Similarities Between Huckleberry Finn And Where Things Come Back

In literature, there are countless themes that play significant roles in many different books. Very frequently, these themes will reoccur in various novels. One such theme, identity, played a crucial role in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as well as the novel Where Things Come Back. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the theme of identity is prevalent with the protagonist of the novel, Huckleberry Finn. In Where Things Come Back the theme of identity is present with the character Benton Sage. In the novels, both Benton Sage and Huckleberry Finn struggle with their identity. Both characters had values embedded in their minds from a very young age, and they were always told what to do and how to act by others. With Huckleberry, this is
present with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson.
With Benton Sage, this is present with his father. Throughout the novels, both characters make discoveries about their identities which ultimately leads them to make huge decisions. However, the way in which this change in identity or self-discovery affected the two characters is what differs in the two novels. From a very young age, Huck was taught and expected by others in society to look down on African Americans. Throughout the novel, however, Huck begins to develop and change his identity through his changing feelings towards African Americans. This is most clearly shown in his attitude towards Jim, the runaway slave. Originally, Huck treats Jim as society taught him to. However, one extremely critical scene in the novel sparks a change of identity in Huck. In this scene, Huck loses Jim, who floats away in the fog on a raft. Huck eventually finds Jim and convinces him that he dreamt the whole thing. Eventually, however, Jim puts the clues together and realizes that Huck lied and tricked him saying, “What do dey stan’ for? I’se gwyne to tell you. When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin’ for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’, en I didn’ k’yer no’ mo’ what
become er me en de raf’. En when I wake up en fine you back agin, all safe en soun’, de tears come, en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot, I’s so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin’ ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ‘em ashamed.” This quote from Jim leads Huck to realize how much Jim truly cares about him and how worried he was. Huck responds with an apology. In the novel he says, “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way.” Thus, the theme of identity is clearly prevalent in this scene. It shows how Huck’s identity is changing, and he is beginning to see Jim as a human being rather than simply viewing him as a slave. This change in identity ultimately causes Huck to assist Jim’s escape to freedom, which he realizes is the morally right thing to do. Similar to Huck Finn, Benton Sage in Where Things Come Back struggled with his identity throughout the novel. In one particular scene, the identity struggle taking place within Benton is extremely evident. While almost everyone else at the University of Atlanta was visiting family for Christmas break, Benton Sage opted to stay behind. When he calls home to talk to his mother, no one answers. He begins to think about the old days where he would celebrate Christmas with his family, and he was not a complete disappointment to them. Benton begins to struggle with his identity and believes he has no place in the world if his family does not accept him. “That night, just as the church bells began to ring midnight at the First Baptist on Washington Street, Benton was walking up the stairwell of the bell tower. When the twelfth bell had rung, Benton felt air rush against his face, his arms outstretched on both sides. He heard the quiet singing of Christmas carols. His lungs breathed in one final cold breath as his body became part of the earth.” Therefore, it is clearly evident that the theme of identity is present in this scene. Even with the awful treatment Benton Sage received from his father, his ultimate goal in life was to please him. Eventually, however, Benton’s father disowns him, and Benton begins to struggle with his identity and place in the world. This identity struggle ultimately leads Benton to kill himself. In conclusion, it is evident that both of these scenes exhibit the common theme of identity in similar yet different ways. In both novels, Huck and Benton Sage had values implanted in their minds from a very young age, and they were always told what to do and how to act by others. Eventually, however, both characters make discoveries about their true identity and place in the world. They both realize that they are not what others had molded and hoped them to be. The difference in the two novels is how the characters were affected by their identity struggle. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck’s struggle of identity leads him in a positive direction. Huck’s new found identity causes him to help Jim escape to freedom, and realize that African Americans are people too. In contrast, in Where Things Come Back, Benton’s struggle of identity causes him to kill himself, because he believes he has no purpose in the world.