Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

To dream of freedom is a sensational idea but experiencing freedom is as rare as the New Year eve among common days. While freedom is a great aspiration, it is not a dream that belongs to physical slaves alone. Huck and Jim; the characters painted by Mark Twin in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn depict that a person can long for freedom whether he belongs to a civilized world or uncivilized world. Huck and Jim are representatives of two different backgrounds but their desire to be free and to enjoy every moment of life is same. Jim is the character whose adventure begins due to his flight while Huck is not 'behaving well' because behaving well is something that takes one to the heaven and Huck is attracted by the definition of hell that his teacher offers. The South of America is associated with freedom. It is a place to which Mississippi is 'road'. The tale is a master piece of Mark Twain especially for those that find pleasure, adventure and fun in the literature. It is a 19th-century's piece of work that a reader enjoys because of a thrilling entertainment presented in it. It offers real fun by taking the reader to virtual ride in a boat, a vulnerable journey, and excitement full of fear. The ultimate fun of the novel begins with warning of Mark Twain that "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot." Thus the aim of the novel is entertainment and not to follow the established rules of literature. The river is painted beautifully and Mark Twain, who has once worked as a steamboat driver at Mississippi river, describes the river with minute details. It is therefore that the reader does not only read the story but he is entertained fully till the last page.

Introduction

For the people living in the civilized urban areas, literature and movies are often sources of adventure. Many today are not able to take a ride to Mississippi or the Great Canyon and thus stories like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn offer them the entertainment readers might not forget easily. There are many things that can be done simply for the sake of pleasure and fun without finding meanings in them. For those wanting to enjoy literature, Mark Twain has composed a great book. It is the dedication of characters and practical life experience of Mark Twain that has made the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn far more appealing. The book is next episode to Adventures of Tom Sawyer so that the readers get to know what happens next after a person gets a lot of money. The reader finds that money is not as purposeful as is adventure.

Like the word adventure sounds, the novel offers a thrilling entertainment where every character seeks freedom and his pursuit to liberty leads him to a state where they have to become reckless. Mark Twain's warning at the beginning of the novel i.e. not to interpret, find motive or purpose in the novel seems to be for his characters too. The characters of the novel Huck, Jim, Tom, and the Duke and the Dauphin are just following the path of adventure. Jim and Huck are two souls that dare to face the challenges of life simply to achieve the destination of independence. To Twain, there needs not be a compulsory solid and tangible objective behind everything. The novel is one of its kind where the characters' quest is intangible i.e. liberty rather than a lover, a land, a job or so. Huck already has enough to spend a life but what he misses is freedom. It is not money, job or land that satisfies free souls. It is carelessness and freedom from norms that pleases them as said "I got into my old rags and my sugar-hogshead again, and was free and satisfied"(Twain, 4). There is a lot of work, both appreciative and critical, on the novel of Mark Twain. The fun in book is explored with the help of what the other authors narrated too. These authors include Reeb, Burg and Joshi.

Burg, David F.

Another View of Huckleberry Finn

1974

Mark Twain did not give importance to the critiques as if he thought that 'haters gonna hate!'. Besides a few that focused on what the book did not offer, there were many others that liked it. The book was perceived by many as the ultimate guide book to joy. It tells how to hunt life and adventure around us. "Huckleberry Finn might well be described as a story emphasizing the qualities of art and joy and elaborating a picaresque tale in the amoral fable form" (Burg, 316). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is part of Great American literature. Beginning with the directionless journey, Burg says that the ending of novel is about achieving joy of freedom. The tale of this adventure is not about causes and environment of flight. It does not spend words on describing details of why Jim was not happy with his life but only after a little introduction of his life, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn discusses his pursuit of liberty and freedom. It is rightly said that:

"That orientation leads them both to conclude that the central theme of Huckleberry Finn is a "quest for freedom." Smith repeatedly refers to the journey of Huck and Jim as both "a flight from bondage"-that is, an attempt to escape society and slavery -- and a "quest for freedom" (Burg.299).

The established mindset of the people is normally that a journey is always undertaken to reach a specific destination but this is not the case with characters in the novel rather "on their raft Huck and Jim are directionless" (Burg, 300). When it is about fun and entertainment, it does not matter where one is going and whether they reach a certain destination or not. There are people who think that the journey was taken to escape society which the novel negates: "For throughout the novel Huck has wanted to escape only from some elements of society, like the Widow, while attaining the approval of others, like Tom" (Burg, 318). Sometimes the journey in pursuit of liberty is very rewarding since it offers an opportunity to man to experience his own capacities and to find out what he can do. Huck and Jim could have missed the excitement of the thrilling adventure if they were not daunting enough to look out and seek the pleasure besides the piles of gold, expensive clothing and comfort of being locked in home. Their experience at the end of novel convinces the reader that moving along the dancing waves and sound of splashes soothes soul for years while the preferences confined within walls of home are often boring.

Reeb, Tyler

Playing Games And "Making" A Novel: Mark Twain And Game Theory In "Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

2009

On one hand Reeb discusses the novel by comparing it to the game theory and on the other he also says that game theory has not evolved when Mark Twain wrote the novel. The Game theory is an approach to uncover rules of social system and these rules are really complex like the society itself. The characters are in same boat in the novel and they rely on each other for different reasons but have common fun. "Indeed, it is a mistake to view Huck and Jim's ongoing acts of mutual cooperation as products of two rational, self-interested players who have correctly surmised the benefits of collaboration. Such a view strips away all the humanity in the bond of friendship that Huck and Jim form" (Reeb, 106). Mark Twain was no game theorist but his observation and command lead him to explore what had to be defined a century later. Jim hides Pap's death from Huck which could have changed the game. Jim needs Huck since the journey to liberty is daunting and can be enjoyed with a companion more than being alone. The problems of the two travelers, Reeb says, vary. "At every turn, Jim faces the institution of slavery; whereas, Huck faces brutal violence at the hand of one man, his father"(Reeb. 5). The river Huck and Jim are travelling through is symbol of adventure, separation as well as connection. Mississippi is romantic and alive and a friend during the journey.

Joshi, Vijaya Narendra

Relationship between Huck and Jim in the Adventures of Hucklberry Finn

2012

Mark Twain says and Joshi agrees that story of Huck and Jim was a freedom flight and not an escape from responsibilities. It was not easy for Jim to leave behind the family because of the bond he had with them. He still had to pursue freedom because the dreams he has are far too encouraging ad adventures that the routines of life.

"Yet his flight is not a mean attempt to slave his own skin. But he risks his life for the sake of his family. So he plans to work hard and save money to buy his wife and the two children."(Joshi. 2)

Jim has a family that is center of his love and he does not consider family as only a social responsibility. If Jim had wanted to save only himself from the slavery, he could have done it at any time without thinking of his family. Joshi says that it is Jim for whom Huck is ready to sacrifice anything because he finds him sincere and innocent. Huck does not help anyone because it is his 'social responsibility' but because he gets emotionally attached to Jim:

"His world is founded on emotional relationship. He lies, runs and hides for Jim's sake, not for anything like high morality, but only for his self-interest to a family of the two on the raft, where he finds love, security and freedom" (Joshi.3).

Mark Twain did not try to justify each and everything that the characters do. His characters are strong as well as fragile. This may seem as a contrast of personality but human beings are unique composition of feelings. Huck is at one point of time too fragile that he wishes to be dead and then he becomes so strong that he can take a leap and leave the land to live a free life. Jinn like Mark, is a free soul. Huck is not a kind of volunteer person. He believes in living for himself. Adventure and entertainment are his life or at least what he wants his life to be. But when he meets Jim, he feels like this innocent man should be helped and thus he sets to help Jim and cross the river with him. His quest matches with that of Jim and the two become fellows in the journey to seek independence from the clutches of society.

Jim and Huck are reckless as they take bold steps and challenges to fight the world and reach a place where they can actually feel free and where they are not following the definitions of hell and heaven as described by others but they pursue their own wishes. If to Huck, hell is more appealing, he pursues it like others would pursue heaven. This is because he does not suppress his inner voice rather follows it:

"Huck is guided by the voice within himself. This inner probing is most important in his developing relationship with Jim" (Joshi. 3).

Mark Twain says that the people that follow their inner voice are those that find pleasure eventually. The pleasure is not only about reaching a certain place in life rather it is in the present moment. Pleasure is to live and enjoy the given time even if it is risky. Risk and vulnerability, on the other hand adds adventure and entertainment in a journey.

River Stories

Mississippi River

2004

When Huck and Jim took the journey on the call of their inner voices, they might not know that they would have a third companion as well; the Mississippi. The river shares their pleasure as well as creates problems for them but those problems are just like a friend who is teasing as well as supportive. Mississippi is not only a mystery or a romance; it is a science of music too, if someone takes music as science! "African-Americans living in the Mississippi Delta developed a type of music called the blues" (The Mississippi River, 21). The river has been library of stories of people traveling for fun, escape, business and exploration. On their journey, especially black people have composed songs on their lives. They crossed the river to break the chains of slavery and live free lives. Thus, Mississippi is not just the challenge for the oppressed; it is the voice and music of liberty to a whole generation.

The Mississippi river is connected to adventure of Jim who is not just a person but who represents; if the representation of characters is allowed by Mark Twain, a whole nation that wants to live a free and entertaining life. While the stories and songs based on Mississippi are generally romantic and inspiring, the "Mark Twain's stories are best known" (The Mississippi River, 20). To Twain, the river was new every day and it had something different to tell. It required dedicated souls like Huck and Jim to go along with the river and experience the stories it contains and the challenges it can offer. There is a lot that can be explored in the river. It is risky as well as problematic and these two elements were missing in the definition of heaven thus he was more attracted towards the hell. With every turn a river takes and every splash of water, there is something new which a person has never observed before. The life changes with every coming day but when a man chooses to remain the slave of his routine, he misses so much that awaits him out there in nature. The nature itself is too entertaining even without swings and artificial value addition. A simple river, surrounded by rocks and trees, is much more challenging and entertaining than the whole world of routine tasks.

Twain, Mark

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,

Twain moves his characters with the flow of Mississippi river and they go where the river takes them to. It is freedom that Huck and Jim breathe in as their boat moves over the surface of water. These characters are daunting enough to face challenges yet fragile enough to blame the fate for the death of dear ones and other problems: 'Tis my fate to be always ground into the mire under the iron heel of oppression. Misfortune has broken my once haughty spirit; I yield, I submit; 'tis my fate. I am alone in the world -- let me suffer; can bear it." (Twain, 140). But their complaint to nature does not stay long because nature 'favors' the brave and Huck and Jim are brave. Nature's favor is not unconditional, as the story paints; it is conditioned and based on the courage of people. The people in the novel, Huck and Jim, are courageous and they did not take it too long to get accustomed with nature.