huck, the river is a means to abscond from town before Pap, his abusive father, can hurt him any further and for Jim, it is an opportunity to flee his life as a slave. When he and Jim set off “abooming down the river” (Twain 101) they soon realize that, unlike the constant company they experience on the land, they often “[had] [the] whole river all to [themselves] for the longest time.” (Twain 158) The river is a sanctuary for Huck and Jim, one that allows them to escape their current lifestyles, and, consequently, the people propagating
