Twain's cheated ending of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Ernest Hemmingway once said he felt "cheated" by Mark Twain's ending to Huckleberry Finn. I would agree. The last several chapters show an expensive change in the tone and message of the book. They also seem to diminish the growth of Huck's character. I also feel that the backdrop of the Phelps' Plantation makes the story's end less plausible.
Twain's masterpiece begins unraveling as all the characters reunite at the Phelps' Plantation. The fact that Jim is sold to Tom's aunt and uncle at the precise time that Tom is planning a visit is too coincidental to be credible. This also begins to shift the readers focus from Huck back to Tom. The ensuing chapters and attempted escape originate from Tom's character and ideas, thus ignoring the potential of Huck's new maturity and moral growth gained on the river. Huck and Jim
The freeing of Jim by Miss Watson is another mistake in Twain's ending. I feel that this book had deep messages of humanity and moral rights. These are clearly things that Huck dealt with the most. Yet Twain chooses to have Jim freed due to his legal right, not his moral right as a human. From my point of view, this one fact trivialized the whole journey down the river. Jim's fight for freedom and Huck's struggle to view Jim as human was for nothing. When Miss Watson willed Jim free she further proved that he was nothing but a piece of property. Jim and Huck never succeded orlearned anything. I also feel that it was an undeserving redemption for Miss Watson.
In conclusion, I feel that the ending of this book should have focussed on Huck and Jim and the relationship they developed. Huck was beginnign to view Jim as
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