Essay, Research Paper: Hucks Relationship With Jim

Thesis-Huck's relationship with Jim evolved from witticism and ridicule towards Jim to regard and mutual esteem for him.

I. Huck and Tom mocked Jim by taking advantage of his naive attitude, but when they met on Jackson Island, Huck began to realize the Jim was human.

II. While travelling down the river, Jim grew dear to Huck because they faced and overcame many obstacles.

III. At the end of the book, Jim almost gave up freedom for Tom's well being because Huck didn't carry out his pledge to free Jim.










Huck's relationship with Jim evolved from witticism and ridicule towards Jim to regard and mutual esteem for him. In the beginning of the adventure, Huck and Tom Sawyer ridiculed Jim by making him feel inferior to them. After Jim's escape and Huck and Jim's reunion on Jackson Island, Huck realized that they were both in similar situations and began to disregard Jim's position as a slave. As they progressed down the river and encountered and surpassed many obstacles Huck grew closer to Jim. In the end of the book, Huck knew more about human nature and the pretenses about slavery, despite failing to free Jim by his actions.
Huck and Tom mocked Jim by taking advantage of his naive attitude, but when they met on Jackson Island, Huck began to realize that Jim was human.
Firstly, Huck and Tom put Jim's hat in a tree above Jim and made him believe that a witch had done this to him. This in turn, made Jim feel crass and subordinate because of his superstitions. This continues on Jackson Island as well. Firstly, Huck touches the snakeskin that Jim feels will bring bad luck. He did this to make Jim feel inferior and to ridicule him for believing in superstitions. Next, Huck at first disregards Jim's idea of moving to higher land to keep from getting soaked by rain. When the rains came and flooded the lower lands, Huck began to feel fond of Jim but not completely. This is illustrated when Huck places a dead snake in Jim's bed. Huck didn't realize that dead snakes' mate coils around the snake. Because of this, Jim was bitten and poisoned. Despite this, Huck nursed Jim back to health and felt for the first time, sorry for him. Because they were both runaways (Jim ran away from slavery and from Ms. Watson selling him to New Orleans and Huck ran from an abusive father) in similar situations, they both felt that they could confide in each other to reach freedom together.
While travelling down the river, Jim grew dear to Huck because they faced and overcame many obstacles. First, Huck and Jim were split because of severe fog. After hours separated, Jim and Huck were reunited. Jim was grateful that Huck was all right and that they were back together again. Once again, not understanding Jim's feelings, Huck lied to Jim by saying that Jim was dreaming and that they were never separated. Jim realizes the lie and denounces Huck making a joke of such a big incident. Because of this, Huck feels sorry for Jim and vows never to play another trick on him. Secondly, Huck begins to feel closer to Jim when men looking for runaway slaves confront Huck about who he had on his raft. Instead of turning Jim in, which was what he was planning to do, he lies and tells them that it was his father on the raft with smallpox. On a second occasion, he contemplated whether to write to Miss Watson, and tell him where Jim was. Instead, he went against the teachings of society that said never to aid a slave, and decided not to write. These two events signify Huck assimilating Jim's plight for freedom. Lastly, Huck began to understand that Jim was human when Jim discussed his love for his family. Huck was moved when Jim said he was going to save money to buy them out of slavery. Because of this, Huck feels that Jim deserves freedom and that he would do anything he could to help Jim achieve it.
At the end of the book, Jim almost gave up freedom for Tom's well being because Huck didn't carry out his pledge to free Jim. The King sold Jim as a runaway slave. Huck and Tom decided to rescue Jim. Contrary to Tom, Huck risked his name and his life for trying to free a slave. Tom, on the other hand, was in it for the fun and the adventure. Tom imposes many regulations to freeing Jim that he feels are proper. In turn, Huck deviates from his original plan of freeing Jim. He violates his pledge by ignoring that Jim might be returned back to slavery. He gets caught up in Tom's childish games (placing spiders in Jim's prison, carving on the wall, the rope ladder etc). When they do escape, Tom was shot and Jim acting humane relinquished his freedom to save Tom. Despite Jim already being free because Ms. Watson instructed this in her will, Huck failed to fulfill his promise of freeing Jim.
Huck and Jim's relationship strengthened greatly as the book progressed. Huck grows very fond of Jim and realizes that Jim as well as all slaves have emotions. From the tricks and taunting of Jim in the beginning to Jim's freedom in the end, Huck went through an evolution in his relationship with Jim. However, Huck didn't fulfill the pledge he made of freeing Jim, which was his chief intention.