Hero in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Dictionaries describe a hero as: 1 a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities and 2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child. The foundation of the word hero has much to say about the concepts of literary heroes, such as those found in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The unlikely nature of the heroes in the work is important to the messages of the work, and the surprise of who really is the hero, not the main character but the protector and black man who is denigrated throughout, Jim.The work opens with two mischievous boys perpetrating a late night escape from their homes and almost getting caught by Jim. When they are waiting out the old black man they hide in the bushes with Jim close by waiting to hear them again so he can respond to whatever is happening outside. (Twain 6) Jim is from the beginning the boy's voluntary protector, first by trying to protect the home and later by trying to protect the boys on their adventures. A little trick that Tom, plays on Jim that night, establishes him as a known hero, with brave
(Twain 8-9) The fantastic story, was created out of a simple prank and yet, Jim became a local hero, especially in the eyes of the boys, who knew the truth but loved Jim for playing it up, as they would have in his shoes. You gwyne to have considable trouble in yo' life, en considable joy. Niggers is always talking about witches in the dark by the kitchen fire; but whenever one was talking and letting on to know all about such things, Jim would happen in and say, "Hm! What you know 'bout witches?" and that nigger was corked up and had to take a back seat. What I wanted to know was, what he was going to do, and was he going to stay? Jim got out his hair-ball and said something over it. (Twain 23-25) Jim's fantastic ability, spoke to the boy, and made him believe that all was going to be well, despite his father's return and the fear that this set into motion. Sometimes he spec he'll go 'way, en den ag'in he spec he'll stay. (Twain 58) Jim's final act of protection is with regards to Huck's father again and has to do with Jim knowing that seeing his father dead would both relieve and upset the boy, so he hides the fact that he has seen his body on the river, from Huck, until their adventure is safely over and Jim is a recognized hero and freeman for bringing Huck back safely. next time Jim told it he said they rode him down to New Orleans; and, after that, every time he told it he spread it more and more, till by and by he said they rode him all over the world, and tired him most to death, and his back was all over saddle-boils. Dey's two angels hoverin' roun' 'bout him. Niggers would come from all around there and give Jim anything they had, just for a sight of that fivecenter piece; but they wouldn't touch it, because the devil had had his hands on it. (Twain 8)You would think that a story like that would be a laughing point rather than an expression of bravery, but Jim proves his kind nature by telling it, as he was probably aware that the boys had had some part in the hat incident but instead creates a fantastical believable story about the situation that gains him notoriety, in the eyes of the boys. Sometimes you gwyne to git hurt, en sometimes you gwyne to git sick; but every time you's gwyne to git well ag'in. Jim always kept that five-center piece round his neck with a string, and said it was a charm the devil give to him with his own hands, and told him he could cure anybody with it and fetch witches whenever he wanted to just by saying something to it; but he never told what it was he said to it. De bes' way is to res' easy en let de ole man take his own way.
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Acceptance Essays
