Huck's confusion about what his social responsibility is a major theme that is reoccurring throughout the novel. Huck's relationship with Jim is a prime example of this theme.
1. The first time there is an interaction between Huck and Jim is when Huck and Tom sneak up on the slave to pull a prank. As opposed to most people of that time, Huck does not wish to harm Jim at all. He makes sure that Tom does not hurt the innocent man. Tom could care less about the well-being of someone who is so beneath him.
2. Huck and Jim are first reunited when Huck finds Jim on Jackson's Island after both of them have run away from town. They find comfort in each other because both are looking for freedom. Huck doesn't realize how unusual it is that he has such a friendly relationship with a slave. It is especially strange when they trust each other to hide their locations. Most people would have reported to the police immediately after finding a runaway slave, but Huck is different. He wasn't raised with that sort of idea in his brain - in fact, he wasn't really raised at all. Huck can't differentiate between a black and a white when it comes to how to treat them.
3. One of the most interesting points to me is when the pair gets to a town after being on the river and Huck is debating on whether or not to turn Jim in. This is one of the few times when Huck actually considers doing something that society would want him to do. He mulls over it for awhile, but his heart wins over his mind, an intriguing thing that would happen to Huck. I really liked the different outlook that Huck had for a little bit. He ends up not turning Jim in, but the fact that he even considered doing such a thing to his friend is something that can be dissected into many different ideas.
2 comments:
Yo comrade I think Huck's struggle when it comes to turning Jim in was the biggest conflict when it comes to social responsibility so far in the book considering you mentioned it and so did Chris and I. I felt like your blog was a montage of all of the cute friendship moments Huck and Jim shared together AND THEN BAM COMES THE THIRD POINT WHERE HE ALMOST TURNS HIM IN IT'S SO SAD but at least social responsibility has not hardened Huck's carefree heart---yet. Let's hope Huck stays colorblind forever and they both get to experience a happy and guilt-free ending~
Hi Gertie! Alright so in your third point you mention about Huck almost turns in Jim after getting off the river with him which got me thinking about how being a good/faithful friend is kind of social responsibility in its self, and I focused more on the legal side of social responsibility. Anyway, in your second point you say “He wasn't raised with that sort of idea in his brain - in fact, he wasn't really raised at all,” in reference to his outlook on slavery. I really like that point because I was thinking the same thing just not in a way that sounds as good as you said it “lolz.” Well I’m going to go now, see ya later.
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