Moral Morality Of Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn is a novel about the moral development of a young boy named Huck, following his encounter with a runaway slave named Jim. During this journey, Huck constantly finds himself in challenging moral situations. Society has taught Huck all his life that slavery is wrong. Further, Huck demonstrates in the beginning of the novel a willingness to conform to others desires and beliefs. But, following this encounter with Jim, and as they journey down the Mississippi river together, Huck begins to develop as a more mature and moral person. A moral person entails making one’s own decisions without being influenced by the other people. Making one’s own decisions and ideas is the epitome of a moral and mature person. As Huck and Jim travel …show more content…
Huck encounters Jim on the island they are both hiding on. Jim pleads to Huck to not turn him in because Jim says that he will be sold to another family: “But mind, you said you wouldn’t tell- you know you said you wouldn’t tell, Huck. Well, I did. I said I wouldn’t, and I’ll stick to it. Honest injun I will” (Twain 55). In response to this moral dilemma, Huck shows a further increase in maturity and morality. He decides to go against what society demands and what he believes is right to not turn Jim in. There was no one there choosing for Huck, he decided to follow what he believed was right on his own. Making one’s own decisions and sticking to what one believes is right, is another big step Huck has taken on the path towards being a mature …show more content…
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. Huck’s struggle with this conflict comes to a tipping point when he comes across two slave hunters searching for runaway slaves: “Well there’s five niggers run off to-night, up yonder above the head of the bend. Is your man white or black?... He’s white” (Twain 111). Huck’s decision here to keep Jim hidden reveals the fact that Huck holds Jim as a living breathing person, not just property, firmly placing Huck against the conventional wisdom of society. This is strong evidence of Huck’s development into a mature young