A defining characteristic of humanity is the ability to demonstrate empathy. As Huck and Jim experience episodes of life together, Huck begins to break societal standards and develop compassion for his friend and former slave, Jim. Throughout the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim is defined by his ever-evolving relationship with Huck. Jim is first seen as an uneducated, inferior, dumb African American, and through the perspective of Huck is transformed into an equal and capable human being who endures the same emotions as Huck. When disagreeing with Jim regarding the tale of Solomon, Huck concludes that Jim is innately less intelligent and wise than himself. Huck becomes distressed, convinced that Jim has missed the whole point of the story and concludes that “he was the most down on Solomon of any n****r I ever see” (94). Huck portrays Jim as being mentally inferior and incapable of grasping a simple concept. He views Jim in a different light because of his skin tone and deems it impossible for him to ever grasp the story. This racist ideology leads Huck to give up making his point, not understanding that Jim’s inability to comprehend is due to the lack of opportunities for education rather than his capability as a person. …show more content…
After bickering back and forward trying to make sense of humans speaking different languages, Huck “see it warn’t no use wasting words - you can’t learn a n****r to argue. So [he] quit” (96). Racist views preached to Huck since birth leads him to hold a stance that African Americans are incapable, engulfing and tarnishing his perspective of Jim. Huck views Jim as he views the whole African American race instead of seeing Jim as his own person. Huck, giving up in defeat, demonstrates how he identifies Jim as a hopeless cause and not someone up to his