Family In Huckleberry Finn

Often times when people talk about family, the idea that people who do not share the same blood can still be family comes up. Family is the people who have impacted you for the better, support and want what is best for you, and will stay loyal to you under any circumstances. Throughout the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, there are many different examples of both “blood family” and “real family”. Miss Watson and Jim are examples of real family to Huck. Miss Watson truly cares about Huck and wants what is best for him, and Jim develops a strong relationship with Huck which causes Huck to disobey the law for Jim’s safety. Pap however, who although he is genetically related to Huck, is not true family to him because he

Both seeking freedom, they embark on a journey down the Mississippi River. On this expedition, it becomes clear that Jim and Huck are family to each other because they have a strong bond that is based on trust. As their voyage unfolds, Huck and Jim are faced with many different obstacles such as separation, encounters with robbers and con artists who could potentially turn Jim in, the struggle of keeping hidden identities, and Huck’s internal battles of what is morally right and what is lawfully correct. Since Jim is a runaway slave and at the bottom of society, Huck would get in serious trouble, and Jim would end up getting lynched if they got caught. As they travel down the river, the relationship between Huck and Jim grows. Huck goes against the law to help his friend become free, something that if he were to be caught he would be tarred and feathered or thrown in jail. Huck’s loyalty to Jim is a significant sign of true family and Jim's feelings towards Huck reciprocate as Jim says "Pooty soon I'll be a-shout'n' for joy, en I'll say, it's all on accounts o' Huck; I's a free man, en I couldn't ever ben free ef it hadn' ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had; en you's de only fren' ole Jim's got now."(83). Jim is trusting Huck with his chance for freedom, something he values so much. This freedom

However, he is not real family to Huck. Even though they are genetically related, the relationship between Huck and Pap has none of the characteristics that make up true family such as trust and wanting what is best for the other person. Huck is at the receiving end of an abusive relationship with his father. Pap is a lazy, alcoholic, racist, and contumelious man who doesn’t truly care about Huck. As a wretched drunk, in and out of jail, Pap is part of the lower class in society due to the fact that he spends all of his money on whiskey. There are many instances in the novel where Pap displays how unlike family and conniving he is towards Huck. One of the biggest examples being when Pap comes back to town just to take Huck’s money so that he could buy alcohol, and talks to Huck about how he shouldn’t be more educated than him, threatening to beat