Huck Finn

             The Notice at the beginning of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn reads "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be shot; persons attempting to find a moral will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot – By order of the Author," (10). Though Mark Twain intends his novel to be read in jest, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn actually conveys an important insight into humanity. The character Jim, a Negro, defies the white man's perception of a Negro, and ultimately illustrates their place American society. This is done as Twain shows that Jim does not fit the mold of the stereotypical slave, has real emotions, and symbolizes the social standing of a Negro at this time.
             In the first few chapters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim is introduced as the stereotypical Negro. He is ignorant, slow, and believes in many foolish superstitions. These characteristics are evident when Tom and Huck try to sneak out of the house. Eventually, Tom steals Jim's hat and hangs it on a tree branch. "Afterward Jim said the witches bewitched him and put him in a trance, and rode him all over the state, and then set him under the trees again, and hung his hat on a limb to show who done it," (15). This illogical and down right stupid explanation of the cause of this prank is the common white view of the dumb Negro at the time. Another example of Jim's foolishness is apparent Huck fakes his own death to escape his Father and run away. Jim runs into Huck and assumes he is witnessing the living dead, "Doan' hurt me- don't! I hain't ever done no harm to a ghos'. I alwuz liked dead people, en fone all I could for 'em...doan' do nuffin to Ole Jim, 'at 'uz alwuz yo' fren'," (49). Instead of coming to the logical conclusion that Huck wasn't really dead, Jim's superstitions and ignoranc...

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Huck Finn. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 08:38, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/37471.html