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What Is The Relationship Between Huck Finn Sound Heart And Deformed Conscience

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Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn consists of, “Sound heart and deformed conscience come into conflict, and conscience suffers defeat.” Twain makes this remark about his book. Huck, the protagonist, is born and raised into an extremely racist society; most of the population owns slaves and do not recognize their humanity. Huck embarks on a journey with Jim, a runaway slave, and eventually Huck and Jim grow to be very close and fond of each others company. Huck contradicts societal norms and battles his conscience on whether or not he should save Jim. Ultimately, Huck’s perseverance leads him to challenge society’s beliefs and save Jim. Huck comes from a troubled home and is raised in a corrupt society. Although Huck conforms …show more content…

Huck tends to take steps back and forth throughout the journey; he takes a few steps forward and follows his heart but immediately after, he takes the steps right back and follows his conscience. While Huck’s “sound heart” tells him to treat Jim as a human being, his conscience is telling him to view Jim as his property. “I didn't answer prompt. I tried to, but the words wouldn't come. I tried for a second or two to brace up and out with it, but I wasn't man enough-- hadn’t the spunk of a rabbit.” (Twain 116) Just before, Huck thinks that these two men ask him if he has a runaway slave hidden on his raft. Huck was trying so hard to rat out on Jim, and do the moral thing by following his conscience but his heart catches up with him at the end and doesn't let him do …show more content…

In Huck’s case, defeat is portrayed positively. Although Huck takes a very long time to perceive Jim as an ordinary person, he finally is able to do so. Not only does Huck see Jim as a typical human being; he also considers him to be a friend. “But somehow I couldn’t strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind…’All right, then, I’ll-- to hell’-- and tore it up.” (Twain 267-268) This is Huck’s breaking point in defeating societal norms, and no longer contemplates on whether or not he should have turned Jim in. Huck is now done taking steps back, and only starts to walk forward without turning back around- no matter how tempting it may be. Huck’s eternal conflict comes to a close when he does the unthinkable in his society. Most of the time, defeat conquers those who face it, similar to how Huck’s defeat overpowers his

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Huck had multiple chances to turn Jim in or not to help him when he was in trouble, but he could never bring himself to turn his back on Jim. From the time they first saw each other on the river, Huck felt a certain loyalty toward Jim. They both agreed not to give away the other’s location, this agreement brought a loyalty between them. “ Well I did. I said I wouldn’t

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489 Words | 2 Pages

When Huck hears this from Jim, it tares at Huck. He decides not to turn in Jim (which he could have done easily.) Huck’s conscience basically ate him alive. Huck was on the verge of turning in Jim, and seemed that was what he should do. However after thinking about it, Huck decided he would feel worse if he turned Jim in as opposed to keeping him free.

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1565 Words | 7 Pages

Jim tells Huck he hit her for not listening to get to work, but he then finds out she has been recently made dea when she did not react to the door slamming shut from the wind. He realizes he hit her when she never even heard Jim to begin with. Jim was so distraught begging for forgiveness from the Lord and his daughter, because he would never forgive himself for his mistake. This shows Jim’s deep rooted connection with love of others and his humanity. Not only that, but Huck realizes he cares deeply for his family and is capable of emotions that otherwise racist ideologies have told him are not possible.

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1266 Words | 6 Pages

After Huck finds out that Jim is captive, Huck “set down and cried. [He] couldn’t help it” (210). After returning to the raft and not finding Jim there, Huck is overcome with emotion. The fear of Jim not being around causes Huck to realize how important Jim is to him. The friendship they developed on the river and through their adventure causes Huck to be more concerned for Jim’s safety than society’s need to keep Jim captive.

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440 Words | 2 Pages

But Huck also feels like he can not turn Jim in because deep down he knows that Jim’s life will be better not being a slave. This shows that Huck battles between himself whether to follow society’s rules or his own morlas. When Huck chooses to not turn Jim in as a runaway slave, that makes it evident that he matures or so it

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2108 Words | 9 Pages

Morality plays an important role in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck Finn is an uneducated, thirteen-year-old boy who does not necessarily know the difference between right and wrong, yet often makes the right choices throughout the novel. While Huck often accidentally does good, some people do not see this as an indication that he is a morally good person. On the other hand, Jim is a slave who almost always does the right thing, but we are not inclined to see Jim as a moral model because he is a slave.

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566 Words | 3 Pages

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” is about a young boy who rejects civilization for various reasons. He has been raised to believe and conform to social ideals, but Huck’s experiences with the world have led him to reject social values and seek a different path. The main issue with his rejection is the corruption in the society he has grown up in. Huck has seen firsthand the injustice of slavery and racism, which is accepted in a normal part of the civil war.

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1429 Words | 6 Pages

This is clear when he, “went on thinking.” Huck begins to reminisce about all the good times he had with Jim, and it is very apparent he held them very close to his heart. This is clear with Huck stating, “how good he always was,” when referring to Jim. Huck also begins to connect how important he may have been to Jim, when Huck says, “ he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now.” Huck now has a momentous decision, determining whether or not he will follow the morals he has viewed as good, or those he knows truly for himself.

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This transition is the result of the extended period of time that the two spend together, which allows Huck to look past the differences that he has been taught to observe for his entire life and view Jim for what he is; a fellow man. By the end of this passage, Huck’s resolve to do right by Jim is so strong that he is willing to suffer eternal damnation rather than betray Jim. Perhaps Huck’s most important statement in this passage is “Alright then, I’ll go to hell”; here he decides he’s willing to go to hell for eternity rather than causing Jim to return to his life as a slave. At first Huck just thought of Jim the property of another person, a good to be bought and sold regardless of any evidence that he was a human being. As they travel together, this viewpoint is gradually weakened by examples of Jim’s humanity, culminating in a model shift that goes against everything Huck has been taught about the societal status of a

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1628 Words | 7 Pages

Huck Finn lives in a time when whites do no not get along with African Americans, and this creates conflict. He struggles against society and its attempts to civilize him, but this problem grows when he has to deal with Jim, the runaway slave. Ultimately, Huck defies societal rules by making decisions which he believes

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864 Words | 4 Pages

At this point in their journey, Huck is tempted to tell on Jim and get him sent back home. He feels as though Jim’s hopes for freedom have gone over his head and that he doesn’t want Jim to be disappointed if they don't find the city of Cairo where Jim would be a free man. In fact earlier in the novel, on page 88, Huck is reconsidering his whole decision to help Jim in the first place. Huck tries to reassure himself by reasoning, “I tried to make out to myself that I warn’t to blame, because I didn’t run Jim off from his rightful owner, but it warn’t no use… you knowed he was running for his freedom”. Huck is contemplating how he could defend himself if he gets caught, however it’s pointless because he knows that he has done something wrong from the viewpoint the white society.

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738 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the rest of Huck 's journey he continues to meet people along the way that believe themselves to be good civilized people but they all contradict that in some way. The Grangerford 's are in a murdering feud with another family, the Phelps own slaves and are trying to get a reward for Jim, the townspeople that feather and tar the Duke and King without a trial, the execution of Boggs, even the Widow tells Huck not to smoke but takes snuff herself. Huck spends a large amount of time in the book pondering over how to be good and do the right things, and at the end of the book when he decides to go West and leave it all behind he has finally realized that he 's not the one that 's bad, society is. Huck heads back out into the world not for more adventure, but to get away from

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884 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout their journey, Huck is aware that Jim has escaped but does not know whether or not to turn him into the authorities. Huck’s mentality about society matures and he realizes his need to protect Jim from dangers. As the novel progresses, Huck begins to realize the flaws in society. Huck ultimately chooses to follow his own

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1141 Words | 5 Pages

Although there are numerous instances where Huck’s moral growth can be seen, the individuals around such as Jim, will influence his moral growth greatly. Jim, a runaway slave, is the most influential individual when it comes to Huck’s moral development. During the beginning of the novel, Huck’s morals are primarily based on what he has learned from Miss Watson. Huck begins to become wary of such ideals that Miss Watson has imposed on him, and decided all he wanted “…was a change” (Twain 10).

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1083 Words | 5 Pages

(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.

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