English poet William Blake once wrote, "Conscience in those that have it is unequivocal." In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the theme, man's conflict with his conscience, is manifested through Huck Finn. While Huck is forced to confront the hypocrisies of society, he develops his own individual views of right and wrong. In his struggle with his morality, his insights ultimately lead him to defy social norms by freeing a runaway slave, Jim.

In the beginning of the novel, Huck Finn is portrayed as a stubborn juvenile without principle, however, when he realizes the consequences of trifling with Jim's emotions, Huck's moral conscience becomes evident. Huck fools Jim into believing that he dreamed being separated in the fog and losing the raft. Amused by Jim's credulity, Huck quickly points to the broken oars, indicating that the incident did take place. This makes Jim feel extremely foolish and incompetent for falling for Huck's immature trick, prompting him to react emotionally:

"...my heart wuz mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn' kyer no mo' what become er me en de raf'. En when I wake up en find you back ag'in, all safe en soun', de tears come, en I c

ould 'a' got down on my knees en kiss yo' foot, I's so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin' 'bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em ashamed."

Although Huck never meant to intentionally damage Jim's integrity, Huck feels extremely remorse afterwards that he "could almost kiss [Jim's] foot" for forgiveness. Normally, in this racist society, a white man would never humble himself to a black man, moreover, a slave. Hence, Jim provides moral guidance to Huck by triggering his sincerity. As a result, Huck comes to the realization that Jim is not just some piece of property; he is a human being who has feelings, feelings that Huck underestimates inadvertently, and humiliating him. Huck's apology further indicates a transformation in his views towards Jim. As he begins to see Jim as an equal, Huck vows to treat him like one by never playing another joke on Jim if it would hurt his. Though Huck's ideas regarding Jim have changed, it does not necessarily mean his ideas regarding blacks and slaves have changed. This is established in the novel when Aunt Sally asks Huck if anyone was killed in the steamboat explosion, he replies, "No'm killed a nigger." Thus, it can be argued that Huck still views blacks as a lesser race.

"What had poor Miss Watson done to you that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes an never say one single word? What did that poor old woman do to you that you could treat her so mean? Why, she tried to learn you your book, she tried to learn you your manners, she tried to be good to you every way she knowed how. That's what she done."

More occasions throughout the novel tests Huck's individual conscience along with his sense of humanity. For example, when Huck encounters the three robbers, he and Jim steal their only means of escape, a skiff. Huck realizes as they get away that he has abandoned the men to die in their own plot, "I begun to think how dreadful it was, even for murderers, to be in such a fix. I says to myself, there ain't no telling but I might come to be a murderer myself..." Huck, feeling morally obligated to correct his wrong, informs a captain in hopes that the three criminals will be rescued before drowning in the wreckage. Huck demonstrates more noble action when he discovers the plans of the two c

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Approximate Word count = 1602
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)