Huckleberry Finn Research Papers

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn Research Paper

“Don’t let schooling interfere with your education” -Mark Twain. Near the end of the book, Jim has been imprisoned in a shack on the Phelps’ plantation and Huck decided that he had to save Jim. Shortly after, he met Tom and both agreed to help rescue Jim. The boys devised their own plans based on their knowledge and that is why both plans were completely different. One character was Huck who is practical due to the life lessons he has learned and how he applied that to his own life. The other character was Tom who is more idealistic and lives his life through adventures stories. Their different points on the two unsimilar plans can be compared and contrasted based on the benefits/disadvantages

The other plan proposed to freeing Jim was pretty hectic. Tom answered, ‘“Anyhow, there's one thing—there's more honor in getting him out through a lot of difficulties and dangers…’” (Twain 277). He was dissatisfied in how simple Huck’s plan was. Tom believed that elaborating a plan should be complicated, difficult and time-consuming which would bring honor to his name. Tom had his own idealized vision of reality. Twain adds, “Everybody said it was a real beautiful oath, and asked Tom if he got it out of his own head...some of it...was out of pirate-books and robber-books, and every gang that was high-toned had it” (10). The intricate plan of freeing Jim came from the adventure novels and prison stories that Tom has been raised to gain his knowledge from. However, when it come to solving life problems and using basic knowledge, Tom would know very little. Frank Baldanza agreed that,“Tom, the devoted romantic admirer of such prisoners…insists that Jim's escape must be managed with all the highly involved intrigue of romantic literature, whereas it could be as simple as stealing a key and opening the door of the cabin for him” (118). What this is saying is that Tom would concentrate on his imaginary desires and praised the prisoners he read about. Tom is unrealistic/romantic that only cares about the honor that comes out of the unreasonable

The outcome of Tom’s plan resulted in, “...he had a bullet in the calf of his leg” (Twain 318). Tom Sawyer grew unpleased and added more obstacles to the Jim’s escape. Little did he know was that, Tom’s plans were against Jim’s freedom. Tom made Jim go through all of the reckless plans and karma came to bite Tom—he got injured. Tom Sawyer was a fool for only being interested in his own adventurous vision; he was too caught up in them. The outcome of Huck’s plan resulted in “... Tom reject Huck’s simple plan for freeing Jim…” (Shelley Fisher Fishkin 75). Jim would clearly have preferred Huck’s plan which kept Jim’s best interest in mind. Obviously, Huck’s plan was more logical and straightforward. Huck and Tom’s different views on education had an effect on the benefits and disadvantages of the two