What is reality? An observer's perceptions of his surroundings, of his reality, are subject to a plethora of chaotic stimuli. Ones that are constantly forcing his brain to weave new assessments of his situation. Now, because everyone experiences different stimuli, everyone experiences different realities. One man's perception of reality may differ vastly from another's: The rich man looks upon a simple meal with disdain, whereas the pauper would see the same plate as a banquet. The meals haven't changed. It is merely a matter of perception. And because of the personal nature of perception, reality is fluid, subjective to the observer. Some clever people are able to take advantage of this malleable aspect of reality, and are able to distort it or rewrite it to fit their own needs. Huck Finn, of The Adventures of Huck Finn, and Jay Gatsby, of The Great Gatsby, share this talent. The people that can't make reality into their clay, fall victim to the constant stimuli around them, and have their reality formed for them. While Huck can lie through his teeth and get away with clever schemes, his friend Jim remains trapped by his own reality as a black man in a pre-Civil Rights America. Most people, including Jim, are subject to reality's flow. Others are privy to the secret of how to mold it like clay to their own advantage. For those few, reality "is what you make of it.".
To be able to form one's own reality is real power. Nothing else compares in usefulness. To take the reins of the stimuli around oneself and tame them to one's needs is to control one's whole surroundings. In this manner, Huck Finn creates a fantastical life for himself on the Missouri river. Huck has an innate ability to mold his own perception of reality, and the perceptions of the people around him through lies and deceit. Whether by fooling people visually, (such as when he dresses up as a girl) [Chapter 10, Clemens] or by tricking them eloquently, (Committing identity fraud on multiple occasions) Huck molds the realities of those around him.
