In his criticism of the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Richard F. Adams points out that the book is structurally characterized by the main character gradually abandoning childish feelings and actions, withdrawing into nature, and becoming much more a mature and competent person. Adams goes on in his criticism to point out that since people can relate to this change, there is a sense of understanding and harmony throughout the book. I thoroughly agree with this assessment of Huck's character change; he really does develop and mature throughout the novel, and I find it to be quite inspiring.
             In the beginning of the novel, Huck is a poor boy on the lowest level of southern white society. His father is a drunk and is a constant negative influence in his life, although he is not around that often. The widow Miss Douglass has taken him in, and she has tried to educate him and give him social values, but he stands firm against her teachings and tries to remain free. He sneaks out of the widow's house, detests her Bible readings, and disobeys her rules constantly. Huck is shown as a natural thinker, and he is very doubtful of the typical social principles of the time, such as religion and slavery.
             Over the course of the novel, Huck's childish voice comments on these serious issues of faith and slavery and society. Often Huck makes comments that sound more erudite than the adults that surround him, despite his lack of a proper upbringing. Although this is ironic, it shows that he is an open-minded child, and these are the only ones who can truly go through a changing development. According to the law he has been taught, Jim is Miss Watson's "property", but Jim goes against this social norm and knows that he is doing the right thing by helping Jim. As his relationship with Jim develops, he begins to rethink the morals he was taught, especially regarding race and slavery. Wh...