Behind The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn stands the famous Mark Twain. Even though Mark Twain writes a literal masterpiece, many critics have deprived the novel of its worth. Some believe the story only contains racism. But honestly, did Twain write to degrade the black population? Of course not! Twain did not spend eight years of his time to create a novel based on the corruption of the colored people. In all actuality, Twain unites the story of Huck to mock racist Americans and teach readers a valuable lesson: racism is a hideous action that destroys the beauty within the defender and society in general. Furthermore, schools should allow the teaching of Huck Finn to high school students who can fully understand Twain’s meaning.
According to the way Twain characterized Jim, many think that Twain himself took away the little humanity remaining in Jim, a runaway slave. Truthfully though, Twain writes to inform the reader that Jim is a person. Twain gives Jim feelings and opinions while society takes that away. For instance, Jim speaks about his family. Also, Jim informs Huck of his feelings towards his daughter Elizabeth and the way he once mistreated her. Jim says, “What makes me feel so bad dis time ‘uz bekase I heard sumn over yonder on de bank like a whack, er a slam, while ago, en it mine me er detime I treat my little ‘Lizabeth so ornery” (Twain 156). Through this quotation, Twain gives Jim the feelings and emotions that society has bribed of him. When critics claim that Twain takes away Jim’s humanity, they do not understand Twain’s purpose behind his reasoning.
From the point of view of many critics, some Americans find it very easy to connect with Huck and Tom. In “Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Lester claims, “Tom and Huck are part of our American selves, a mythologem we imbibe with our mother’s milk” (Lester 363). Moreover, Twain uses this connection to his advantage, because through this coherence, the reader understands that...