Huck Finn's Identity
Identity is that which sets us apart from each other. Everyone must find his or her own personal identity. This is a process through which one discovers who they are and why they are the way they are. One of many themes in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the search for identity. In Twain's novel, Huck finds Jim's identity and in the process he discovers his own.At first, Jim's identity is presented plainly to Huckleberry as a stereotypical black slave. Jim is filled with superstition that appears to be a reflection of the ignorance that develops from a life of slavery. Slaves are supposed to be emotionless, yet he exhibits many emotions typically "restricted" to whites at the time. Huck sees this in him and gradually he starts to believe that Jim is more "white underneath."Jim, Huck later realizes, is a heroic figure in a world consisting of liars, cheats, and scoundrels. Jim always does the
With this realization, the reader can see Huck slowly letting go what society has taught him and choosing his own identity. This realization that Jim is not just a slave but also a real human being spurs a transformation in Huck's character that makes him reject the thought that society is always right. Jim's maturity is displayed by his reaction to the incident when Huck plays a trick on him during the fog. Jim is the leader during the travel down the river. Huckleberry slowly realizes that Jim, a black man, who Huck has been taught is inferior, is essentially no different than any other man. In the course of their adventure down the river Jim transforms from a dumb slave into a heroic father figure in Huckleberry's eyes. Instead of yelling at Huck, Jim provides a valuable lesson not to play games against other people that make them feel embarrassed. It shows that Huck is strong enough to forget what society has taught him and he begins to see the true Jim. He is the one who knows all the signs of weather; it is he who makes their journey a success. One quality that Huck fails to identify is how much Jim is like a father. Jim's morals then start to reflect in Huckleberry's character throughout the rest of the novel. The incident at the end of the novel when he saves Tom and risks what he believes to be his own freedom is a case in point. Jim is never bitter, never complains, and never expects Huck to return or even notice what he does for him. He chooses Jim with the words "All right then, I'll go to hell.
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