Observations about Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn is possibly one of my favorite characters from a book that I have read. He is a very unique character as he wants to be his own independent person, and has his own views on how the world works, rather than being influenced by someone else. Huck is very wise for someone so young, and he does things that someone his age should not even be able to comprehend, non the less pull off. For example, most people at the time the book took place looked down on African Americans. African Americans were enslaved, thought of as inferior, and whipped for any little thing. However Huck is able to see past the racism, and is even able to form a bond with Ms. Watson’s slave Jim. In a way, I don’t believe Huck’s theory of not being “sivilized” is accurate, as he understands how to treat other human beings with respect.
I don’t think that Huck is uncivilized, rather I think he just wants to go against the expectations of the norm. Huck doesn’t want to live a life of privilege and wealth. At the same time, he doesn’t want to live his life as a drunkard loser. I think he just wants to be himself, and not live by anyone’s rules and expectations. However while he’s around Tom Sawyer, this changes, as Tom bosses Huck around, and sometimes pulls Huck into his unbelievable schemes, even though Huck knows better. This may be another reason why Huck and Jim get along so well, because both are tired of being ordered around by other people, and want to get away from it all.
Another thing that I found amazing about Huck is the way that Mark Twain makes him seem more personable, and not just a narrator. For example, on page 7, in the beginning of the book when Huck is introducing himself, he says “You don’t know me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” This shows that Mark Twain was trying to make Huck more than just a character in a story, rather a person that is relatable to anyone that reads his book. Another quote that I found more funny than interesting was on page 48, after Huck ran away from his Pap, he was afraid of how dark it was on Jackson Island, and he says “Everything was dead quiet, and it looked late, and it smelt late. You know what I mean-I don’t know the words to put it in.” I found this quote interesting because it makes Huck a little more realistic, and I found it funny because to me, Huck is trying to seem like he’s not afraid of how dark it is on Jackson Island, yet he’s not doing a very good job of convincing the reader of this.
posted by Eddie D.