I enjoyed the novel overall, although I feel a little bit cautious because I am unsure if Twain portrayed slavery correctly, and whether some of his choices were right. The ending is my favorite part of the story because I was rooting for Jim since the beginning of the story, and he is finally free. Although, my opinion of Tom worsened after it was revealed that Jim was a free man all along. Even though I am aware he is young, I was disgusted that Tom forced Jim to go through that ratchet plan even when it was unnecessary; this clearly shows the society taught Tom to look it Jim as less than a human being thus he felt no remorse for putting Jim into a dangerous situation. For example, Jim could have gotten shot by the farmers instead of Tom. …show more content…
Throughout the book, Twain incorporates irony every time he informs us about Huck’s conscience. For example, Huck helps Jim from men looking for runaway slaves by spinning lies about his “pap” having smallpox which drives them away successfully. While Huck is unsettled because he perceives his actions as wrong, but we are aware that he took the morally right approach. Twain uses irony again when Huck decides to steal Jim from the Phelps’ but perceives his actions as that of a sinner, but again we are aware he is doing the correct thing even if he isn’t. Twain’s setting is an essential element to the story. The story takes place in Missouri and valleys along the Mississippi River around the 1830s. This is crucial because at that time Slavery was legal. The setting drives the story as throughout the novel as Jim is trying to escape from slavery. Twain uses the setting to develop the story; Huck and Jim are brought together because Jim is trying to escape, and Huck decides to help him, and the story continues from there. Even at the end, Jim is held captive even when he was a free man. This further develops the racial prejudice against African Americans at that time that even free men were often mistaken for