Huck Finn Jim's Influence

Words: 782

Pages: 4

Open Document

Jim’s influence A parent has the most influence on a child’s perception of the world, and especially of other groups of people. When a child, like Huck, has a corrupted worldview, especially one based around racism, only a parental figure can evolve his perceptions, a purpose of which Jim fulfils as a proxy. He breaks down barriers buried deeply into Huck’s subconscious as Bollinger argues, “ Both moral languages have their claim over him, but his closer relationship with Jim becomes the deciding factor,” (Bollinger). Bollinger implies Jim represents the sole reason of Huck’s rejection of racist ideals. As the racism embedded in Huck tell him one thing, Jim’s influence, his guidance through example, conquers the deeply held beliefs of Huck. Not only does Jim break down barriers in Huck’s beliefs, he also stirs actions in Huck, actions which Huck once thought of as the gravest of sins, “I would go to work and steal Jim out of …show more content…
Huck’s actions entail a complete rejection of Southern culture, of racism and hate. And the breakdown of racism in Huck’s psyche does not result from eloquent words by Jim, from a speech rivalling Martin Luther King. Jim conquers racism in the mind of young Huck. Jim inspires Huck to spurn bigotry just through example. By serving as an illustration of African Americans, by demonstrating the group as equals, as people, Jim acts as the parental influence America needs to remove the hatred in its heart. Huck, and American culture as a whole, needs to know a black man, needs to understand the man’s humanity, in order to change its views on race, so Twain provides it one. By acting as the definition of a role model, Jim shatters racism in the mind of a young boy and of a country. As Jim educates Huck on a black man’s humanity through example, Twain does the same for America. In order to demonstrate the racism entrenched in a country’s culture, Twain likens America to an ignorant child, and treats

Theme Of Freedom In Huckleberry Finn

Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, an unanticipated friendship develops between a young boy, Huckleberry Finn, and Jim, an oppressed African American slave, after the two cross paths on a journey to find happiness away from the binds of society. While freedom to Huck is the escape from the barriers of civilized society, Jim’s notion of liberation consists of emancipation from the world of servitude. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain employs freedom as a theme that fluctuates…

Words 902 - Pages 4

Mark Twain's Influence On American Literature

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, left an influential impression on American Literature. Its use of satirical content by way of combining both history and racism to expose Antebellum South proved to be a brave initiation in expressing Twain’s attitude towards slavery - a crucial part of American society, at the time. Mark Twain’s novel proved to also be an everlasting influence on modern culture. Through Disney, Stephen Sommer directed a film called “The Adventures of Huck Finn” in adaptation of Twain’s…

Words 784 - Pages 4

Huck And Society In Huckleberry Finn

The following pages will discuss Huckleberry Finn, a very young kid that father was very abusive with no other family members to take care of him. These two older women tried to care for Huck by the name of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, they tried to raise him the good old-fashioned way but Huck was too street smarts and hyper to listen to abide by the rules anyway, plus his drunken, despicable dad played a part in his action also. Huck was a fast thinker at all times he faked his death, after his…

Words 3242 - Pages 13

Huckleberry Finn Satire Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a book that showed the delightful yet twisted adventures of Huck Finn and how he struggles to decide between the right decisions to the wrong one. It was a great story of how Huck's adventure and his decisions has affected him, Jim, and the people that they have come across. Huck's great escapade led to friendship, freedom, happiness, and numerous lessons for Huck and Jim. Throughout the novel, Mark Twain used satire and humor to criticize factors…

Words 943 - Pages 4

Huck Finn Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is recognized as Mark Twain’s paramount novel, as well as one of the finest American stories. Twain, formerly known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, grew up along the Mississippi River in Missouri around Civil War time. Before becoming an author, Twain originally was a steamboat pilot and navigated through the Mississippi. The escapades he encountered while piloting became inspiration for the stories he wrote later in life. During Twain’s era, America was in disagreement…

Words 1300 - Pages 6

Moral Dilemmas In Huckleberry Finn

work. In this particular, famous story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain clearly illustrates the satire of civilization and how it affects a person’s daily life. Twain demonstrates how the public sets these harsh standards on what is right and wrong by having his main character, Huckleberry Finn, ponder these difficult decisions. Throughout the novel, Twain exemplifies how the population strictly influences this superiority over African Americans. This leads to the discrimination…

Words 480 - Pages 2

Essay on huckleberry finn

Withdrawal The Impact of Society on Jim in Huckleberry Finn As Forrest Robinson writes in his essay “The Characterization of Jim in Huckleberry Finn”, “Jim does seem to change, from a plausible complete man to a two-dimensional racial stereotype”. Although many blame Twain for this deterioration of Jim, claiming that it is laziness in the writing, he actually appears to use this supposed flaw in the novel to strengthen his point. Jim’s loss of character can be seen as a loss of confidence.…

Words 1410 - Pages 6

Huckleberry Finn Escape From Sivilized Essay

theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is escape from “sivilization,” explain in what ways Jim and Huck have explored being uncivilized. Discuss Huck’s reasons for rejecting civilization. Make specific references to incidents that influenced his decision. Have the two avoided civilizing at the close of the novel? Have the two civilized one another? What part does the river play in this discussion? What point is Twain making about freedom? What exactly is Huck choosing instead of civilization? Is…

Words 1232 - Pages 5

Huck Finn Essay

higher regard. However I found myself having to put on a façade to spend time with them, which was unlike how I behaved with the other group. Throughout the course of the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck goes through a similar dilemma. When Huck is under the influence of people he respects, he succumbs to their opinions, yet when he is alone, he is able to do as he pleases. However, with all things are considered, Huck’s sudden regression to his past self is not surprising…

Words 848 - Pages 4

Huck Finn Morally Right Analysis

righteousness" In Huck Finn’s world, Everyone learns right from wrong from the slave owning community that think of black people as unintelligent, incapable of noble qualities, and inferior to them. This influence is exhibited in many ways throughout this story. During Huck’s journey down the river, he is shown to make many good decisions based from his own experience and coming to his own conclusions. Mark Twain shows this to be the most important of moral sources. While Huck Finn is travelling down…

Words 854 - Pages 4