Huck Finn Symbol Of Freedom

Life is quite messy, like a ball of string all tangled up; crisscrossing strings making tight knots that are nearly impossible to untangle. These strings may lead individuals to a certain point in their lifetime and the points might drastically alter the individuals. Just like these strings, the river is a map. It guides those brave enough to stroll along places they have never been before, towards the desires that lie deep within the individuals. In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck and Jim traveled up the Mississippi River in search of themselves, and their wishes they were passionate about. The river was always there in times of happiness and danger, twisting itself into distant variations to fit an individual's personal definition
The river, to Huck signifies his desire to be free from the bonds of society and his father, Pap. From the very beginning, Huck had always had a dislike for attending school and becoming “sivilized” due to the strict bearings of the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. In addition, Huck was literally restricted by his own father in a shack from going out into the world after Pap returns drunk. These circumstances led Huck to feel confined to an unrewarding life since he was barred from doing things he felt was right. The river was a release since Huck said, “We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smoothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.” (Twain 116) This demonstrates that Huck felt free on the raft while traveling up the river compared to when he was with a strict hierarchy and standards. The river became a vessel to freedom since Huck runs away from his guardians so he can start a new life he sees fit to
He was running away from Miss Watson, his master since he had heard that he was going to be sold to another family farther away, meaning that he was going to be separated from his wife and children. As Huck and Jim gets farther away from St. Petersburg, Jim also gains a new part of himself that resulted from his escape. In this passage, Huck describes the changes in Jim as they float down the river: “He was saying how the first thing he would do when he got to a free state he would go to saving up money...he would buy his wife...never dared to talk such talk in his life before.” (Twain 88) Jim changed as Huck and himself got closer to Cairo (one of the towns in a free state) since he was approaching his desire to be free. Things Jim would never have done in the beginning is being attempted by the altered Jim due to his newfound sense of privilege. In addition, the river is the form of transportation that would be able to help Jim achieve this desire to be free. He sees the river as a road to opportunity since he would actually be paid to work, and he would not be separated from his wife and children. Thus, the river symbolizes freedom which in turn alters the personalities of Huck and Jim as they get closer to their