Why Is Huckleberry Finn Wrong

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn takes place in the mid 1800’s, when racism was normative in American society. Huckleberry Finn, a young boy, does not see African Americans with the same level of prejudice as his elders do, which highlights the inherent racism in his time. While Huck is an impressionable boy, he is capable of forming his own opinions about what is right. Mark Twain consistently juxtaposes the ideas of the developing Huckleberry with the moral hypocrisy of society in his time.

The first instance where Huckleberry forms a negative opinion on an accepted practice in society, is when his guardian Miss Watson teaches him to pray. When Miss Watson tells Huck that he should pray to God, his naïve mind assumes that prayer will …show more content…
Huck had made up his mind to turn Jim in, penning a letter to Miss Watson telling her that Jim was being held by Mr. Phelps, and that she could collect him from there. He then has the realization that he would be ruining this man’s life by sending him back to his enslaver, and decides to tear up the letter, saying, “All right then, I’ll go to hell,” (201). This was a moral dilemma for Huck, as he felt obligated to do the right thing for both Jim and Miss Watson. Society has lead Huck to believe that allowing a man to be free would result in him going to hell. Twain courageously uses this moment to question whether society is really correct in saying it is a sin to let a man be free. By deciding that it would be immoral for him to turn on his friend, Huck alludes to the fact that the society he lives in is immoral. Furthermore, we see that Huck will decide what is right, based on no opinions other than his own. His unusual ability to go against the grain of society helps him to make better moral decisions.

Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain uses Huck to question many aspects of society. In this time period, racism was inherent in white American culture, which caused children to have a distorted view of society. Huck’s skepticism of society allowed him to think for himself and form opinions based on instinct, and what his heart told him was right. Mark Twain’s consistent use of Huckleberry’s natural open mindedness, helped show the reader the difference between society’s view of what is good, and true
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