Huckleberry Finn Conflict Essay
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Conflict between the river and the shore in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
In contemporary society, people’s personalities often change based on the environment that surrounds them. These personalities affect society for the better or worse as they influence others. Contemporary society has the same conflict between societal rules and natural rules as illustrated by the differences of rules between life on the river and life on land for Huckleberry Finn. In pre-Civil War America, society was greatly influenced by convention. When Huck is around other people on shore, he follows convention instead of following his own innate behavior. Huck most expresses his natural side …show more content…
The contrast between the locations, experiences and people on shore and on the raft along the journey force Huck to evaluate who he really is and strengthen his identity. During his journey Huck starts to realize how much he values Jim's friendship. He finally realizes that he cares more about Jim than he does about the law. After being in between nature and convention while traveling down the Mississippi, Huck ultimately chooses nature by choosing to help Jim, which shows his growth throughout his journey. Thain made it clear when Huck was deciding to help Jim escape that Huck was choosing between society and natural law: “I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: All right, then, I’ll go to hell” — and tore it up” (349). Huck’s physical journey is a metaphor for his emotional growth throughout the entirety of the book -- Huck decided that ultimately natural law is stronger than the rules of society.
Twain shows the difference between a natural setting or a social setting and the effect that it has on people. Through Huck’s physical journey down the Mississippi Twain shows the difference between the rules on the river and the rules on the land. The physical journey down the Mississippi River demonstrates the clash between society and nature and conformity and nonconformity. As Huck and Jim float down the river, Huck learns to recognize and follow natural law instead of artificial rules created by
Conflict between the river and the shore in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
In contemporary society, people’s personalities often change based on the environment that surrounds them. These personalities affect society for the better or worse as they influence others. Contemporary society has the same conflict between societal rules and natural rules as illustrated by the differences of rules between life on the river and life on land for Huckleberry Finn. In pre-Civil War America, society was greatly influenced by convention. When Huck is around other people on shore, he follows convention instead of following his own innate behavior. Huck most expresses his natural side …show more content…
The contrast between the locations, experiences and people on shore and on the raft along the journey force Huck to evaluate who he really is and strengthen his identity. During his journey Huck starts to realize how much he values Jim's friendship. He finally realizes that he cares more about Jim than he does about the law. After being in between nature and convention while traveling down the Mississippi, Huck ultimately chooses nature by choosing to help Jim, which shows his growth throughout his journey. Thain made it clear when Huck was deciding to help Jim escape that Huck was choosing between society and natural law: “I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: All right, then, I’ll go to hell” — and tore it up” (349). Huck’s physical journey is a metaphor for his emotional growth throughout the entirety of the book -- Huck decided that ultimately natural law is stronger than the rules of society.
Twain shows the difference between a natural setting or a social setting and the effect that it has on people. Through Huck’s physical journey down the Mississippi Twain shows the difference between the rules on the river and the rules on the land. The physical journey down the Mississippi River demonstrates the clash between society and nature and conformity and nonconformity. As Huck and Jim float down the river, Huck learns to recognize and follow natural law instead of artificial rules created by