The Jouney of Huckleberry Finn
Uploaded by hemi426chrgr on Jan 31, 2005
In many stories, the main character undergoes certain changes through his or her experiences. These changes occur because of a major event or journey in the character’s life that causes the character to have a different perspective and think independently. Mark Twain shows this type of change in his work. The book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, shows the development of a young boy, Huck Finn, as he experiences many situations during a life-altering journey.
At the beginning of the novel, non-conformity does not exist in Huck’s character. Huck Finn seems conforms to what people tell him to do. When the widow and Miss Watson try to civilize Huck and send him to school, Huck reluctantly does so, and comes to like it. A little while later in the story, Huck says “I [don’t] see how I’d ever got to like it so well at the widow’s” (24). When Tom Sawyer wants to start a gang, Huck does not understand some of Tom’s ways, but conforms anyway. Also, after Pap kidnaps Huck and takes him to a cabin in the woods, Huck comes to like it there as well, saying, “I [am] used to being where I [am], and [I like] it” (24). This shows that early in the story, Huck’s character has yet to develop into his own.
Soon after, however, this transformation into a non-conforming individual begins to take place. Huck formulates a plan to escape from the rule of his father, as he decides he does not enjoy his father’s rule any longer. His plan seems intelligent, and works out perfectly. This marks the beginning of a change in character and judgment for Huck. Once Huck escapes, he finds Jim, a slave belonging to Miss Watson, hiding on an island. For a moment Huck thinks that Jim’s running away was wrong, but then begins using his own judgment and decides not to tell on Jim, saying “’I ain’t a-going to tell, and I ain’t a-going back there anyways’” (43). Huck however believes some of Jim’s superstitions, showing some naivety and inability to think freely. A major change in Huck occurs when Huck and Jim take the King and the Duke aboard. Huck then realizes, on his own that the King and the Duke are frauds, and begins...