Human beings have a natural desire to make friends with others in order to satisfy their desire for affection and placement in the world. In many relationships, even the best of friends get into arguments. But after dealing with the problem, the bond between the two often grows stronger. In Mark Twain's famous novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main characters Huckleberry Finn and Jim build a relationship that is many a time tested throughout the story. In one scene, Huckleberry and Jim are separated and cannot find each other through the thick fog. The next morning, Huck finds Jim sleeping and decides to play a trick on him. He convinces Jim that their parting last night was nothing but a dream. But Jim recounts as much as possible, and realizes that the past events in fact did happen. Jim, an uneducated slave, surprises Huck by feeling hurt and offended from the joke.
             Through this scene, the reader learns that Jim is sincere, trustworthy, and mature-though stubborn as well. On the contrary, Huck behaves in a childish manner, which makes the reader unsure if he will help Jim attain freedom. The pre-Civil War setting of the novel clearly emphasizes the difference between Huck and Jim, in color and class. Jim is willing to make sacrifices to ensure Huck's safety, but Huck cannot reciprocate such loyalty. This crucial scene early in the novel helps to both reveal the inner characters of the two adventurers and to advance the plot of the story as it establishes a conflict where the loyalty between the two companions is tested-a central theme of the story.
             The early confrontation between Jim and Huck informs readers that there is more to Jim than just a runaway slave. The author positioned the two characters so that Jim is attempting to free himself while Huckleberry is trying to run away from his father. Jim knows that if Huck turns him in, Jim will be hanged and Huck will become a hero. Yet, J...