Huck says, "Well, he was right; he was most always right; he had an uncommon level head, for a nigger" (84). Huck means that Jim is smart, but only for an African American. As he spends more time with Jim, Huck is forced to question the facts that white society has taught him. Huck begins to focus on what is truly important, but not always right by a society where people are treated unequally. Huck is a strong-willed, free-spirited individual who attempts to portray himself as a bad boy, but he often finds himself doing just the opposite. However, several times he causes a negative situation which affects himself and people around him. .
When Huck and Jim find each other after escaping their homes, they continue their journey down the Mississippi River together. The raft that they travel on becomes a symbol of brotherhood and equality. One night Huck and Jim separate on the river because of the fog, but Huck finds Jim asleep after a few hours of searching for each other. When Jim awakes, Huck attempts to trick him, saying it was all a dream, they had never been separated, and there was never any fog. Huck tells Jim, "I hain't seen no fog, nor islands, nor no troubles, nor nothing. I been setting here talking with you all night till you went to sleep about ten minutes ago, and I reckon I done the same" (93). After lying so sufficiently for all his life, Huck never considers how his lies affects a person, and especially a friendship until Jim tells him, "When I got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin" for you, en went to sleep, my heart wuz mos" broke bekase you wuz los", en I didn't k"yer no" mo" what become er me en de raf". En when I wake up en fine you back ag"in, all safe en soun", de tears come, en I could "a" got down on my knees en kiss yo" foot, I's so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin" "bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people dat puts dirt on de head er day fren's en makes "em ashamed" (94-95).