Huck Finn Hero's Journey

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn goes threw the hero’s journey which is the epic structure where they receive the transformation, atonement, and separation.

Firstly, Huck undergoes the Separation step of his journey by faking his death. Prior to the planning of his own death, Huck had nothing to lose, pushing him over the edge. This is demonstrated when he thinks to himself about Providence. He thought “All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was a change, I warn’t particular” (Twain 2). For one, this quote shows Huck’s lack of religion. It also shows, though, that Huck can’t bear his current way of living, alluding to the Separation to come. Huck had to either risk leaving to receive the change he wanted or suffer

Previously in the novel, Huck doesn’t necessarily worry about the topic of death. Once the Widow explains to Huck that they are dead, Huck concludes that he doesn’t care about them, saying “I don’t take no stock in dead people” (Twain 2). In this quote, the reader is shown that Huck disregards deceased people. In total, this quote shows that Huck doesn’t cherish life and that he feels invincible. This is typical, thinking from Huck. This way of thinking would change for Huck during his Transformation phase at the family shootout. One day while walking in the woods, Huck stumbles upon Buck and another 19 year old Grangerford in a shooting against the Shepherdsons. Huck, hiding in a tree, sees both Grangerfords die, deeply disturbing him. He says “I wished I hadn’t ever come ashore that night, to see such things. I ain’t ever going to get shut of them - lots of times I dream about them” (Twain 116). In the quote, the reader can see that Huck is emotionally moved by the shootout. While Huck has been through traumatic events, this one impacted him the most thus far because of the bond he had with Buck. Huck learns from this that he is not invincible and that life is short. This experience is comparable to the Transformation phase of a hero’s journey because of this revelation. The river is symbolic of Huck’s growth, in this scenario.

Huck experienced this by pretending to be Tom Sawyer, which gave him time to stay on the Phelps’ plantation and free Jim. Before being able to free Jim with his impersonation skills, however, Huck was very unsuccessful in his ability to impersonate. In one case, Huck is looking for a home to stay in near the river and stumbles upon Mrs. Loftus. Huck tries to act like a girl around Mrs. Loftus in order to conceal his identity. Mrs. Loftus would expose him rather quickly after a series of tests that would prove his true identity. After a throwing test, she taught him to “Throw stiff-armed from the shoulder, like there was a pivot there for it to turn on - like a girl; not from the wrist and elbow, with your arm out to one side, like a boy” (Twain 62). The quote shows that Huck is learning particular skills in impersonating others. Huck did not know it at the time, but he would later use these skills in freeing Jim. Upon having to save Jim, Huck creates a plan involving the use of a separate identity. Huck pretends to be Tom so that he can stay on the Phelps’ plantation and have easier access to Jim, who is being held there. Huck thought “Being Tom was easy and comfortable; and it stayed easy and comfortable till by-and-by I hear a steamboat coughing along down the river. Then I says to myself, spose Tom Sawyer come down on that boat?” (Twain 225). In this quote, Huck