Huckleberry Finn Symbolism

Throughout a person's childhood, he experiences events that transform him to become who he is later in the life. People have to deal with the decision of what is right and what is wrong. At a young age, Huck chooses to run away from his home because he is raised by a father who is an alcoholic and abusive towards Huck. He really does not care for him. Huck makes the decision to run away from his father, and along the way he meets a slave named Jim. He decides to help Jim escape and tries to help him reunite with his family again, even though by doing this he knows he is going to get in trouble if he gets caught. Huck and Jim live on a river after they run away seeking safety. The river symbolizes freedom, and it becomes symbolic of Huck's journey to discover his natural virtue. In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the author develops Huck's conscience and morality through the character’s experiences of social issues that are free will, lying/honesty, and loyalty/trust.

Huck experiences free will in his life because of his ability to act on his own will and make a voluntary decision. Huck Finn runs to the river to live on a boat to escape his father and to escape the abuse he has received from his father. Huck also leaves school, fakes his own death and decides to help a slave named Jim escape. "The Widow Douglas, she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldn't stand it no longer, I lit out. I got into my old rags and my sugar-hogshead again, and was free and satisfied" (Twain 5). Once on the river, he gains control of his destiny. He also finds sanctuary and freedom while on the water because he has to protect himself and make his own choices throughout his