The Gilded Age was a period of outer glamour and inner corruption in American history. Indeed, when author Mark Twain coined the name "Gilded Age," he sought to bring to light this corruption. Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is yet another one of his attempts to underscore the problems of the seemingly perfect society in the 1860s. Through conflicts between physical and mental confinement and freedom, Twain portrays Huckleberry Finn's moral confusion and the eventual establishment of his views to be contrary to those of the corrupted South.
             Throughout the novel, Huckleberry Finn (Huck) is constantly and even subconsciously affected by the prejudices of southern society regarding Blacks. Having been born in the South, Huck is exposed only to the beliefs that slavery is a necessary institution and that slaves are less than human. He subconsciously demonstrates these beliefs through his actions and words to Jim. After a debate about whether or not a Frenchman should talk like an American, Huck affirms that it is impossible to "learn a nigger to argue," (78) implying that Jim has a lower mental capacity than that of a White man. The beliefs are so engraved into Huck's mind that he finds it hard to apologize to Jim after he plays a trick that leaves Jim extremely distressed and worried. In fact, it takes Huck "fifteen minutes before [he can] work [him]self up to go and humble [him]self to a nigger." (84)
             However, although the traditional southern beliefs have become part of Huck's subconscious thoughts, Huck nonetheless begins to question these beliefs after spending time with Jim and witnessing his caring nature. Huck suffers numerous battles between his heart and his mind as he tries to reconcile his different beliefs. After Huck becomes aware of how worried Jim has been due to Huck's trick, Huck resolves no to "do [Jim] no more mean tricks.&quo...