The Adventures With Huck

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most talked over novels in American literature, even after a century of spotlight, and for good reason. Mark Twain captures the essence of America through the tale of a young boy’s adventures and struggles in a quest to simply survive. Audiences are hit full in the face with the shocking reality of the story's characters plots, and, although society today is very different than that of the 19th century, similar themes are still ever-present.

When I first picked up Huckleberry Finn, I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of it. All I knew of this book came from the many praises and raving reviews it had received. The actual reading was no walk in the park. The various dialects and older vocabulary were a bit overwhelming at times. However, when I finally reached the end of what seemed to be a never ending series of adventures, I realized the impact of a novel like this one. It is a story of America, told through the eyes of an outcast of society. The number of dialects used just contributes to the story’s authenticity.

What I found so interesting about Huck was his adaptability in every change of scenery. He is a very passive character and would much rather adjust to a new situation than fight it. He accepts that he is to be “sivilized” when under the care of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. Then, when his father kidnaps Huck after discovering the large amount of reward money Tom and Huck received, our hero is thrust into a whole new environment, which he accepts with little difficulty. Huck goes back to enjoying some of his pre-civilization freedoms, like looser clothing, less rules, and smoking, cussing, and eating whenever he wants. There are some drawbacks, though, when his father gets into a drunken rage and seeks to punish Huck for it. But Huck almost completely ignores these punishments, up until Pap tries to kill Huck. Here Huck shows his unwillingness to act until absolutely necessary, and does so, with style.

The main turning point of the novel, however, is the moment when Huck is faced with the opportunity to turn in the runaway slave and Huck’s travel partner, Jim. He recognizes turning in the fugitive would be the right thing to do, and even writes a letter to Miss Watson to give away Jim’s location. He begins to feel “good and all washed clean of sin”. But he then starts recalling every nice thing Jim had done for him, and on an impulse, rips up the letter. Huck realized just how much Jim friendship meant to him, and turns his back on society’s rules, declaring “All right, then, I’ll go to hell!” In doing this, Huck follows his heart, not his mind, and no longer sees Jim as just a stereotype, but as a human being, and close friend.

Huck is not a bad kid. He just doesn’t know the difference between wrong and right. In this story, I see him as a face of innocence and moral, just waiting to shine. When you take a step back and look at the book as a whole, it reflects that attitude of Huck’s in America today very well.

So, overall, I enjoyed reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, because it truly was an adventure.