Moral Development Of Huckleberry Finn

Although society sees this book as controversial, “the books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame” so overall this books morals are beneficial (Wilde). In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck encounters multiple morally challenging situations. The situations with Mary Jane, the Duke and King, Jim, and The Grangerford's exemplify that despite society's expectations, Huck does what is morally right and challenges questionable standards he has been surrounded with all his life. Many people cross the path of Huck and Jim's journey. Along the way, they have become critical characters in Huck’s maturation. Huck's relationship with the Grangerford's demonstrates that following society has downfalls.
This molds the positive evolution of Huck's character, along with the Duke and King involuntarily showing Huck that lying hurts innocent people.
Jim's friendship with Huck shows him the importance of having loyalty towards a companion. Parallel to the friendship with Jim, Mary Jane shows Huck that it is essential to treat others with respect. The relationships Huck makes during his journey help him develop a sense of morality and loyalty
(Courchene) Huck Finn’s development as a character is shaped by him realizing how negative the scheming and lies, carried out by the Duke and King, are affecting innocent people. Encounters with the Wilks family are big schemes that pull Huck towards a more honest path. After supper, Huck and the hare-lip are left in the kitchen. In an attempt to make him blunder and satisfy her and the doctor’s suspicion of them being imposters, the hare-lip interrogates Huck. In the middle
of her questions, Mary Jane and Susan interrupt and shame her for making Huck feel so unwelcome. Because Huck had to lie to the nice girls for the Duke and King, “[He] felt so ornery and low down and mean that [he] [said] to [himself], my mind's made up; I'll hive that money for them or bust” (175). In this quote, Huck feels bad about lying to the girls since they have been nothing but hospitable and kind. He has decided to return the money so the schemes cannot hurt them any further. The poor treatment and escalating lies are building action in the story but also beginning to wear down on Huck and Jim. Jim is expressing his discomfort and Huck, “[feels the same], too, [...]. But [they] have them on [their] hands, and [they] [have] to remember what [the Duke and King] are, [...]. Sometimes [Huck] [wishes] [they] could hear of a country that's out of kings” (155). As the story evolves, Huck becomes more and more frustrated with the King's actions. This pushes Huck to be more truthful by showing him how much pain lying can cause. The frustration from all the lies is another way to show how Huck's relationship with the Duke and King shape his character to follow a more honest path.
(Courchene) Witnessing the Grangerford’s and Shepardson’s feud first hand, shows Huck how ridiculous and destructive following society can be.
While on the river, a steamboat obliterates Huck and Jim's raft, forcing Huck to go ashore. When Huck is in town, he tries to find a home in which he can stay. The very kindhearted Grangerford’s own the home he goes to. After it has been clarified he's not a Shepardson, the family is willing to offer Huck a place to stay. As Huck gets comfortable with the family, he learns more about the ongoing feud. His first introduction to the feud is when Buck hides behind a bush and takes a shot at Harney but only knocks off his hat. Huck later asks why he tried to kill Harney since he cannot make any sense of it. Buck explains that there is not a reason, “Only [that] it’s on account of the feud” (107). Huck is beginning to see the irrationality of the feud and following society. Later on, the fight becomes full blown and the rival families are in a battle throughout the town. Huck finds Buck and his cousin hiding behind logs to protect themselves from the ongoing fight. After Huck reveals his hiding spot in the tree, the two boys appoint him a lookout. While distracted in conversation, a group of Shepardson's sneak through the woods and attack from behind, killing Buck and his cousin before they can escape down the river. Huck is horrified and cannot move for hours until he knows it is clear, and takes off to find Jim. Reflecting back on his
time with the Grangerford’s, “[He] wish[es] [he] hadn't ever come ashore that night to see such things” (115). The experience really changes Huck by teaching him that following society and doing what everyone else wants you to do is not always right or moral. The Shepardson’s and Grangerford’s blind hatred for each other is as irrational and senseless as the schemes by the Duke and King but positively more fatal. Both relationships change Huck immensely and show him a path to becoming a better person.