Jim's Transformation In Huck Finn

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has become a world-renowned book that changed American literature in the 1880s. Slavery and racism are heavily addressed in the book, and Huck watches his friend, Jim, experience both firsthand. Throughout his journey down the river, Huck matures and begins to understand the hardships and injustices of slavery. Huck is faced with several difficult and life-threatening decisions as he watches Jim fight for freedom for himself and his family. Huck has grown up in the south where slavery is considered and taught to be a moral institution. Due to his father’s neglect, Huck has lived his life in the wilderness and has grown to value his freedom. This character trait helps Huck from his options and

Huck’s adventure begins when he fakes his murder and runs away from Pap. Almost immediately Huck is thrown into an unusual situation. Jim is a runaway slave and Huck helping him is a crime, but Huck still promises to protect Jim and decides to continue his journey down the river with him. Huck, at the time, does not understand the immense danger he is putting himself and Jim in. To Huck, this is an adventure, but to Jim, this is an attempt to escape slavery and save his family. As Huck and Jim get closer to Cairo, Huck begins to struggle mentality and does not know if turning in Jim is morally right. Ms. Watson has told Huck that helping a fugitive slave is a sin Huck will go to hell for. However, Jim teaches Huck about friendship. Jim refers to Huck as “his only friend” and “the only one he can trust”. This interaction causes Huck to question his initial decision to give Jim away. After consideration, Huck comes to the conclusion that he will feel worse if he turned Jim in than he would if he did not. Huck’s response to this situation shows that Huck sees Jim as a person and not property. He knows he has made a promise to keep Jim’s secrets and does not discriminate against Jim. Ultimately, Huck begins to develop his understanding of racial injustice due to Jim and responds by defying society’s beliefs about slavery to protect

A major point in Huck’s journey through maturity occurs when he has to make the decision to turn in Jim once and for all. However, Huck takes action this time before Jim can stop him. Huck writes a letter to Ms. Watson but ultimately chooses to destroy it. Huck never sends the letter because he does not want to betray someone he considers his friend. Huck is convinced that he will go to hell if he does not return Jim to Ms.Watson, but his friendship with Jim will not leave his mind. As he thinks about traveling on the river with Jim, laughing with each other, and all the times Jim protected him, Huck begins to truly realize how unfair slavery is. Huck believes what he is doing is wrong, but he can not convince himself to see Jim as a bad person. At this moment, Huck states that he will go to hell to protect Jim and tears the letter into pieces. Huck’s upbringing has taught him that slavery is morally right. However, he finally fully understands that slavery is a racial injustice and responds by risking his eternal life to save Jim. Huckleberry Finn listens to his intuition rather than society when it comes to racial