What Is Huck's View On Racism

Superior Essays
One day one feels one way and the next he is a new man. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain the main character Huck changes his view on racism, and the similarities between races as he travels with a black man named Jim. His friend Tom Sawyer goes through part of this adventure and constructs crazy ideas. Huck grew up on racist beliefs taught by his father, and thought black people were lesser beings and could be treated badly. His thoughts on this change under the circumstances where he must travel with Jim, and he begins to realize that black people are like white people. He tries to escape his abusive father by faking his death and running away, which leads him to Jim, who is also escaping, but from slavery. He realizes that Jim is a smart man who can reason well, as …show more content…
The only difference between Huck and Jim is skin color. Jim tells Huck many stories and experiences which lead to Huck’s discovery. In the conversations between the two Jim explains problems in an intelligent manner. When Tom is shot in the leg Jim suggests that they need a doctor to inspect the wound. Huck knows that Jim risks his freedom by doing this and thinks, “I knowed he was white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say”(Twain 275). Huck demonstrates his growth in maturity as he thinks this. Huck grew up thinking white people and black people were different. This shows that Huck is changing for the better. Huck says Jim is white inside, which is his way of saying he is not different from white people. He also says he knew what Jim was going to say, demonstrating that he knows Jim is smart. Jim helps Huck and Tom even throughout the novel at the risk of his life demonstrating how he has better ideas than a white person. Jim’s personality and everything he says and does help Huck to realize that white people and black people are the

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