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It was according to the old saying, give a [African-American] an inch and hell take an ell. ? Here was this [African-American] which I had as good as helped to run away, coming right out flat-footed and saying he would steal his children children that belonged to a man I didnt even know; a man that hadnt ever done me no harm (Twain, pg. 98) Despite the fact Huckleberry Finn (Huck) is a 12 - 13 year old boy, one cant help but realize the hypocrisy in this statement that he said to himself. It is hypocritical because what he is accusing Jim (the African-American) of (stealing children from somebody he didnt even know) is the exact same thing slave owners did when they brought slaves from Africa. Huck has this passing on of what he denies attitude many times in the book. For example, Huck rejected the Bible but tried to teach Jim about it. Huck, later on, he has an internal conflict about the question of turning his friend, Jim, in.
Huck also has various discrepancies with authority, which includes Miss Watson, Pap, and social values of the 1800 s in general. Through The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the character of Huck, Mark Twain question humans and their relationship with social authority and the hypocrisy in their actions. Huck has a desire to turn in Jim a few times in the book. One instance is when they are on their way to Cairo and they think they see it. Huck takes the canoe by himself to talk to this police boat that patrols the area. He plans to turn in Jim, but Jim keeps on saying how much Huck means to him.
Huck says, I was paddling off, all in a sweat to tell on him; but when he says this, it seemed kind of take the tuck all out of me? I want right down certain whether I was glad I started or whether I want. (Twain, pg. 99). The last sentence of this quote shows that Huck doesnt know what to do. He can either turn in Jim, and disregard everything he has done, or he can help Jim and acknowledge all he has done.
Another example of this conflict is when Huck is planning to write a letter to Miss Watson telling where Jim is. He debates whether or not he should mail it and ultimately rips it up. After writing it he first says, I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life, and I know I could pray now. (Twain, pg. 234) He later goes on to say, I took it (the letter) up, and held it in my hand. I was a trembling, because Id got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I know it. I studied a minute? and then I says to myself: All right, then, Ill go to hell-and tore it up (Twain, pg. 235).
In both decisions society is acting upon Huck, he feels good when he turns in a slave, a fellow human, and he feels like he is going to hell if he doesnt. This is because during the 1800 s, slaves were viewed as property and freeing or helping them was seen as a sin. So why does society play a role in Huck's emotions rather than his decisions? Huck's decisions are purely his feelings; the actual ideas of his decision are strictly society's influence. Society acts as a conscience upon Huck. But what is a conscience to Huck?
When Huck and Jim think they see Cairo, Huck says, ? I begun to get it through my head that he was most free -and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I couldnt get that out of my conscience? (Twain, pg. 97).
This clearly shows that Huck is under the influence of society because he should be happy that Jim, his companion, is finally getting his freedom. Huck also feels that his conscience gets in his way and is an obstacle. Huck says, My conscience got to stirring me up hotter than ever? (Twain, pg. 98). Huck's conscience makes him nervous. If Huck's conscience is a representation of societies and its values then this idea makes perfect sense because Huck becomes agitated and uncomfortable in the presence of authority of people or ideas. Still, with familiarity, Huck eventually accepts the presence or authority of people and ideas.
And so what Huck at first denies, he later on comes to accept. This leads to the conclusion of Huck's hypocrisy. Miss Watson tried to civilize Huck, something that Huck had never had experience with. Huck says, ? she told me what she meant I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people, and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself but I couldnt see no advantage about it?
I reckoned I wouldnt worry about it any more, but just let it go. (Twain, pg. 12). Huck didnt just let it go; instead Huck implemented that very idea with protecting Jim. Huck also denied the Bible and the story of Moses. He said, ? I dont take no stock in dead people. (Twain, pg. 2). But later on he tries to teach Jim about the story of Solomon.
Huck also says, So the longer I went to school the easier it got to be. I was getting sort of used to the widows ways, too, and they want so raspy on me. (Twain, pg. 17). He grows accustomed to things in time and at that time he decides whether or not he wants to adopt it. With Pap, Huck denies the idea of living with him but he retains many of Paps philosophies. Huck says, ? but I reckoned Id go no to spite pap. (Twain, pg. 26).
Huck then decides to run away and fake his death. And throughout the story Huck quotes his pap and this shows that he did accept him somewhat. Yet what does all this have to do with social authority? Twain asks, why do people reject authority through Huck? And he gives us an idea: People reject authority because of unfamiliarity. This idea is reinforced by Huck's hypocrisy which after rejecting something unfamiliar, decides to use it later, when it has become familiar.
Twain is implying that people in life reject many things that sometimes they are unfamiliar with. And many times these things are beneficial to people as seen with Huck who becomes familiar with the idea that friendship is more important than what society tells one to do. Twain could also be saying that people are over impulsive, in the sense that they judge too soon and dont become familiar with what they are judging. This brings Huck and the theme of authority and hypocrisy to the level of a common clich? used in life many times: Never judge a book by its cover.
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Research essay sample on Shows That Huck Huckleberry Finn
