Huck Finn- Relationship between Huck and Jim

In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck is a character that lives pre civil war in a time where slavery and society are two main issues. In the beginning of the novel Huck rebels against being civilized by Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas, as well as the abuse from his father by running away to the river. On Huck’s adventure toward freedom with Jim, the run away slave, Huck actually becomes more mature and civilized while living on the river. Huck’s life on the river seems to change his moral views of Jim as not a slave but a person, and companion on their journey.

When the novel first takes place you can see how society’s views of black people have influenced Huck. We first see this when Huck and Tom sneak out of the house and play a trick on Jim by taking his hat while he’s asleep and putting it in a tree branch over his head. Huck constantly plays pranks on Jim throughout their journey. It shows that Huck’s view of Jim is more like something to joke around with and not something to respect due to his skin color.

When Huck and Jim find each other on Jackson Island it seems as if it’s a dream like setting. Huck who had broke away from the pressure of society and Jim who is also longing to be free and be able to have a say have both come together in search for freedom. Both of them are viewing their freedom differently though. Jim aspires to be with his family, and have the freedom of a normal person. Huck’s freedom is all about personal freedom to escape the rules, do what he wants and live an adventure.

The river is Huck’s world for an adventure. His whole run away plan is like this world where he can do what he wants and not worry about anything. The one thing he does not realize though is through all of his pranks he is jeopardizing the chances of Jim getting caught. Huck’s not thinking about Jim’s goals but only his.

One prank Huck plays on Jim is when Jim talks to Huck constantly about superstitions and Huck thinks it would be funny to put a dead snake at his feet while he rests. This exemplifies Huck’s immaturity because the mate of the snake comes and bites Jim leading to his leg and foot swelling, and Jim being sick for 4 days. With Jim being sick for so long it could have increased their chances for being caught putting both of them in danger.

Jim also never reprimands Huck for the foolish things he does. This indicates Jim’s feelings that although he is older, Huck is superior because he’s white and Jim is a slave so he can’t really say anything. Jim tries to act like a parent and tells Huck no when he tells Jim about his wild plans, but Jim always gives into Huck letting him go through with his wild ideas. This may be because of Jim’s fear that Huck will turn him in for the reward money.

Jim finally stands up for himself one time which is the climaxing point of Huck and Jim’s relationship, and Huck’s moral views of Jim. Huck refers to Jim as smart for a black person. “Well, he was right, he was most always right; he had an uncommon level head for a nigger.”(57) Huck’s feelings for pranks and the way he feels about Jim change after he tells Jim that he was only dreaming they had been lost from each other in the terrible fog. In reality they had been separated for quite awhile, and Jim was very upset when he found out it had not been a dream. “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 and fine you back agin’ all safe en soun’, de tears come…”(65)

In this quote was the first time that Jim expressed his feelings and Huck actually heard him. It was also one of the few times Huck actually felt someone care for him which is why it changed his views of Jim so much. “It was 15 minutes before I could 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 have one if I’d knowed it would make him feel that way.”(65)

The river brought Huck and Jim together at that point. Jim told Huck that he was the only white man to ever keep his word to him, which shows how Huck is now treating Jim with his heart and not how society thinks he should be treated. Huck’s new perspective on friendship assures him that his choice in making a “wrong” decision in turning Jim in for the money is actually right to him. Huck chooses not to turn in Jim despite what society thinks, and for once follows his own conscience. Huck’s moral views seemed to completely change and instead of being an immature boy who loved to get in trouble, Huck seemed to be wiser beyond his years.

The river brought Huck and Jim friendship, loyalty, adventure, and growth that gave them both a whole new way to look at things.