Huckleberry Finn As An Archetypal Hero

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Every hero in literature has a journey. These heroes start as ordinary people in an ordinary world then, they receive a call to action and must transform to solve a conflict or reach one of their goals. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is portrayed as an archetypal hero to reveal the theme of friendship conquering all.

Huck is introduced to the story as an archetypal hero; he has an ordinary life, he receives a call to action, and at first refuses this call. Before diving into his adventure he is just like any other boy. “Whenever [he] got uncommon tired [he] played hookey” (Twain). Just like any other small child he doesn’t necessarily like school and would rather avoid it. The other boys also skip school when they
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A major part of a hero’s journey is their trip back home. Part of Huck’s trip home is his escape with Jim. “No, sah -- I doan’ budge a step out’n dis place, ‘dout a doctor, not if it’s forty year” (Twain 278). This is a huge sign of friendship. Huck considers Tom a friend so Jim automatically treats Tom as a friend. He refuses to leave Tom’s side once he get shot, even if it leads to the loss of his freedom. When Tom reveals that the widow set Jim free in her will all the conflicts of the story are resolved. “She set him free in her will” (291). While they may be angry at Tom, the main conflict of the story is resolved. Jim is now free to goo as he pleases and he can finally free his family. Finally, Huck can do whatever he wants because Pap is dead. “He ain’t a-coming back no mo” (295). This is the end of Pap’s control of Huck and Huck can choose to go back home if he wants to. This also marks an important choice for Huck. Does he go back to his home now that he is safe or, does Huck go on with his adventures? Huck chooses to go on his adventures with Tom rather than become civilized.

Huck Finn’s transformation in the story is completed through the trials of friendship, and it is through his transformation that the reader is able to grow with Huck and love Jim as he does. THis would have been extremely effective in teaching the next generation that black people are worth the same as white people. When Twain is writing this story the majority of the country is extremely racist and the southern states are still enforcing Jim Crow laws and being awful towards people of color. Twain uses his writings of adventure and friendship to combat the views of society in the

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