Father Son Relationship In Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn

Improved Essays
Throughout the course of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a notion is expressed about how an unfortunate happening can bond two people in a way more extraordinary than the mind can grasp. Twain’s two main characters, Huck, a fatherless white boy, and Jim, a grown slave, share in each other’s moral development since the novel’s introduction. This unlikely duo will partake on one of their biggest adventures and develop a connection that would be characteristic of a father and son. Jim quickly recognizes the importance of having a paternal figure in Huck’s young life and gladly takes on this role. With Jim’s guidance, Huck becomes one with who he truly is and comes to an understanding about the dangers of being contained by what society wants him …show more content…
In chapter thirty-one, Twain affirms Huck’s position on Jim’s role in his life. In this chapter, Jim falls into a life threatening situation that could inhibit his chance at freedom when he is captured as a runaway. A remarkable revelation is made about how pliable the human heart can be. Huck was one who outwardly expressed his discrimination towards those of color. He even goes out of his way to call Jim a phrase reserved for only the lowest on the social ladder- “nigger.” Huck makes the decision to put his social pride and possibly his life on the line to recover Jim. Huck says, “Alright then, I’ll go to hell” (210). These six short words have great power as it is the climax of the novel as it displays Huck’s recognition that Jim has been that father figure to him so he must support him as his “son.” This new respect for Jim that has been kindled in Huck’s heart would be the causation of Jim’s ultimate goal of freedom at the novel’s conclusion. This course of events exhibits the beauty that can arise from getting to really know another, as Huck once referred to Jim as a “nigger” but now sees him as a father

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the controversial novel, Adventures of Huckleberry, written by Mark Twain, portrays a unique relationship between a slave, Jim, and the narrator, Huck Finn. The novel takes place in the 1830’s in Missouri, Illinois. In the 1830’s era, slavery was legal at the time. Both Huck and Jim endeavor a long and treacherous journey to grasp their objective up north, Cairo. A place where Jim can be a free man.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The society Huck is raised in strongly affirms the belief that African Americans are less worthy of respect and acceptance than white people, simply because of the color of their skin. His community tells Huck that helping a runaway slave is disgusting and that he would be marked as an abolitionist. However, while Huck is tempted to leave Jim more than once, he never gives in. Huck experiences a transition from childhood to adulthood, having formed his own opinion and set his own moral footing regarding the issue of slavery. His attachment to Jim is no longer about companionship, but rather his own desire to lead Jim to a life of…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the American classic the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn taking place in the south holds multiple accounts of discrimination and racism. These personal vilifications and instilled values help in the development of these pivotal characters Tom and Huck. The author Samuel Clemens but acquired a stage name, which many know as Mark Twain wrote this novel over an elongated period of time. The purpose of the vibrant and intriguing (characters in the novel was to spotlight different valuable and personable life lessons. The audience reading the novel can get a true picture of which the characters truly are.…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Huck hears about the news of Jim getting sold back into slavery, his first reaction is to panic. Huck then begins to have flashbacks of the memories that he has with Jim. In Document E, in Huck’s point of view, he describes Jim “...standing my watch on the top of his’n, stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog…” Huck begins to appreciate Jim’s affection for him and begins to rely on his company. “All right, then, I’ll go to hell” is what Huck said when he decides to risk going to the not-so-good place if that means he can save his friend,…

    • 633 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “What one thinks is right is not always the same as what others think is right; no one can be always right” (Roy T. Bennett). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which was written by Mark Twain is a story of a young white boy, Huck Finn, and a runaway slave, Jim who are trying to escape south. They experience many challenges and changes along the way, especially Huck. Frances Brownell, the author of The Role of Jim, analyzed Jim’s character to understand his impact on Huck’s transformation. Through Jim’s benevolent and fatherly nature, Huck can have a better mindset of black people.…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Huck’s continuing journey, now undertaken with Jim, ultimately leads to Huck realize how twisted many elements of society are, and how he can choose his own path. As Huck and Jim are camping out on an island, Huck begins to wonder whether or not he is doing the right thing by helping Jim escape: “What had poor Miss Watson done to you, that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word? What did that poor old women do to you, that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word” (Twain 110). Huck’s thinking at this particular moment comes from what he was taught all his life; slavery is good. The fact that Huck does not follow this conventional wisdom and is struggling against it in listening to his conscience, shows how he is distancing himself from the conformity of the society he grew up in.…

    • 1963 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Huck recognizes that no matter Jim’s humanity, he would not be safe with a mob or the justice system. Knowing that he is superior to Jim, Huck conforms to a stranger’s perception of Jim; he can not call Jim a…

    • 947 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There are many subjects that throughout time have been considered, “taboo.” That was until Mark Twain wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In this novel, twain writes about many of these subjects that would have never been included in literature before. He approaches the topics of slavery, child abuse, Southern hypocrisy, and racism, all while satirizing them. Twain is attempting to portray these ideals to his reader, but keep it comical by including the satire along with it.…

    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On the Phelp’s farm Huck is in turmoil over the decision to free Jim once and for all or to let him go back to his life as a slave. Huck has just written a letter to Ms.Watson informing her of Jim’s whereabouts when something stops him and he looks deep down inside himself to see what feels right. He rips up the letter and proudly states, "All right, then, I 'll go to hell,”(210). Huck is so grounded in his beliefs that he will endure the ultimate punishment. He is now sure of what’s right and is willing to die for his belief.…

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Huck begins to respect Jim more as the novel goes on and he starts to mature, he realizes that Jim’s skin color does not matter and Jim is a person, same as Huck. As Huck and Jim spend more time together they begin to talk more and tell each other about their lives before, one night Jim tells Huck about one time he was with his daughter, “What makes me feel so bad dis time, ‘uz bekase I hear sumpn over yonder on de bank like a whack, er a slam, while ago, en it mine me er de time I treat my little “Lizabeth so ornery” (Twain 117). As Huck begins to talk to Jim more and get to know Jim as a person better he realizes how “white” Jim is on the inside, “I knowed he was white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say-” (Twain 207).…

    • 1670 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Jim, is a man who ran away from his slavery home, in order to find his family, from which he was separated from many years before. Even though Jim is a fugitive, he is very wise and understands morals and teaches valuable lesson of decent morals to Huck as they are on the raft on the Mississippi River. However, Huck was an immature kid who didn 't have any rules and did as he wanted when he pleased. While on the raft, Huck played a trick on Jim, saying that it was just a dream when Jim was worried whether or not Huck was alright, but he thought it was hilarious to lie to Jim that it was just a dream. Huck learns how to apologize, and that a black man is just alike everyone around them and deserves respect.…

    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Huck is reflecting upon his adventures with Jim and cannot find any things to “harden me against him”. Jim’s care and gratefulness towards Huck is something that Huck values in their friendship. Twain has been able to reveal the significance of Jim’s…

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This character also shows the readers why Huck faces such a conflicting moral dilemma when choosing whether or not to free a slave. Children in the south like Huck, were all raised on the opinion to hate anyone who is not white. Even though Huck and Jim were friends, our protagonist still had a hard time going against the ideals that he'd been raised on his whole…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As Huck stated, “People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t a-going to tell, and I ain’t a going back there, anyways.” (Twain43). In chapter eight, Jim has ran away from Miss Watson and when Jim informed Huck about the situation, Huck had promised not to tell anyone so this represents the start of a new friendship and this foreshadows Huck’s values. Huck and Jim have been through many challenges from living on an island to surviving on a raft.…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Can a man you have only known for a few weeks of your life be a better father to you than your real dad? In Mark Twain 's’ novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it seems so. Huck runs away from his home at Widow Douglas’ and his drunken, abusive father in order to travel down the Mississippi river on a raft with a slave named Jim who ran away from Widow Douglas’ house. During the trip, Jim turns out to be the father figure that Huck never had. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim serves as a father figure to Huck because of Hecks lack of a good father, Hucks perception of Jim, and the relationship they Huck and Jim have.…

    • 1236 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays