An Analysis of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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An Analysis of Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

I can always remember being younger when I just wanted to runaway. I would lay in bed and say "this place sucks, I just want to leave" In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a young boy, Huck Finn, learns what life is like growing up in Missouri and his troublesome childhood leads him to runaway from home. Throughout the story Huck learns that in order to escape and run away from home, others need help running away too. Huck lies in order to keep Jim, Huck's companion, safe along the trip. In this novel, Twain uses the Mississippi river as a symbol of freedom for both Huck and Jim.

Huck was raised in a different way, much different from his friends. Huck's father was a drunk and his mother passed away. For a while Huck had the life of doing whatever he wanted. Huck becomes very sheltered because he moves in with Miss Watson and Widow Douglas. These two ladies believe that Huck must attend school, learn religion, and how to be a gentleman. Huck gets tired of living this way and wants to be free. Once he escapes from Miss Watson's, his dad finds him, making Huck live all alone in a cabin. When Pap Finn comes home, he is drunk and beats Huck. Huck figures out a way to fake his death and escape once again. He floats down the Mississippi river and lives the "freedom life." Huck retreats to Jackson Island where he meets Jim, the slave on Miss Watson's ranch.

Huck and Jim decide to team up and escape together. Huck learns that Jim has run away because he may be sold to another ranch, being and slave or possibly being killed. "I hear ole missus tell de widder she gwyne to sell me to OrleansÉ" (p. 54). Floating down the river, Huck uses his lying skills to keep slave hunters away from Jim, " 'Well the five niggers run off tonight, is your man white or black?' ' He is white sir'". Huck lies are used as a survial tool for both Huck and Jim.

When Huck and Jim are on the raft they live a peaceful life, except they are unable to escape the evils of society from the outside world. In their route to freedom, they come upon a couple of con men, the duke and the dauphin.

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