The Friendship Between Huckleberry Finn and Jim

A Special Friendship Racial equality has been an issue throughout the history of the United States. The problem stems from the legalization of slavery. From then on, people of all the different races have advocated for the rights of minorities. One of those such people, who strove to break the barriers, was Mark Twain. In his novel, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, A young white boy named Huck sets out in adventure with a black slave named Jim. Throughout it, Hucks relationship grows from one of acquaintance to one of friendship, teaching Huck to go against society. Twain makes a social statement that a color should not define a person.

In the beginning of the novel, Huck’s relationship with Jim is one of only acquaintance. He has had minimal contact with Jim and sees him as merely just slave. Huck doesn’t fully acknowledge the fact that he has feelings. He even allows Tom to play a trick on Jim, “Tom said he slipped Jim’s hat off and Hung it on the tree”(Twain 6). Although he did try to stop Tom from doing, Huck doesn’t think much about it , as he doesn’t really care about Jim since he is just a slave. After the incident Jim comes to believe that witches rode him all over the world and that the hat was left on the tree. Huck never tells him the truth.

By the time Jim and Huck have set out in the raft, they’ve developed a special bond. Huck doesn’t fully understand this until he plays a mean joke on Jim that leaves Jim deeply hurt,” when I got all wore out wid work, en wid calling you, en went to sleep my heart was mos broke bekause you woz los, (... ) , en all you could think of how you make a fool uv ole jim, (Twain 55) After the incident, Huck comes to the realization that Jim isn’t just a slave but a person. Huck knows he has feeling and from this point on he begins to question the morality of slavery. Huck’s relationship with Jim eventually grows into friendship.

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They both care about each other and look out for one another. In many instances Huck saves Jim from being captured, “But lawsly, How you did fool em, Huck dat was the smartes dodge! (Twain 96). ” Huck goes out on a limb to save Jim from being captured by slave hunters. This demonstrates how their relationship has completely changed. There is now trust and commitment in their friendship. Jim also looks out for Huck. Jim is almost like a father figure to Huck because he takes care of him in a way that only fathers do, “ He often does that, he gets up and doesn’t wake me” (pg 155). Jim sacrifices his sleep so the Huck gets a good night rest.

Jim is putting Huck first instead of himself, just like a father would do. One of the most important aspects of Huck’s and Jim’s friendship is that Huck learns to go against society. He begins to start thinking for himself and comes to the conclusion that Jim shouldn’t be a slave. Although he struggles with this idea throughout the novel, he eventually makes the final decision to break away from society. This is seen when Huck decides to help jim escape when he is caught, “ All right then, I’ll go to hell”(pg, 214). Huck makes a moral decision to go to hell by helping Jim escape.

He knows that society tell him it is wrong put does it anyway. After this, Huck sees Jim as his equal. He says “ I knowed that he was white inside” (276). He comes to the conclusion that Jim is just the same as he is in the inside. The color of Jim skin does not define who he is in the inside. By showing how Huck’s and Jim’s relationship grows from one of acquaintance to friendship, Twain demonstrates how a color should not define a person. Twain himself goes against society to show this powerful message. His massage has had a lasting impact in society. He was able to do this by simply standing up for what he believed in.

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