Character is developed by experience. When a person is young, they are impressionable, and will often change their beliefs and values depending on the situation. I feel that this is because children have such a small amount of personal experience and knowledge. These two possessions cannot be taught and must be acquired first-hand. Knowledge allows people to make their own decisions and have some idea of what the outcome will be. Personal experience is, in not to abstract a way, the same thing. Experience, by definition, is the "Active participation in events or activities, leading to the accumulation of knowledge or skill." (American Herit. "experience").
             Experience and knowledge define a person as an individual. Every sentient being draws from their experiences in the formation of their values and in their responses. Every person met, every conversation had, every day lived, shapes us. And just as how a small sum of money seems to be a fortune, someone without much experience will learn astounding amounts from every simple thing.
             Huckleberry Finn, when the story opens, has been stuck in the same town for most of his life. Up until the early to mid 1900's, the average person never traveled more than 50 miles from their home. Huck's entire world consisted of little more than the town in which he lived and the surrounding wilderness. Through the efforts of his guardians, Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, Huckleberry receives a basic education and is taught the stories of the bible. Tom Sawyer also helps to broaden Huck's horizons a little with his stories of adventure. Despite the obvious lack of reality in the adventures Tom has read, when attempting to act them out with Huck, he opens their minds to thought about the rest of the world.
             Huckleberry Finn struck out on his own because he was restless. He was not satisfied with his options; either stay around with the widow and be "sivilized...