The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain there are different kinds of freedom. Jim is searching for freedom from slavery. Huck is searching for freedom from society. The link between the two is the symbol of freedom that is the river.

Jim is a runaway slave belonging to Miss Watson. He originally sets out alone; however, he meets Huck, and they become the best of friends. Jim says to Huck, Huck I-I run off (50). Prior to this statement Jim tells Huck a lie. This is the start of their friendship. Jim believes that he couldn t even ben free ef it hadn t ben for Huck (93). This shows how Jim relates Huck to his freedom and how important they both are. Jim thinks that he and Huck are one in the same by the fact that they are both searching for freedom. When Jim and Huck reach Cairo, Jim tells Huck we s safe! (93). Jim s use of we s (93) shows how much Jim feels for Huck.

Huck is searching for another type of freedom, which is one from society and sivilization (283). At the beginning of the novel Huck seems to both love and hate being in society. So he escapes every once in a while because all Huck wanted was a change (12). These little adventures in the night satisfy him for a while until Pap comes and takes him in the night. After a few nights with Pap, Huck decides that enough is enough, so he stages his own murder. This is when Huck decides he needs to escape society completely instead of going back to Widow Douglas. In some ways Huck wants his freedom from society, but he still thinks about the fun he would have if he were in town, Huck likes being in civilization sometimes, but for the most part he can t stand it [because he has] been there before (283).

A final concept of freedom in the novel is how the river provides it. The river supplies Huck with freedom, a home, and a sense of belonging. Jim even says that Huck should go en git in di river ag in, whah you b longs (49). While Jim and Huck are on the river, a freedom of decisions is established. As Huck puts it, their biggest decision is trying to make up our minds whether to drop the watermelons, or the cantalopes, or the mushmelons or what (71).

The biggest theme in Huckleberry Finn is freedom. The main characters in the book, Huck and Jim, are both looking for freedom. Jim wants freedom from slavery whereas Huck is searching for freedom from society. The thing they both have in common in their quest for freedom is the way in which they got there, which is through the river.