Transformation Along The River Analysis

Eva Rodriguez
M. Roberts
APLC-3rd
18 November 2013
Transformation Along The River: Society Vs. Peace
Flowing from north to south, the Mississippi River serves as a three thousand mile stretch of transportation for America. This river has become an essential part to the everyday happenings of this country: from recreational activities, to transporting industrialized goods to the southern states. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the Mississippi River serves as a guide to the characters along their journey. It has been stated, “The Mississippi river serves as the driving force behind the novels plot development” (Railton 150), which is shown when the two characters, Huck and Jim, depend on the raft and the river that transports
Although their escape to freedom began well, “They get themselves into every kind of trouble,” (Bloom 10); it takes a turn for the worse and they stumble into the first conflict of their journey. Huck describes, “Directly, it begun to rain, and it rained like all fury…The river went on raising and raising for ten or twelve days, til it was over the banks.”(Twain 49). After meeting each other on Jackson’s island, Huck and Jim create a hiding place in a cave, when it then starts to downpour. The river they viewed as their escape route flooded, which foreshadows the beginning conflict within their path towards freedom. Twain emphasizes this flood because it represents the overall conflicts the two characters began their journey to freedom and happiness with. Huck and Jim set up camp, recovering from the flood, and find a dead snake, which Jim claims represents “bad luck.” Unfortunately Jim was accurate in that matter. Assuming the snake was permanently deceased, Huck decides to joke with Jim by placing the snake at the foot of his pallet. Huck describes, “Well, by night I forgot all about the snake and when Jim flung himself down on the blanket while I struck a light the snake’s mate was there, and bit him.”(Twain 52). One could assume that escaping from restriction and captivity would lead
Huck explains, “We stayed in the wigman and let the raft take care of itself… Well, it being away in the night and stormy, and all mysterious-like, I felt just the way any other boy would ‘a’ felt when I seen that wreck laying there so mournful and lonesome in the middle of the river.” (Twain 66). Troubles, such as this ship wreck, they pass along the way to freedom seem to catch the emotions of Huck, setting him back in aspiration along their journey. The wreckage of the ships caught the attention of both Huck and Jim and they discover a man being held captive by two robbers. In attempt to help the situation, they formulate a plan in advantage of the victim. “Then in there I see a man stretched on the floor and tied hand and foot, and two men standing over him, and one of them had a dim lantern in his hand, and the other one had a pistol… if we don’t hunt up their boat and set her drifting down the river…”(Twain 70). After discovering the shipwreck, the two boys go return to their raft and find that it has gone missing down the river, and then they loose sight of each other. However, when they find each other, the steamboat destroys their raft. This series of conflict occurs on land, which emphasizes the theme of the story in which the land is a place of obstruction and discomfort. Obstacles on land the river takes them through occur frequently and more