Superstition In Huck Finn

Look inside any teenage girl magazine and one will find a page dedicated to horoscopes. From celebrities hiring their own astrologists to girls reading about their star signs, interpreting the stars and planets is very popular. Perhaps people want an answer to their questions or some insight on how to handle a situation. Reading his or her horoscope gives one the opportunity to understand the world around them, which is similar to the role of superstition in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain, in his American Realistic novel, utilizes superstition in order to help the characters understand life and search for the truth (Cohen 68). Therefore, superstition plays an important role in the development of the characters in the novel. Superstition

For example, when Huck asks Jim to give him his fortune using a hair ball, Jim explains that he must pay him for his service beforehand. After giving Jim a counterfeit coin, Huck learns that putting it in a potato will restore it to normal. Huck says he already knew that and had forgotten (Twain 29-30). At first glance, the reader may believe the scene just serves as comic relief. However, upon further inspection, one may appreciate Jim’s “quick wits” which he exhibits in the exchange. Although Jim may believe in the prophetic powers of the hairball, his response to Huck is mainly based on his intellect. In outsmarting Huck, Jim exhibits his resourcefulness, which falls contrary to the stereotype of “the superstitious Negro” (Smith 369-70). After learning about the potato’s magical powers, Huck understands that he is not as smart as Jim. He sees Jim as an intelligent adult, not just an inferior slave. Also, he begins to trust Jim by asking for his advice. The encounter sets up the strong relationship Huck and Jim develop throughout the novel. Therefore, Jim gains standing as an important character by teaching Huck valuable life lessons with

At night, Huck and Jim see lights and wonder if they are near Cairo. Huck canoes to a person on a skiff and asks if they have found Cairo. The man rudely explains that they have not and threatens him to go away. After passing another town Huck and Jim conclude that they passed Cairo when they got lost in the fog. Jim becomes upset. He exclaims, “‘Po’ niggers can’t have no luck. I awluz ‘spected dat rattle-snake skin warn’t done wid its work’” (Twain 114). Huck’s response to Jim’s comment displays his affection for Jim. As Huck feels responsible for the rattlesnake, he reveals how much he cares about Jim. Also, that Huck blames the rattlesnake for Jim’s encounters reveals Huck’s desire to get rid of his bad luck (Robinson 221). The quote explains how Jim seems fated to living an unhappy life. Slavery has left him with a sense of hopelessness. Jim does not understand why he cannot live the free life he deserves. The injustice of slavery is also difficult for Huck to comprehend. Since Huck was raised to believe that slavery is beneficial to society, he struggles to see the other side of the story. Huck learns that slavery is unfair through his relationship with Jim. He sees how slaves are real people with understandable feelings. After viewing slavery this way, Huck finds it difficult to understand how it can be allowed. By blaming the rattlesnake, Jim and Huck point the finger at superstition for causing the evils of