“It was awful thoughts and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming. I shoved the whole thing out of my head, and said I would take up wickedness again, which was in my line, being brung up to it, and the other warn't. And for a starter I would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again; and if I could think up anything worse, I would do that, too; because as long as I was in, and in for good, I might as well go the whole hog.” (Twain 259)
This quote is considered to be the moral climax of the entire book. The duke has sold Jim for forty dollars, and the Phelpses have Jim locked up inside their shed. Huck returns the raft to think about what to do next. While there, he reflects on his Sunday school lessons that say what happen to people who assist runaway slaves. This scene reflects the theme of doing the right thing is not always the easiest thing because he knows that rescuing Jim is the right thing to do morally, but he is hesitant because he must consider the repercussions of assisting Jim. He submits to the fact that he is already going to hell, so he says he might as well do the job anyways. Twain uses negative diction when Huck says “I may as well go for the whole hog.” This is classified as negative diction because Twain compares the task of rescuing Jim to being a hog. Twain also uses imagery to describe how Huck feels about his decision. His thoughts about it were “awful” and he said he gave into “wickedness”.
“Right then along comes a skiff with two men in it with guns, and they stopped and I stopped. One of them says:
"What's that yonder?"
"A piece of a raft," I says.
"Do you belong on it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Any men on it?"
"Only one, sir."
"Well, there's five niggers run off to-night up yonder, above the head of the bend. Is your man white or black?"
I didn't answer up 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 warn't man enough -- hadn't the spunk of a rabbit. I see I was weakening; so I just give up trying, and up and says:
"He's white."
"I reckon we'll go and see for ourselves."
"I wish you would," says I, "because it's pap that's there, and maybe you'd help me tow the raft ashore where the light is. He's sick -- and so is mam and Mary Ann." (Twain 127)
Although it isn’t apparent, Huck actually makes a very tough decision. What happens is, a pair a slave hunters encounter Huck. They notice Huck’s raft and are curious about what is on it. Right at this moment, Huck could easily tell the two slave hunters about Jim and probably receive a pretty good pile of cash from the act. Everybody put in this situation would have to go over this as a possible idea. Instead, Huck lies to the two hunters and tells them that his pap with smallpox is on the raft. The two hunters instead give Huck some money and let him know that he shouldn’t tell people about his father’s sickness while asking for help. The irony in the situation is that these two men appear nice, but they have no problem hunting and capturing other human beings, but they will also help a sick man who they have never seen or met. Huck also says: “I didn't answer up 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 warn't man enough” The phrase “I warn’t man enough” is an idiom Huck uses to express that he didn’t have the courage to rat out Jim. This decision fits with the theme because the right
