River Symbolism In Huck Finn
The Mississippi River is a crucial symbol of freedom in the novel, “Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain. It provides an escape for Huck and Jim from the restrictions of society and from civilization. This symbol has a great significance to the story’s plot as well as its structure.As Huck and Jim set off down the river, it moves freely, fluidly and smoothly, and yet it is fast-paced. This represents the way the two characters are feeling at the time, free from society’s grip and able to quickly change their views and attitudes about each other. However, images of society are given along side the sides of this river, even though Huck and Jim are trying to escape them. Jim especially sees the river as a method of freedom, because his whole life he has been restricted even more than Huck or Tom have. Both characters regardless enjoy the rush they get when they travel down the river on their raft of sovereignty. Because they do not have to answer to anyone’s demands, Huck and Jim take pleasure in having the river take them away to their freedom. However, the outside world tries to invade the raft and ruin the characters’ quest for liberty. It brings them floods and criminals, among other things. It also blocks th
The mood of Huckleberry Finn is adventurous because of the image of the river. For most of the novel, during the middle chapters, the river adds to the mood with its wild and free-flowing waters. The readers do not know where it will take them next, and this adds an element of excitement to the events that unfold. In the chapters where the reader is introduced to the character of Mrs. Loftus, one can see that she and her husband try to capture Jim in order to gain some sort of “profit” from him, whereas she is very charitable to Huck. This all occurs while they are in the chapters involving the river. Huck helps Jim and again they use the raft as a method of escape, and so in turn it becomes sort of a brotherhood between the two of them, showing that they each view the other as an equal. Despite this, the river plays a more positive role for Huck’s personality and mentality. It helps him escape physically, as well as mentally, as he is able to get away from all the things that trouble him. Also, the river is part of nature and so it is wild-just like the life that Huck aspires to living. Hence, it is as if the river is a mirror image of what Huck wants to be and do with his life, at least
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Approximate Word count = 817
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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