The Moral Progression of Huckleberry Finn

A detailed Summary of The Moral Progression of Huckleberry Finn

The main character of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn undergoes a total moral

transformation upon having to make life defining decisions throughout his journey for a new

life. Huck emerges into the novel with an inferiority complex caused by living with a drunken

and abusive father, and with the absence of any direction. It is at this point where Huck is first

seen without any concept of morality. Fortunately, Huck is later assisted by the guidance of

Jim, a runaway slave who joins him on his journey and helps Huck gain his own sense of

morality. Throughout Huck's adventures, he is put into numerous situations where he must

look within himself and use his own judgement to make fundamental decisions that will effect

the morals of which Huck will carry with him throughout his life.

Preceding the start of the novel, Miss Watson and the widow have been granted

custody of Huck, an uncivilized boy who possesses no morals. Huck looks up to a boy named

Tom Sawyer who has decided he is going to start a gang. In order for one to become a

member, they must consent to the murdering of their families if they break the rules of the

gang. It was at this time that one of the boys r

sacrifice the life of someone else just in order to be part of a gang. It is at this point where

marks another major step in Huck's moral progression, because he decides not to turn in Jim

rejection of society. To encapsulate Huck's total moral progression through his decision to

for the others. Well, nobody could think of anything to do- everybody was

help Jim, Huck states, "I'll go to hell" (207) to see Jim into freedom.

Throughout the book there is the recurring theme of Friend v. Society. This is a main

boy must have a family or something to kill, or else it wouldn't be fair and square

death, and makes it a point to correct what he has done wrong. This is the first major step in

Approximate Word count = 954
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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