Friendship In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells the story of a thirteen year old boy named Huck Finn and his adventures with Jim, a black slave. Throughout the novel, Huck and Jim become more dependent on each other. The growing dependence with each other is evident of their friendship amidst their dramatic adventures together. The events in the novel reveal that Huck treats friendship as a very serious matter in his life. Twain maintains this significance of this theme throughout the novel, as to highlight the amount of value that Huck puts in friendship and loyalty amongst his friends.
Towards the beginning of the novel, the reader is revealed that Jim and Huck are stranded on an island. From this, the reader is able to understand that dependence on each other is beginning to form. Huck is useless with a gun as he would only be able to kill an animal but not be able to cook. Jim is
useless with a fire as he does not have his food. But together, Huck and Jim have heat, food, and each other to get by. Although it may be simple, the fact that Huck and Jim are working together to survive is the first step towards their trust with each other; and ultimately their dependence and friendship. It is clear, that Twain aimed to show friendship is another light; one that has each other forming their friendship because of reliance and trust instead of similarities. Further in the novel, Huck gets separated from Jim, his slave, during a foggy night.
First and foremost, Jim’s passion towards Huck’s safety, reveals the dependence on Huck. As Jim claims Huck’s return is ‘too good for true’ and ‘back agin’, Twain’s motive was to show the one sided passion to Jim and Huck’s friendship at this point in the novel. Moreover, at this point in the novel, Huck is still conflicted on helping Jim, but Jim has done nothing but thank Huck. The contrast of Jim’s passion and Huck foolishness towards Jim allows for Twain to reveal the developing friendship of them too. Jim sees Huck as his only friend and because of this, Jim is more worried about Huck’s safety than his own. Jim was equally lost and in danger, especially as a runaway slave. However, Jim did not lash out at Huck for leaving him, but instead praised his return. In fact, Jim completely disregards any worries about himself. Therefore, it is clear that Jim values Huck’s life after his own. The value that Jim sets, reveals the friendship that Twain is hoping to set in the rest of the
novel. Towards the conclusion of this novel, Twain reveals Huck’s internal conflicts of turning in Jim and or letting him free. It was during this time that Huck was considering writing to Mrs. Watson to tell her where Jim was. Huck, who was once mistrusting of Jim, has now developed a deeper friendship with Jim. Huck cannot get over the fact that Jim has called him his “best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he's got now”. Huck is reflecting upon his adventures with Jim and cannot find any things to “harden me against him”. Jim’s care and gratefulness towards Huck is something that Huck values in their friendship. Twain has been able to reveal the significance of Jim’s friendship on Huck, but also the significance of friendship as it pertains to the whole novel. It is clear at this point in the novel, that Huck no longer sees Jim as a slave, but as a friend.