The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from a Libertarian Perspective - Research Paper Example

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: a Libertarian perspective The adventures of huckleberry Finn demonstrates few significant issues which were presented during the post civil war era, for example the issue of slavery is raised again and again in the novel. The author of the novel tries to amend the image of the runaway slave and the concept of considering black slaves as inhuman through the relationship between the characters of Huck Finn and Jim. Author has touched every important aspect in a human life as loyalty, companionship, punishment, greed, education and control. The book, since published, is considered as the magnet for the controversies although the basis of the controversies evolved from time to time. It was highly criticized and scrutinized because of its over adventurous nature to the racial content, but anyone who reads and understands will not have any doubt about the intention of the novelist or the novel itself. Even after 200 years of its publication it is still considered as an important part of the American literature which is thought to have been shaped by the presence of it. Huckleberry Finn is described by Twain as “a book where sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision and conscience suffers a defeat” (Twain, 1992 p xvii). The novel portrays Huck’s moral development as he ends up in different circumstances but is able to maintain his freedom and security The author wants to impose the importance of freedom for every human being and tries to justify it as a basic necessity. However, the novel is also criticized on its racism by few critics because of the use of the racist slur “nigger”, but author clearly tries to show that Jim is a very loving and caring person. Even Huck is also confused sometimes by the voices of his inner conscience that tells him to like Jim but the socially accepted treatment for the slaves at that time, told him to do otherwise. In this way this novel also conveys an idea about the effect of the society in a person’s acts and decisions (Alberti, 1995). Twain’s novel brings into consideration this very important point that one’s opinion must not be influenced by that of society. Twain also demonstrates the psychic struggle going on between the morally right and legally and socially enforced decisions. In the beginning, Huck also considers himself as a slave because he is oppressed by the ideals of society. He is a freedom loving person and enjoys his less restricted life style. He acquires it by means of escape; this is what satisfies Huck (Jarnow, 2004 p 41). In the course of the novel two seemingly opposite people become friends and their friendship prospers in the rest of the novel. Their relationship becomes as important as that of a father and son which seems like impossibility in reality. By this portrayal the aim of author was to show the absurdity of the idea that was felt by the society and the reader. It also shows the misjudgment prevailed in the society. Regardless of immorality and inhuman behaviors of white people, they were considered superior and virtuous than black. This is shown when Huck’s drunkard father gets his custody legally. This decision of the society shows its instability in regard of equality and logic. Society’s criteria or priority was laid for only white skin people. The fact was clearly ignored by them that beneath skin, they all are human with same will and passions. Huck realized this after meeting Jim and he wanted to treat him as a person and not as a slave whose only fault was his dark skin (Jarnow, 2004 p 51). By the character of Jim, Twain has taken a risk by creating it as a person who is loving, intelligent but on the other hand, is breaking the rules of slavery and escaping (Johnson, 1996 p. 109). He portrayed Jim as a person to whom the readers will sympathize but conflicted it by his anti slavery attitude, who is in search of freedom and against the rules of the society that implies only on a slave. In the beginning he is shown as an ignorant and disobedient even then the author was aware of the potential of his writing and chose Jim to reveal his true nature slowly. While Jim’s courageous and caring nature in the rest of the novel clearly neutralizes his initial impression and he becomes a fatherly figure for Huck. After bearing so much trouble caused by tom he still nurses him after he is shot in leg. This act of Jim was the most gracious part of the novel. While Jim is considered as inhuman; he still carries the most important role in the life of Huck by protecting him and taking over the nightly watch shifts. Regardless of the color of skin, Huck realizes the compassionate nature of Jim and starts liking him as his companion. The intention of the author behind the character of Jim is so visible and must be understood by the reader. Identification of will, intention and caring approach matters rather than mere speeches, debates and talks in the long run. Huck is portrayed as a sensitive boy who has been experiencing the hard realities of life since his early childhood. He belonged to the lowest level of white society. His father was an alcoholic. Although Widow Douglas tried to fill the religious, academics and social values which were missing, she remained unsuccessful due to the unwillingness of Huck. His practical and satirical views provide humor in the novel. He is habitual of observing his surrounding and being rational about it which is exactly opposite to Tom’s perceptions. Huck’s true and honest nature creates greatness in the novel. It is the falseness of the society that repels his nature and he finds solace in the serene life of the river, he is subjected to insurmountable troubles when he steps on land. While his life on land or river, was not safe for both Jim and Huck (Kupersmith, 2009 pp. 47-51) In one of the scene Huck apologizes jim over the trick he had played on him in the fog, without Huck’s true honesty there would never have a scene of Huck being humble to a slave, it was his nature that he let his ego settle down and truly judges his actions as wrong or right. The most important dispute in the novel was the use of the word nigger because of the sensitivity of the African American towards it. However inhibiting the use of a word for its emotional aversion will only increase its offensive power, although banning a literary novel over this cause while media is embracing the same word is an unjust act. Not only media or modern culture but a lot of other literary novels contain coarse language but still they are a significant part of the literature. Twain, in this novel, criticized his own society. He was a revolutionary writer by creating a character as Huck, who was honest, bold, curious and sometimes dangerous. He showed his own point of view about the society and its injustice towards less fortunate people; as slaves. He was an advocate of the slavery and injustice during the nineteenth century. He was quite the opposite to what he and his work are portrayed to be. He did not reinforce racism but he tried to diminish it. He once said” Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest” (Krieger, 2002 p. 76). True to his words the book contained many issues which were unacceptable to a lot of people of his time but he had a higher vision and could see beyond his time. Less than a year after the book’s publication it was banned and was challenged many a times. Bibliography: Twain, Mark. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Ware, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth, 1992. Print. Alberti, J. (January 01, 1995). THE NIGGER HUCK: RACE, IDENTITY, AND THE TEACHING OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. College English, 57, 8, 919. Jarnow, J. (2004). The adventures of Huckleberry Finn and race in America. New York: Rosen Central Primary Sources. Johnson, C. D. (1996). Understanding Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A student casebook to issues, sources, and historical documents. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. Krieger, R. A. (2002). Civilizations quotations: Lifes ideal. New York: Algora Pub. Kupersmith, A. (2009). Twain and Freud on the human race: Parallels on personality, politics and religion. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland. Read More