Huck Finn Transcendentalism

It appears as though Huckleberry Finn’s journey down the Mississippi for an adventure, however, Huck uses the river for much more than just enjoyment, he uses it to escape. Huck convinces himself that others will not “sivilize” him, and instead he wants to live without any rules or restraints. The river is a main aspect of Huck’s escape because not only does it carry him away from civilization, it allows him to understand that society is not always suitable since people should act out of instinct and not pressure. Although Huck never truly escapes civilization like he wanted to, it is clear that he gains his own sense of moral responsibility as he travels down the river because he begins to understand that nature allows one to life freely, while society acts as a limitation.

Originally, Huck wanted to leave civilization so that he did not have to live by society’s constraints because he believed that it would be much more enjoyable to be separated from civilization. Some may argue that Huckleberry Finn never accomplished his goal, and was unable to escape from civilization. Kravitz explains that Huck was too reliant on society so it was impossible for him to break free and he states, “He is unable, however, to avoid relying on the materials of the world he ‘abandoned’ that seem magically to appear in the river. Far from arriving from some ‘virgin’ untouched place in the world, the wood and the raft are recovered and constituted cultural materials of civilization that Huck desperately seeks to leave forever.” Basically, Kravitz argues that Huck never wanted to leave civilization and the adventure down the river only proves that it was impossible for him to survive without relying on others. On the other hand, Bloom, who insists th...

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...al responsibility. Originally, Huck wanted to leave the demanding society, yet it is clear that he could never actually abandon it. Instead, he uses the river as a mode of transportation, both physically and mentally. By living with nature on the river, Huck discovers that he dislikes the restrictions of civilization and would rather live freely. However, he faces a dilemma because he can not run away from civilization forever, but he knows he is not willing to suffer through the constraints created by society. Huck does learn that he is not necessarily a part of society, but rather an individual with his own morals and decisions. Even though Huck never ends up leaving civilization, it is clear that he understands his individuality and moral responsibility by travelling down the river because he knows that he is able to live freely in nature, as well as in society.