Race Relations In Huckleberry Finn

Race relations have been a major issue in the United States since colonial times. Throughout the nation’s history authors have attempted to address this issue within literary works. One of the most notable examples is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. When this exemplary novel was published in 1885, the United States was still recovering from a brutal civil war and tension between the newly freed slaves and whites was high as the once-slaves were attempting to find their niche within society. The minority had fallen under a stereotype developed by minstrel shows which aimed to dehumanize them. Mark Twain uses an escaped slave, Jim and Huck, a 14 year old boy running from his abusive father as the main characters in the novel …show more content…
A key point in their argument will be Jim continues traveling with Huck south down the Mississippi after they seem to have passed the Ohio River which would have led Jim to freedom. First we see Huck claim, “We judged that three nights more would fetch us to Cairo, at the bottom of Illinois, where the Ohio River comes in, and that was what we was after.” However soon after Jim reasons “Maybe we went by Cairo in the fog that night” (Twain 80). Cairo was the town at which the two rivers met and the fact that he thought they passed the town yet Jim continues traveling with Huck regardless of his conditions. The argument is based on the idea that the depiction of him as a follower and disregarding his self interests for those of the main character Huck. While this may be true the real reason for this decision emerges through his relationship with Huck. Early in the novel Huck and Jim come upon a floating cabin and upon further investigation find a body within the cabin and Jim protects Huck from the gruesome scene saying “Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face—it’s too gashly” (Twain 50), this protection alone shows the care and responsibility Jim feels for Huck. However towards the end of the book these ideas are multiplies as Huck and the reader learn that the man in the house was pap as Jim reveals “Doan’ you ‘member de house dat was float’n down de river, en dey wuz a man in dah, …show more content…
We see this dehumanization occurring within the novel as the King sells Jim, “That old fool had made a trade and got forty dollars” (Twain 216), and goes out and gets drunk with the money. This sale represents what society viewed blacks as, as property, not human like in any respect. While this dehumanization is present throughout the novel it represents what Twain needed to do to create a believable perception of the humanity which Jim and all blacks really have. A major example of this humanity is his relationship with his family. One night Huck finds Jim “setting there with his head down betwixt his knees moaning and mourning to himself” (Twain 155), and opins “he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n.” (Twain 155). While in today’s society this seems like a basic and commonly accepted statement in the racist dehumanized society of Twain’s time this idea was an important and very relevant one as many struggled or refused to accept the humanity of blacks. Literary critic Leslie Gregory highlights this stating “Twain’s audience is given another view of Jim’s humanity when Jim shows his capacity to feel lonesome for his family” (Gregory). Early in the duo’s relationship Huck can often be seen playing tricks and jokes on Jim. One of his most notable was when the pair became separated in the fog and Huck convinces