The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is arguably one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. Huck, a young boy living during the mid 1800s is on an adventure to freedom with a slave named Jim. During this adventure, Huck learns many important life lessons and explores what outside life is like. Through following Huck and Jim on their road to freedom, we are able to explore many different aspects of life and understand morals better. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is about a young boy named Huck and his journey North to freedom.
Freedom can be defined as many things but is universally defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. You may think that everyone is born into this world with freedom. However, that hasn’t always been the case. During the 1800s when slavery was not yet banned in the United States, many black people living in the South were enslaved. Clearly, freedom wasn’t granted to them. To Jim, freedom meant escaping North to a place where he could live as a free man. However, other people may have different interpretations of freedom. To Huck freedom meant escaping from his pap. Huck’s pap is very abusive and controlled by locking Huck in the hut they lived in and denying him food. Though both Huck and Jim have very different views on freedom, both should not get denied their freedom. To live as a free man and to have freedom can be viewed differently by different people.
Religion can be shown and represented in many different ways. Religion is defined as a range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals and beliefs. Examples of religions can include Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism, Buddhism, and much more. You don’t have to be born into a religion to believe and follow it. Christianity is the religion explored in Huckleberry Finn. There are many aspects of Church, prayers, and God in this novel. Miss Watson sends Huck to Sunday school where he learns about Christianity and God. Because of this influence of religion, during their journey when Huck faces struggles, he prays to God. This demonstrates Huck’s internal morals. Jim, on the other hand, is a slave and had no education and never went to Church. Therefore he isn’t a follower of the religion. Religion is essentially a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. Religion ideally serves several functions. It gives meaning and purpose to life. Different people can follow different religions and have different views on what it means to be a true follower of religion.
Slavery and racial discrimination is unacceptable behavior that has already impacted many in the past and should not happen again. Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labor. Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group. In the history of the US, slavery occured from 1619-1865. That is more than 200 years of owning humans and forcing them into harsh labor without pay or very little pay. However, the end of slavery never marked the end of racism. Racism still continues up to today. Though racism against black people and African Americans was more prominent in the past, racism towards other ethnic groups still exists today. Jim is a slave living in the South where slavery was “acceptable” at that time. Huck, however, has different views on this which leads him to help Jim escape the South. Miss Watson, Jim’s “owner”, however, feels guilty about losing Jim. Slavery is part of our history as Americans. When looking back at this time period during history, we may deeply regret our actions. However, now, all we can do is prevent it from happening again. Racism, on the other hand, is part of our past, present, and future. Slavery and racism is not right, as nobody should be treated differently based on the color of their skin.
Human nature can be good and/or bad depending on one’s natural instincts and actions. Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that humans are said to have naturally. There is always a bright side of human nature and a dark side of human nature. The bright sides of human nature may include kindness, generosity, and honesty. The dark sides of human nature may include alcoholism, murder, and hypocrisy. Ms. Judith Loftus is an example of the bright side of human nature. Her kind spirit and willingness to help Huck is an example of kindness. Pap, however, is an example of the dark side of human nature. He is alcoholic and is cruel towards his own son. The ‘duke’ and the ‘king’ are also examples of the dark side of human nature as they lie and trick people unfairly. Human nature is what defines us as who we are deep down. Deep down, we know the consequences of our actions but human nature results us in doing whatever that action is. Though our actions may not always define who we are, when dealing with human nature actions do define our human nature and how society views us. Human nature is something unavoidable and different souls can have a bright human nature or a dark one.
As one gets older, one matures, which is part of growing up and coming of age. Growing up is very often described as a search for one's identity. As one is maturing, one may try to decide what kind of person to be, which can be related to the theme of coming of age. Throughout the story, Huck somewhat matures. This is shown through his behavior, attitude, and decision in helping Jim escape to freedom. He realizes what the right actions are and follows his internal morals which tells him to help Jim instead of following society and practicing slavery. Huck’s maturity is also shown through his compliance to the ‘duke’ and the ‘king’. Huck learns how to plot plans without emotional disturbance. His internal morals also lead him to telling Mary Jane the truth behind the two charlatans and their tricks. As one matures and develops into an adult, so do their choices and morals on right and wrong. When you get older, there are more decisions to make and learning from past mistakes and making the right choice is part of becoming an adult and growing up. Maturity is part of growing up and coming of age which develops one’s notions of right and wrong.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in many ways is one of the greatest novels ever written. The novel gives literary form to many aspects of the national destiny of the American people. Huck and Jim seek freedom which is contrasted with the civilization along the Mississippi River. This conflict forms an important theme throughout the novel. The many aspects of Huckleberry Finn can also be found in many modern-day novels. The contribution of this novel greatly impacted the history of literature. As Ernest Hemmingway once said, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn”.
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