The Value of Freedom in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Introduction

Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn so innocently reveals the potential nobility of human nature in its well-loved main characters that it could never successfully support anything so malicious as slavery. Huckleberry Finn and his traveling companion Jim, a runaway slave, are unknowing champions for humility, mercy, and selflessness. The adventurous nature of the story and its noble characters celebrates freedom from social and economic restraint, and it is apparent from the beginning through his satiric portrayal of human characteristics that Twain believes that all people deserve their own freedom.

The Symbolism of Freedom

While Twain's story does have the outward appearance of a boyhood adventure tale, it is impossible to overlook the symbolic nature in the two "runaways'" desires for such an adventure. Both Huck and Jim are running away from the social constraints of their worlds. Huck feels confined by his new "civilized" life, and Jim by his slave status. In the Widow Douglas' household, Huck is not allowed to indulge himself in his former delights of boyhood. He feels trapped by the various social rules and expectations the two widows try to enforce upon him. Jim is confined by the bonds of slavery into an uncomfortable and immobile spot in society—one that restricts him from being with his own family. Thus, the two "prisoners" begin their escape for freedom. And, while it is natural that Twain placed the story on the wide and powerful Mississippi River where he spent part of his life, there is also a symbolic gesture in the setting. While Huck and Jim travel down the flowing river, they feel a distance from the stagnant society on the river's banks. On the natural river, they are free from the shortcomings and evils of human nature that exist in the man-made towns they have known. On the raft, there is no practical need for racism or greed. The boy and slave are simply two travelers bound for bigger and better waters. This journey symbolizes not only a physical escape but also a spiritual journey towards enlightenment and understanding.

Character Analysis and Human Nature

Twain is largely successful in illustrating his support of the deserved freedom of the human condition through his main characters. Huck is an innocent young boy who relies only on his surprisingly sharp criticism of human nature and a goodness and gentle-heartedness that he is not even aware of. Huck's youthful ignorance and lack of education allow for the innocence that makes him such a believable and effective protagonist. Despite his age, however, he is still able to discern the often hypocritical actions of the adults around him. For example, he cannot understand why the fine people of the Grangerford family would be involved in something so horrible and ridiculous as a feud. When Jim becomes a part of the journey, Huck, much to the argument of his misguided conscience, shows mercy and, eventually, respect towards Jim. Bestowing respect upon a slave would have taken a lot of humility for a white boy, and Huck certainly possessed humility. He had no desire for material possessions or even a very strong desire for money. Jim's good nature and kindness are indisputable in the novel. He commits himself to watching over Huck during their journey and often does so at his own expense. The reader cannot help but to admire Jim's love for his family and kind, selfless nature. All of these characteristics—innocence, mercy, humility, kindness—are not elements that support the institution of slavery. Perhaps Twain is suggesting that the potential goodness of human nature that exists in his characters could exist in a world without slavery.

Irony and Satire as Tools for Critique

Furthermore, Twain has mastered the use of situational and verbal irony and satire and uses this to reveal truths about human nature. Twain places some instances of dialogue that are so blatantly racist that one cannot help but wonder if the author went to extremes to simply make his point. For example, Aunt Sally asks Huck if anyone was hurt on the steamboat, and he replies that it only "killed a nigger," to which Aunt Sally replies, "Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt" (Twain, 1884, p. 167). This one statement is so obviously wrong that it seems Twain is not advocating prejudice, but simply displaying its wrongfulness. This use of irony is implemented throughout the dialogue in the novel, and, while anti-slavery supporters could misinterpret Twain's ambition, the other elements in the novel help support the author's true intentions. It is apparent that he believes that, if put into simple words, one could easily see that such racist views are very hypocritical of the good qualities of human nature that Twain so highly values. Furthermore, the most racist people and advocates of slavery in the novel are always depicted in a negative light. For instance, Twain gives little respect to the King and the Duke, who split up the slave family at the Wilks household, or the mob of angry farmers at the Phelps who want to kill Jim. Twain's open critique of slavery and its supporters and racial prejudice, therefore, do indeed mark him as an advocate for human freedom.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Twain uses the qualities of his main characters and the freedom they seek, as well as criticism of the racial views of the society that Huck and Jim occupy, to illustrate his belief that all humans possess the right to be free if they so desire it. While it is doubtful that Twain would give himself the title of "abolitionist," he certainly states in Huckleberry Finn that he does not believe that imposing an institution such as slavery on any person can be deemed anything other than a blatant violation against morality. Slavery is indeed an immense evil of society, and Twain uses the contrasting goodness of people like Huck and Jim to battle against it. It is also apparent that Twain does not admire the constraints of society and, like Huck, would rather be free from it and its hypocrisy. Therefore, it is doubtful that he could support an institution like slavery that had such aristocratic roots. Twain's characters are too noble, his views of white society too critical, for him to be blamed as a supporter of slavery; he is instead a motivator of the human desire to be free.

References

Twain, M. (1884). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Charles L. Webster and Company.