What Does The River Symbolize In Huckleberry Finn

In the book huckleberry finn the author uses lots of symbolism to create certain concepts to help the reader understand the importance of there journey. A large majority story takes place on the Mississippi river which symbolizes freedom. Another symbol used is the Widow Douglas, she represents a more civilized lifestyle which huck does not want to live. The Mississippi river turns into the home for Huck and Jim. The river symbolizes freedom in different ways. For Jim it is freedom from slavery, he wants to find and live in a free state. While for Huck he just wants to escape his abusive father and civilized land. “This second night we run between seven and eight hours, with a current that was making over four mile an hour. We catched fish

She was a symbol because she wanted huck to be everything he did not want to be. Huck wanted to be a free kid able to do what he likes and explore nature, not having to follow any rules or be dressed up all fancy. Douglas wanted Huck to be a civilized kid, she wanted to take him from his dad and train him to be a “proper” man. “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.”(1) This was Hucks point of view on her. He did not like the way she was treating him or the rules she was putting in place. “Pretty soon I wanted to smoke, and asked the widow to let me. But she wouldn’t. She said it was a mean practice and wasn’t clean, and I must try to not do it anymore.”(2) This is another reason Huck did not want to stay with her, she wanted him to stop old habits and become a new man. Her symbolizing civilization shows what Huck does not want and runs away from, tying back into the river being his way of freedom from the life that was being forced upon

Although they work together they both have different reasons for what they are doing. They realize that to achieve what they want it's best to work together. Jim wanting to escape from slavery and get to a free state was his goal, while Huck just wanted to be out in nature and enjoy his life. They are having the same adventure but they both feel a great difference while doing it. Jim being a runaway slave puts much more stress and anxiety on him because at any moment someone could turn him in especially for the great reward he has on his