Huck Finn Moral Development

In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses Huck’s conscience and life experiences to illustrate the path of a young boy who is caught in the middle of what he believes ought to be right from wrong. Early in the novel, Huck demonstrates the traits of a young man who is caught up in societies views and behaviors towards slavery. Huck learns through his experiences that African American people; slaves, should be treated as property rather than afford them the same rights and equality he is given. Jim, Huck’s “slave”, means much more to him than just ordinary property. Huck’s moral instinct is to treat Jim with the same respect and moral standards that he feels is right. Huck’s innate sense of right displays his behavior towards societies

Stage 1, selfish motives, stage 2, gain advantages within these motives, stage 3, maintaining expectations in order to please ones parent, stage 4, keep societies rules in consideration, stage 5, individual rights, and stage 6, human dignity. Huck, early on in the novel, is a child who obeys Miss Watson who “pecks at him” (Twain 16). Miss Watson’s role in Huck’s life is to place his moral views into religion along with the mother figure Huck lacks in his life. Pap, Huck’s drunken abusive father, puts fear into Huck’s heart, which forces Huck to run Pap’s errands. These obstacles that Huck is presented with force him to be selfish and think of his own life and what is best for him. The representation of Huck’s “death” is stage 1 in the development process. Huck’s view on religion and Miss Watson’s attitude towards his views relate Huck’s thought process early on in the novel, “she told me, I must help other people… and never think about myself”, Huck realizes there was “no advantage about it except for other people” (23). Huck’s understanding towards Miss Watson’s lecture displays the second stage of his moral understanding. The river and the raft, the symbolism of these two figures in the novel are a representation of Huck’s freedom and mental structure. His journeys down the river forces him to change his thought process and he then realizes Miss Watson’s words of helping others oppose to