Amer Ahmed

Green

Huckleberry Finn Reading Log 3

The next few chapters of Huck Finn show the biggest increase in the maturity of

Huck in the entire novel. Huck’s views on morality change whenever he draws the line

between good and evil during the conflict between Mary Jane and the two cons.

Huck begins to grow up when he starts having bad feelings about letting the girls

of the dead man get scammed. Huck secretly resolves to not go along with the scam.

The most interesting part about Huck’s newest vow is that he shows a shift in opinion;

Huck no longer follows the words others and is formulating his own opinions. Huck

devises an incredibly clever (and confusing) way to swindle the swindlers out of their

money. Finn compares his master plot to something Tom Sawyer would have made.

Huck instructs Mary Jane to go away for a few days, and he tells the other two sisters to

be quiet. Huck demonstrates a huge level of competence in dealing with trouble. He’s

starting to accept challenges, which is different compared to how Huck dealt with life in

the beginning of the novel. However, Huck is still living in the shadow of a racist

society, as one notable moment was when he found the separation of the slave family

nothing more than a distraction from his everyday life.

One more notable thing in the life of Huckleberry Finn is how Huck’s views on

slavery have changed drastically. During the beginning of the novel, Huck had always

considered Jim more of an acquaintance than a friend, but coming up to this moment,

Huck had completely reversed his philosophy. When Jim is captured, Huck initially

decided to write to Ms. Watson explaining what was happening. The letter Huck writes

just tells Ms. Watson where Jim was, but Huck begins to think that the letter would do
nothing but bad; Jim would be sold again and Huck would be labeled an abolitionist.

Huck decides that he needs to go help Jim, saying “All right then, I'll go to hell!”

whenever he makes his landmark decision. Not only has Huck matured, but his entire

philosophy has changed for these past few months. He is willing to go against what he

was originally taught, and he begins to understand the value of humanity. When he helps

out the girls, Huck shows he understands the problems with the con men, another big part

in Huck’s development, because he is willing to choose the welfare for others over his

own safety.

In the last 10 chapters, Huck has begun his transition from boyhood to manhood.

Huck no longer needs others to support him, as was shown with the capture of Jim and

the abandonment of the two men. Huck thinks for himself, and he is growing up with his

own set of guidelines vastly different than what he was taught back in his hometown.

The most interesting thing however is how Huck is willing to go to hell for Jim, letting us

understand that Jim’s life is equal to Huck’s life from now on, and Jim is a human being

and not just a piece of property.