Huckleberry Finn: A Journey Through Logic and Morality

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written over the course of seven years by the acclaimed author Mark Twain. It depicts the young boy the writer had forever aspired to be. After faking his death, Huck Finn is taken along the Mississippi River to unknowingly embark on his moral journey. He encounters many convincing characters in his travels, and with these exotic people, comes exotic behavior. In his adventure, Huck is exposed to influences of multiple sides of human nature, and so must choose whether logical decisions or morality is to be followed.

The first influence on Huck to be discussed is that of the darker, corrupt, and greedy side of society. This unfortunate commodity is all around him as the teenager ventures into towns and, most especially, when he meets the duke and the king, who, upon request, asked if Jim and himself “treated him according to his rights, and got down on one knee to speak to him, and always called him 'Your Majesty'” out of sadness from his lost fortune (124). Despite agreeing to their wishes, Huck immediately knew they were lying. These men have highly cunning social skills, and know how to obtain anything they want through fraudulent descriptions that bring others to sympathize. Despite its corruption, this lifestyle can bring results, as the two men were successful in controlling Huck in Jim. What Huck must decide is whether this system of lying for a personal gain of capital or respect is what he truly desires. After running from Ms. Watson, his father, and the rest of the community, he knew he was searching for something different, but did not know entirely what it was. This lifestyle could bring him happiness and a lack of any current problems. He experiments with it in many ...

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...ll go to hell” (214). Although he still believes that God would not want him to free Jim, Huck no longer sees any problem in doing so. The moral force inside him has taken its rightful place above logical integrity, leading Huck to a life where he can feel personal gain for helping others without benefits to himself.

He has driven himself away from the regulations set by society, shunning out any influences it has on him, and allowing his heart to lead him.

Deciding between what is right and what makes sense is a difficult task for Huck Finn. With many natures of man bearing down on him, attempting to sway him to their side, he is under immense pressure. Huck eventually conceives that the moral, just decision is the one that is to be executed, no matter what society, friends, or even God, may instruct him to do.

Works Cited
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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