Freedom in Huckleberry Finn

A detailed Summary of Freedom in Huckleberry Finn


The conflicts surrounding the quest for freedom in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn create a plot think with sorrows and triumphs of a boy traveling with a runaway slave in the harrowing years before the United States Civil War. The overlying theme of escape seems to be an obvious one: Huckleberry Finn wishes to flee from life with a drunken father and newfound benefactor, while Jim tires of the binds of slavery. The two journey off on a raft down the Mississippi River, and in confining themselves to a relatively small piece of driftwood, they find greater liberty than ever conceived on the mainland.

Some of the most blatant opposition Huck and Jim inflict to society's standard is their nakedness. While on the raft, they wear none of the clothes that make Huck "do nothing but sweat, and feel all cramped up," (11). Shedding the 'skins of civilization' allow the boy and the slave to emerge from the cloaked morals of a world condemning them for their conformity. Without clothes, they become the true and vulnerable characters, unobscured by the continual disguises d


Leaving the raft creates more problems though than that of proper attire. When venturing out onto the shore, Huck often finds himself trapped in situations in which he has no part. In the instance of the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons, Huck becomes virtually an adopted son, held captive in fascination for the hate between the two well-bred families. It is only when he goes against his conscience and runs ass liaison for Miss Sophie that chaos begins and he has a chance to escape. Huck is not literally held prisoner at the Grangerford home, but his adventure therein illustrates the prejudices that can blind even the most dignified of persons. Upon attempting to kill Harney Shepherdson, Huck asks Buck Grangerford to explain his motive. He replies, "Him? He never done nothing to me...Only it's on account of the feud," (111). This bigotry is a quality that can not exist between Huck and Jim during their life together on the raft. Despite it's lack of comforts, Huck comments about his preference to the raft as opposed to any 'sivilized' house. "I was powerful glad to

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Approximate Word count = 735
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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