Mississippi River Symbolism

In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, the Mississippi River is the book’s most significant symbol. For many years the Mississippi has provided a means of transportation and a source of freedom. In the novel, Huck was abused by his father, Pap, that was a drunk. He never knew his mother. So, Huck was adopted by the widow Douglas. Early in the book, Huck is surprised by his father, Pap, that shows up at his house, in his bedroom. Pap thinks that Huck acts like he is better than him so he kidnaps Huck and takes him to live in a cottage by the river. His father keeps him locked inside the cottage. He likes it there a little bit better, except for Pap getting drunk and beating him.
To get away from his father, and to be free, Huck fakes his own death and
Huck finds out from a woman he has met that there are men going to the island to look for Jim. Huck hurries back to the island to get Jim. Huck and Jim escape the island on a raft.
The Mississippi river is pretty much where most of the book takes place. The encounters they face on the river symbolize the complicated journey that Jim and Huck experience throughout the book and they have experienced through their lives. In chapter ten, they find a wrecked steamboat with criminals aboard. In chapter 15, Huck and Jim are separated when a large steam boat knock into their raft. In chapter 19, Huck and Jim are floating down the river and come across a couple of con men. The con men come aboard the raft. Further down the river, the con men are refusing to leave. The Mississippi river symbolizes freedom. Although, the river has many blessings, it also has many dangers. The river is free flowing and is very unpredictable. Storms and the waters of the Mississippi river threaten Huck and Jim’s life. The river symbolizes that a person can be carefree and have freedom but it comes with many unpredictable outcomes. One must be