Huck's Journey In Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn's Formative Journey The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, revolves around the protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, as he travels with his former slave by the name of Jim across 1830s America in search of Cairo. As the story progresses, one can see how the characters that Huck interacts with over the course of his journey contribute to his moral and psychological development. Without people of authority telling Huck the difference between right and wrong, he is able to construct his own moral compass based on the interactions that he shares with the people he meets throughout his journey. The physical journey that Huck undergoes throughout the novel directly impacts his internal struggle pertaining to human equality. During the beginning of the novel, Huck struggles with outside influences and who to trust. His morals are almost completely dependent on the people that surround him on a day to day basis. The beginning of his journey commences in his home town, where he is surrounded by a slew of societal norms and expectations, many of which seem difficult for Huck to achieve. Most of the people he is surrounded by, such as Widow Douglas, attempt to, as Huck says "sivilize" him in a way that entails following the social norms that were set in place during that time period (Twain 2). However, these …show more content…
The different people that Huck is surrounded by throughout his journey directly impact the creation of his moral compass and for better or for worse. In the end, Huck's journey is successful in helping him build his own conscience, one the sees equality in all people, regardless of skin color. However, his journey is unsuccessful in giving him the strength to be his own person and do what is right no matter what the cost. He is still easily manipulated by others with stronger power of will, regardless of whether or not their views