Huck Finn And Jim's Relationship
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a story told from the perspective of Tom Sawyer’s best friend, Huck Finn follows his adventures as he travels down the Mississippi with his runaway slave friend Jim. Over the story, Huck’s relationship with Jim fluctuates, but does this relationship make Huck a moral person? Throughout all his experiences on the raft and on the land with Jim, Huck becomes a moral person, as shown by his relationship with Jim throughout the book. Near the beginning of the book, Huck sees Jim as a companion on this adventure, not caring that he is a runaway slave. For example, On page 51, Huck says, “‘Well I did. I said I wouldn’t, and I’ll stick to it. Honest Injun I will. People call me a low down Abilitionist and despise
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me for keeping mum--but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t agoing to tell…” (Twain 51). This line shows Huck’s indifference to Jim running away, promising not to tell on him and the forming bond between the two. Unfortunately, later in the story, Huck breaks this promise. His opinions on slaves, however, were still questionable, as shown on page 91: “...he had an uncommon level head, for a n*****.” (Twain 91). In this line, Huck’s racism is obvious, by the last phrase tacked on. This phrase separates slaves and people, continuing the placement of slaves as second-class humans. Huck, at this stage, still only sees Jim as a runaway slave, not a friend, but he treats Jim with respect.
Near the middle of the story, Huck struggles with the thought of helping a runaway slave, thinking it sin, but Jim’s companionship complicates his reasoning.
For one, on page 248, Huck states, “And at last, when it hit me all of a sudden that here was the plain hand of Providence slapping me in the face and letting me know my wickedness was being watched all the time from up there in heaven, whilst I was stealing a poor old woman’s n***** that hadn’t ever done me no harm…” (Twain 248). This quote shows his struggle with the norm at the time, where slaves were regarded as property instead of people, so helping one run away would be considered stealing. As stealing is sin according to Christianity, Huck sees his actions of being a decent human being as sinful and hell-bent. Secondly, on page 249, Huck writes, “But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I’d see him standing my watch on top of his’n, stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come up to him again in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such-like times; and would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was; and at last I struck the time I saved him by telling the men we had small-pox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now;...”
(Twain 249). This long line of text is a flashback to all the things Jim did for Huck and how amazing of a friend Jim was to Huck. This leads Huck to a change of heart, where he decides to help Jim escape. Huck’s change of heart in this matter leads to their bond being even stronger in the end, leading to an almost brotherly relationship.
Near the end of the story, Huck’s relationship with Jim has transformed into an almost brotherly relationship, with both Huck and Jim relying on one another. For example, on page 319, Huck writes, “I knowed he was white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say…” (Twain 319).
In this line, being “white inside” means that Huck sees Jim as any other person, defying the norm of dehumanizing slaves at the time. He then proves it by helping him escape. The overly-complicated escape attempt in itself was both illegal and unnecessary for one without morality. Huck could have decided to forget about Jim, as he was expected to at the time, but he didn’t. Huck did everything possible to get Jim out of confinement, even though he was a recaptured slave. That in itself speaks volumes about Huck’s morality at the end of the story. Through the story, Huck’s relationship with Jim has fluctuated from companionship to betrayal to brotherhood, leading Huck to realize the error of his judgement of slaves. As shown with Huck’s relationship with Jim, he believes that Jim and white folks are equal, showing morality by not dehumanizing another human being.
me for keeping mum--but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t agoing to tell…” (Twain 51). This line shows Huck’s indifference to Jim running away, promising not to tell on him and the forming bond between the two. Unfortunately, later in the story, Huck breaks this promise. His opinions on slaves, however, were still questionable, as shown on page 91: “...he had an uncommon level head, for a n*****.” (Twain 91). In this line, Huck’s racism is obvious, by the last phrase tacked on. This phrase separates slaves and people, continuing the placement of slaves as second-class humans. Huck, at this stage, still only sees Jim as a runaway slave, not a friend, but he treats Jim with respect.
Near the middle of the story, Huck struggles with the thought of helping a runaway slave, thinking it sin, but Jim’s companionship complicates his reasoning.
For one, on page 248, Huck states, “And at last, when it hit me all of a sudden that here was the plain hand of Providence slapping me in the face and letting me know my wickedness was being watched all the time from up there in heaven, whilst I was stealing a poor old woman’s n***** that hadn’t ever done me no harm…” (Twain 248). This quote shows his struggle with the norm at the time, where slaves were regarded as property instead of people, so helping one run away would be considered stealing. As stealing is sin according to Christianity, Huck sees his actions of being a decent human being as sinful and hell-bent. Secondly, on page 249, Huck writes, “But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I’d see him standing my watch on top of his’n, stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come up to him again in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such-like times; and would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was; and at last I struck the time I saved him by telling the men we had small-pox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now;...”
(Twain 249). This long line of text is a flashback to all the things Jim did for Huck and how amazing of a friend Jim was to Huck. This leads Huck to a change of heart, where he decides to help Jim escape. Huck’s change of heart in this matter leads to their bond being even stronger in the end, leading to an almost brotherly relationship.
Near the end of the story, Huck’s relationship with Jim has transformed into an almost brotherly relationship, with both Huck and Jim relying on one another. For example, on page 319, Huck writes, “I knowed he was white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say…” (Twain 319).
In this line, being “white inside” means that Huck sees Jim as any other person, defying the norm of dehumanizing slaves at the time. He then proves it by helping him escape. The overly-complicated escape attempt in itself was both illegal and unnecessary for one without morality. Huck could have decided to forget about Jim, as he was expected to at the time, but he didn’t. Huck did everything possible to get Jim out of confinement, even though he was a recaptured slave. That in itself speaks volumes about Huck’s morality at the end of the story. Through the story, Huck’s relationship with Jim has fluctuated from companionship to betrayal to brotherhood, leading Huck to realize the error of his judgement of slaves. As shown with Huck’s relationship with Jim, he believes that Jim and white folks are equal, showing morality by not dehumanizing another human being.