In Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Twain takes us on a journey of human development as seen through a child's eyes of Huckleberry Finn. Twain creates this development through the use and setting of 1880's Missouri; a period of social and moral ambiguity. A time when slavery was considered acceptable and children had no rights. As the novel starts, we see Huck's struggle with doing the right thing and constantly questions authority as well as his own conscience. Huck would rather go to hell than wear clean clothes, pray, and go to school. Twain clearly gives Huck a logical sense when all of the other characters who, at first seem to be trying to do the right thing for Huck; end up damaging and putting him into potentially harmful situations. An example, when Judge Thatcher orders Huck to be removed from Miss Watson's home and palced into the care of Huck's drunken, abusive Father. When Huck, for a time goes to live with his Father, he realizes he must escape in order to survive imprisonment and starvation. His only escape, is into the Missouri river; which will act as a catylist for Huck and Jim's journey throughout the novel.
The Missouri river will bring Huck to Jim. The relationship that bonds them is that of surival and eventually freedom. Jim will become a Father figure to Huck. Jim, a escaped slave, will depend on Huck. There is a childlike innocence between the two. Jim proves to Huck that there can be love and trust. This is tested several times, throughout their journey as they encounter many amoral people,slave hunters and thieves, along the river. This further propels Huck into adulthood; forced into making tough decisions and questioning his own actions. Throughout the story, Huck has to lie in order to get his way or to get out of a situation. Twain seems to show, in an amoral society, one is forced to lie to do what they feel is right. Huck clearly proves this point by not turning Jim over to the slaves hunters; a true example of loyalty and friendship. In the end, Twain teaches us a valuable lesson. Freedom and loyalty are the most important things in life.
