Moral Values In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain

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1. Society and morality almost always come in conflict, but societal views are almost always held with more importance than moral values. In The Adventures of Huck Finn, by Mark Twain, Huck develops two different consciences as he spends time with Jim. One conscience is the one he obtained throughout his life by being a part of society. The other is gained from being around Jim, on a raft, away from society. The first tells him that slaves are less human and that it’s perfectly fine to enslave black people. The second conscience slowly changes how he sees slaves. By being with Jim, he realizes that slaves love and feel just as white people do. Not only this, but Huck doesn’t understand why people act the way they do throughout his adventures. …show more content…
In the beginning of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, by Mark Twain, Huck sees Jim as just another slave. Jim does not have much of a character, so we see him as “just a slave” as well. We really begin to see Jim’s character develop when they come across the floating house in the beginning of their adventure. Inside the house, is a dead man. Knowing full well that the man is Huck’s dad, Jim says to Huck, “Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face-it’s too gashly” (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, p. 53). This is a point in the story where Huck unknowingly loses his biological father, but gains someone who will really love and take care of him. Later down the river, Huck and Jim get separated on a foggy night. Jim, who cares for Huck, worries deeply that Huck may have drowned. Huck finds Jim sleeping and sees it as a chance to prank Jim. He tells Jim that their separation was all a dream. Eventually, Jim catches on to the prank and is hurt because he truly was afraid for Huck’s life and Huck made him feel like a fool. In the end of the chapter, Huck says he “wouldn’t done that one if I’d knowed it would make him feel that way” (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, p.89). Huck also learns that Jim can feel and love like any white person would. Jim emotionally describes the time that he hit his daughter, forgetting that she was “deef en dumb” (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, p. 159). Throughout the book, Jim’s character becomes more and more …show more content…
Many critics find the last 10 chapter of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, rather unsettling. Throughout the book, we see Huck grow and mature as a character. In the end of the book, Tom Sawyer comes in and basically takes over. Huck does not interfere, still feeling as if Tom is the leader between the two. Huck probably feels inferior to Tom because he’s been educated, went to church, and overall just looks up to Tom. We’d thought maybe Huck had grown away from being Tom’s follower. Huck avoids an argument with Tom and lets Tom have his way, knowing that there could be consequences. In the end, we see Huck revert back into his old self for those chapters, taking a back seat and letting Tom lead the way, which leads to some disappointed readers. Huck thinks to himself, “he told me what it was, and I see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine, for style, and would make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed besides” (Adventures of Huck Finn, Mark Twain, p.235). Huck honestly thinks that Tom Sawyer is just better than he is, but at the same time, he realizes that they could get killed. So why doesn’t Huck step in and enforce his own plan? This is why critics are upset with these last chapters. Huck was supposed to stand up for himself after developing his character, but he

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