Jim As A Friend example essay topic

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Attempting to make decisions is difficult when one experiences doubt in one's mind or when one's upbringing goes against it. In 'Huck Finn'; by Mark Twain, the main character Huck has to first confront doubts and then form plans to surmount an impossibly tragic end. These efforts demonstrate that one's upbringing and morals are sometimes insufficient to cope with the immense problems that arise along a journey, and that the decisions one must make must come from the heart. During this story Huck solves many problems by listening to his heart. Although he believes that he is doing wrong and that people and god will look down upon him, he is actually doing what is morally correct. At the beginning of the story Huck runs away from his friends and family to Jacksons Island.

On Jacksons Island he is confronted by Jim who is a runaway slave. Jim being an African American is looked down on by society. When Huck is faced with the decision of choosing to rat on Jim or keep his secret Huck has a hard time. He knows subconsciously that Jim has done something wrong. Yet he follows his heart and decides to keep Jims secret. He says'; people would call me a low-down abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum'; .

Huck here shows that he isn't only running away form home but He's running away from everything that home stands for. This happens many times in the story. Huck starts to see Jim as a friend rather then a black man. When Huck plays the prank on Jim after the raft gets separated Huck apologized to Jim.

He knew society would have never apologized to a black person. But now Huck listens to his heart not what society has taught him. Many times in the book Huck actually comes face to face with telling on Jim but in the end doesn't. The first incident occurred while being faced by two men looking for a runaway slave. He was directly faced with the choice of 'doing the right thing'; or turning Jim in. He decides to do the wrong thing and tells the men he's traveling with a white man.

The next time is when he writes the note to Miss Watson telling her about Jim. After thinking he says 'seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind'; . He then rips up the note to Miss Watson. Wickedness 'was in my line, being brought up to it,' ; he says, and goodness isn't. If helping the only real friend he has is called wicked by the 'civilized'; people, then he " ll be wicked and give up all hope of reforming. Huck conscience is causing him a great deal of pain because he can't find a easy solution to his dilemma.

He often wonders if he should live up to the rules of the society he's been brought up in or should he do what seems to be the right thing for a friend? Throughout this story by helping Jim so many times, Huck has done the right thing, no matter how strongly he insists that he's been bad.