Social Incongruency in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn...

Social Incongruency in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain As controversial as he is, Mark Twain has been accused by some, of being a racist writer, whose writing is offensive to black readers. His novels have also been labeled as promoting slave-era stereotypes. Therefore, many people believe The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn deserves no place on todays bookshelves. To those of us who have delved wholeheartedly into Twains wisdom and humanity, such accusations come across as ludicrous. To Twains critics, the novel is superficially racist for the most obvious reason: many characters continually use the word nigger. Yet, since the book takes place in the south, twenty years before the Civil War, such†¦show more content†¦If they were killed, it would be viewed simply as a financial loss. Twain is not being racist. He is simply conveying to the readers the nuances of everyday life in that time when slavery was common practice. Thats a small case in point. But what is the book really about? Its about nothing less than freedom and the quest for ones freedom. Its about a slave who breaks the law and risks his life to win his freedom and be reunited with his family, and a white boy who becomes his friend and helps him escape. Because of his upbringing, the boy starts out believing that slavery is part of the natural order of life. Yet, as the story unfolds, he wrestles with his conscience. When the crucial moment comes he decides he would rather go against the malformed values he learned in his lifetime, rather than betray his black friend. Jim, as Twain presents him, is hardly a caricature. Rather, he is the moral center of the book, a man of courage and nobility, who risks his freedom and his life for the sake of his friend Huck. The fact that Huck does not turn Jim in shows that Huck respects him, and has befriended him. By spanning their age and cultural differences with their friendship and trust, they form a bond: Maybe I better not tell. Why,Jim? Well, deys reasons. But you wouldnt tell on me ef I uz to tell you, would you, Huck? Blamed if I would, Jim? Well I blive you, Huck I-I run off. Jim! But