Huckleberry Finn Slavery Essay

Hayleigh Franklin Mrs. Korando American Literature 17 March 2024 Huckleberry's View of Slavery Throughout Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn's view of slavery was different from many other peoples. Huck became friends and traveled with a runaway slave, Jim. Jim being a slave was hard for Huck. He had to decide to go against the way he was raised or turn to Jim. Many times throughout the story, Huck rethinks his decision to keep traveling with Jim. Jim states, "Yes. I'm rich now, come look at it. I own myself, and I'm with eight hund'd dollars. I wish I had de money, I wouldn't want no mo" (Twain 55). This quote shows people's view on slavery, and how they viewed slaves as objects. To a slave being able to own themselves is enough, Jim would rather be homeless living on the run than living being a slave.

This quote shows that anyone who helped a slave is no longer viewed the same. If the people of Huck's town found out he helped Jim, he would never be treated the same. Huck would be looked down upon for stealing someone else's property. Mark Twain states, "He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick: because he hadn't ever been he hadn't ever been away from home before in his life: and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does their'n. It doesn't seem natural, but I reckon it's so" (Twain 152). This quote shows how Huck views Jim, seeing Jim now as a person who can feel. From Huck's understanding Jim was a slave and being a slave meant that Jim couldn't have feelings, although not treating Jim like a slave. Huck finds out that even though Jim was a slave, he feels the same for his people as white people feel for each