Huck and Morality
Throughout the incident on pages 66-69 in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck fights with two distinct voices. One is siding with society, saying Huck should turn Jim in, and the other is seeing the wrong in turning his friend in, not viewing Jim as a slave. Twain wants the reader to see the moral dilemmas Huck is going through, and what slavery ideology can do to an innocent like Huck.Huck does not consciously think about Jim's impending freedom until Jim himself starts to get excited about the idea. The reader sees Huck's first objection to Jim gaining his freedom on page 66, when Huck says, "Well, I can tell you it made me all over trembly and feverish, too, to hear him, because I begun to get it through my head that he was most free-and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I could get that out of my conscience, no how nor no way." Huck is hearing the voice of society at this point, not his own. He does not see a moral dilemma with Jim being free; he is opposed to the fact that he is the one helping him. This shows Huck misunderstanding of slavery. Huck does not treat Jim like a slave when they travel together, this shows the reader that Huck views Jim as an equal in most ways. Huck sees having a slave o
This fact in itself should spur others on to do something against the grain of society and voice their true opinions. Twain wants the reader to respect Huck's great moral conversion, even if it is hidden behind Huck's lie to do whatever "come handiest at the time" because the reader knows Huck will always choose Jim as "handiest" now. But I says, I got to do it-I can't get out of it. These words bring Huck back to the realization that Jim is a friend, not property. Twain's morals are clearly shown through this short, but hugely important, passage. This is a totally different view of Miss Watson from Huck's perspective. And even though Huck still consciously says he must turn in Jim, the reader does not believe he will do it anymore. The reader is able to see Huck's newfound reluctance, brought on by Jim's words of appreciation. Huck has now subconsciously decided to protect Jim at all costs. It is a lesson that can be appreciated by all time periods because I know I do. Huck always disliked Miss Watson, but now that this society voice plays a part in Huck's judgment his views are changed. " Twain wants the reader to see Huck's change in judgment. This society views allows Huck to see Jim, a friend, only as a slave and Miss Watson, almost a foe in his young views, as a dear friend. s'pose you'd a done right and give Jim up; would you felt better than what you do now? Now, says I, I'd feel bad-I'd feel just the same way I do now.
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