Theme Of Morality In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reader gauges morality through the misadventures of Huck and Jim. Notably, Huck morally matures as his perspective on society evolves into a spectrum of right and wrong. Though he is still a child, his growth yields the previous notions of immaturity and innocence. Likewise, Mark Twain emphasizes compelling matters and issues in society, such as religion, racism, and greed. During the span of Huck’s journey, he evolves morally and ethically through his critique of societal normalities.
Progressively, Huck is viewed as naive and immature during the early stages of his development. His juvenescence and innocence substantiate the potential for growth, which is shown to the reader by Huck’s

Specifically, through the controversy of slavery at the time, Huck learns how to listen to his intuition and conscience. His slight hesitation escaping with Jim makes him question the authenticity of his morality. He says, “I begun to get it through my head that he was most free--and who was to blame for it? Why, me … But you knowed he was running for his freedom, and you could ‘a’ paddled ashore and told somebody” (Twain 87-88). At this stage in the novel, it is important to denote his ambivalence toward the situation. Though he helps Jim, he feels a sense of guilt for going against societal standards. Regardless, Huck has a myriad of opportunities to turn Jim in--and doesn’t. This verifies that Huck progresses in developing his maturity and poise. Naturally, as his bond with Jim cultivates, Huck unknowingly treats him as a human. Through Huck’s sensibility, he states, “It didn’t take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn’t no kings nor dukes at all … I hadn’t no objections, ‘long as it would keep peace in the family; and it warn’t no use to tell Jim, so I didn’t tell him” (Twain 125). Correspondingly, Huck gains a consideration for Jim and his personal feelings, which he expresses nonchalantly through motley aspects of their journey. This also shows how his aspects of racism are changing; he starts to believe people are people, no matter

For instance, religion proves to be a prominent component to these issues in Huck’s environment. As stated, “I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there [Heaven], and she said not by a considerable sight” (Twain 3). The preset disposition of religion leads to these fraudulent assumptions of whether one’s actions are right or wrong. Subsequently, Mark Twain is subtly hinting that there are flaws in the teachings of any religions that become misleading to the entire population. Next, the most urgent topic he implies, is racism. In the following statement, “It was ‘lection day, and I [Pap] was just about to go and vote myself if I warn’t too drunk to get there’ but when they told me there was a state in this country where they’d let that nigger vote, I drawed out” (Twain 27), the reader questions the decency in an abusive, alcoholic excuse of a man being able to vote over a black man. Comparatively, Twain suggests that someone’s color shouldn’t determine their basic human rights. Whether it be with voting, or even just having freedom from slavery, the corruption of equality leads to a major theme of the novel. In addition, greed is yet another significant factor to Huck and Jim’s struggle throughout the novel. For example, Huck learns that the Dauphin sells Jim when a stranger says, “Well I reckon! There’s two hundred dollars’ reward on him. It’s like picking up