Huck Finn Literary Analysis

The journey ends. The escape is successful, and the characters reveal their secrets. Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has a happy and exciting ending, yet many critics call it a failure. Critics harp on the childish resolution that Tom Sawyer brings to the story, which is inconsistent with Huck’s quest for freedom and maturity. Despite Tom Sawyer’s influence, the ending is still entertaining and acceptable. Remembering that Huck is just a kid is necessary in understanding the ending’s appropriateness. Realizing that the story was written in the 1800’s is also important, but the most important thing to remember is that the story is comical. Because Huck Finn remains friendly and adventurous, the ending is appropriate.

Why, then, is it surprising when Huck acts childishly when Tom arrives? Leo Marx wrote that Huck “becomes Tom’s helpless accomplice, submissive and gullible” (296). Marx says the ending is flawed because Huck goes through an inappropriate change. According to Marx, Huck was mature and friendly towards Jim before, but later he is a childish tormentor. Huck does not really become Jim’s torturer. He is just being a kid and trying to get along with Tom. Besides, Huck and Jim remain friends throughout Tom’s antics (293). Marx later writes, “Most of those traits which made him so appealing a hero now disappear” (296). Was Huck ever a hero? Huckleberry Finn is a nice boy, but is not the stereotypical hero. Since Huck is still learning, it is expected that he will make some mistakes. If Huck did not make mistakes, it would be more difficult to relate to him as a character. Trilling wrote that Huck did not take on the hero role because he “could not well endure the attention and glamour which attend a hero at a book’s end” (285). Huck is too humble to be considered a hero. Although Huck was in part responsible for Jim’s humiliating captivity, he often challenged Tom. Huck remained his same old compassionate self. Since Huck had no change in character, the ending is just as appropriate as the rest of the