Throughout the pages of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck
fights with two distinct voices. One is siding with popular opinion, saying Huck
should turn Jim in, and the other is realizing the wrong in turning his friend in, not
viewing Jim as a slave. Twain wants the reader to see the moral difficulty Huck is
going through, and what slavery can do to a person who is pure like Huck.
Huck does not think about Jim?s impending freedom until Jim himself
starts to get excited about the idea. Huck?s first objection to Jim is gaining his
freedom, when Huck says, ?Well, I can tell you it made me all over trembly and
feverish, too, to hear him, because I begun to get it through my head that he was
most free-and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I could get that out of my
consciounce, no how nor no way.? I think that that was the popular opinion not his
own. Huck did not realize at this point that he was just falling other peoples values
at this time. Huck totally misunderstood slavery. Huck does not treat Jim like a
slave when they traveled together, Huck treated Jim as a friend.
Huck saw having a slave only as owning the person. Not actually being
a slave to someone. Therefore, when he helps Jim runaway it would be like stealing.
His conscience is telling him that Miss Watson, Jim?s master, never did anything
wrong to him and that he shouldn?t be doing anything wrong to her by helping Jim
escape. Miss Watson?s view is totally different from than Huck?s perspective. Huck
always disliked Miss Watson, but now that this society voice plays a part in Huck?s
judgment his views are changed. Society?s view allows Huck to see Jim, a friend,
only as a slave and Miss Watson, almost a foe in his young views, as a dear friend.
Twain is showing the reader the injustices of slavery in this little story,
as well as his moral opinion to slavery. Twain wants the reader to see how slavery
changes people, even those who didn?t understand it fully. Twain wants the reader
to see how unfair slavery was in how it could even change Huck?s opinion. I think
that Twain viewed slavery as wrong, and he showed this threw the opinion of
Huck.
Twain does not let the reader think badly of Huck for very long,
though, having Huck?s true voice shine out by the end of the confrontation. Huck
wants to go and turn Jim in, seeing the act as an obligation rather than a moral
dilemma. He says, ?Well, I just felt sick. But I says, I got to do it-I can?t get out of
it.? Twain wants the reader to see Huck?s change in judgment. The reader is able to
see Huck?s newfound reluctance, brought on by Jim?s words of appreciation. These
words bring Huck back to the realization that Jim is a friend, not property. And even
though Huck still consciously says he must turn in Jim, the reader does not believe
he will do it anymore.
Huck?s confrontation with the slave hunters and his scheme to protect
Jim prove the reader correct in his assumption. Evan if Huck does not know it he
decided to protect Jim at all costs. This is the second voice that Jim hears. This
voice tells him that, ??s?pose you?d a done right and give Jim up; would you felt
better than what you do now? Now, says I, I?d feel bad-I?d feel just the same way I
do now. Well, then, says I, what?s the use you learning to do right, when it?s
troublesome to do right and ain?t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the
same?? Even though these are Huck?s thoughts, the reader knows this was Huck?s
mental battle before he decided to help Jim. Twain wants the reader to see how hard
it is to break out of society?s ideas, but someone has to be willing to do it. Twain
wants the reader to respect Huck?s great moral conversion, even if it is hidden
behind Huck?s lie to do whatever ?come handiest at the time? because the reader
knows Huck will always choose Jim as ?handiest? now. Twain is telling the reader
to do what is ?handiest? but also to remember whom it affects, friend or foe?
Because, even above other peoples views they, should come friends.
Twain?s morals are clearly shown through this short novel. I think his
morals were bold for his time and I respect him in the highest revere for his
braveness at expressing them in a time period when blacks in the south were still
very much hated.
I thought that the tale of Huck Finn was very well told through the
words of Mark Twain. The story had many childlike characteristics but yet delt
with a very mature topic. I think it is a lesson that can be appreciated by all time
periods.