Rutherford Calhoun in The Middle Passage and Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are men of color who live in a world of racism directed by stereotypes. The stereotypes may take the form of prejudice about intelligence, humanity, and feelings. Jim and Rutherford Calhoun show that the ultimate burden for the enslaved to overcome is not the physicality of slavery but the stereotypes imposed by the enslaver.
Even though Rutherford Calhoun has been freed from slavery, he is stereotyped as one who will still submit to the unprivileged life of a black male among the white race. As he “hungered--literally hungered--for life in all its shades and hues”, Calhoun was able to overcome this stereotype (Johnson 13). The time he spent trapped aboard the Republic brought back memories of his life as a slave. Although Calhoun knew that he would be “birched and taught the sting of noose and yardarm”, he agreed to rebel against the white ship leaders of the Republic (66). Not only does Calhoun choose not to submit to the white race, he resists anything which he feels would entrap him. He refused to be put under pressure by Isadora and “shackle himself to a mortgage and marriage” (10). Rutherford Calhoun overcomes the stereotype of being submissive by the assertiveness in his decisions.
Mark Twain stereotypes Jim as being insensitive and lacking feelings. However, Jim’s reactions to certain situations in the novel reveal his sentimental human heart. Jim’s feelings are exposed when he finds Huck after he loses the raft in the fog. Huck’s “mean trick” hurts Jim to the extent where “de tears come” after reuniting with Huck (Twain 89). Jim’s caring personality is revealed when he expresses his happiness to see that Huck is “all safe en soun’” and how prior to that his “heart wuz mos’ broke” (89). In another scene in the novel, Huck sees Jim “setting there with his head down betwixt his knees, moaning and mourning to himself” over his family (153). Jim’s deprivation from...