Huckleberry Finn Morality Analysis
Twain shows Jim’s experiences of suffering for Huck in this novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to demonstrate Jim’s humanity even as a slave. During this time period, African Americans were regarded as property in accordance with text in the Old Testament. In this novel, the equality was only apparent on the Mississippi river. The river represents equality wherein Huck and Jim treat each other as equals. It is not until they reach land that they are bound by societal norms that limit their interactions. Even then, Jim and Huck still have a caring relationship, with Twain’s use of the novel as his medium showing his contempt for society. On pg. 226 in the Norton Anthology version of the book, Jim’s humanity was made the most apparent
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Jim then warns Huck not to look at the man's face, which allows Huck to have the motivation to continue his adventure thinking that his father is not dead. Jim continues to stay with Huck and provide him with moral support on the river, serving to develop Huck’s moral development along the way. An example of this moral support is where in Chapter 16, Huck makes up a story to preserve Jim's freedom and then Jim remarks he will never forget Huck's kindness. Huck later experiences a coming of age when he is faced with the ultimate moral dilemma of reporting Jim at the Phelps Farm to Miss Watson. Feeling conflicted about stealing “property” from Miss Watson, he writes a letter which he then crumples up after fully understanding that his letter would harm Jim, who he then realizes is a human being. This incident evokes feelings of regret in Huck, and shows that Huck is the one good person in the novel.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim’s sacrifices for Huck’s wellbeing are most rigorously defined in Chapters 40 and 42. In Chapter 40, Jim shows his compassion for other human beings by refusing to leave Tom Sawyer when they are on the run away from the dogs. This is when Huck realizes that Jim was “white inside”. During this time Jim tends to Tom’s splinter and Huck goes off to fetch a doctor for Jim’s gunshot wound. This event becomes more significant
Jim then warns Huck not to look at the man's face, which allows Huck to have the motivation to continue his adventure thinking that his father is not dead. Jim continues to stay with Huck and provide him with moral support on the river, serving to develop Huck’s moral development along the way. An example of this moral support is where in Chapter 16, Huck makes up a story to preserve Jim's freedom and then Jim remarks he will never forget Huck's kindness. Huck later experiences a coming of age when he is faced with the ultimate moral dilemma of reporting Jim at the Phelps Farm to Miss Watson. Feeling conflicted about stealing “property” from Miss Watson, he writes a letter which he then crumples up after fully understanding that his letter would harm Jim, who he then realizes is a human being. This incident evokes feelings of regret in Huck, and shows that Huck is the one good person in the novel.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim’s sacrifices for Huck’s wellbeing are most rigorously defined in Chapters 40 and 42. In Chapter 40, Jim shows his compassion for other human beings by refusing to leave Tom Sawyer when they are on the run away from the dogs. This is when Huck realizes that Jim was “white inside”. During this time Jim tends to Tom’s splinter and Huck goes off to fetch a doctor for Jim’s gunshot wound. This event becomes more significant