Many who read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn find the ending to be the weakest part of the novel. They argue that it is too coincidental and that Tom's crazy, quixotic schemes conflict with the seriousness of Jim's predicament. However, I disagree with that claim, and consider the ending to be one of the most entertaining parts of the novel.
Critics of the ending of the novel argue that it is too coincidental, and I can agree somewhat with this claim. The King and the Duke sell Jim to a farmer named Silas Phelps. Huck goes to the farm to try to figure out a way to free Jim, only to discover that the Phelps are the aunt and uncle of Tom Sawyer, who just happens to be arriving to visit them on that very day. It seems a little farfetched, but it's not the only happenstance that occurs in the novel. For example, while Huck and Jim were still back on Jackson's Island, they found a house floating by with a dead man in it. Jim quickly covered up his ghastly face to keep Huck from seeing it, but later reveals that the man was none other than Huck's father, Pap. Another incidence occurs when the King and the Duke attempt to steal the Wilks girls" money by posing as their never-before-seen uncles. Huck intends to turn them in and run away with Jim, but before he can, the real Wilks brothers show up at the most inconvenient time and ruin his plan. The ending of the novel may be coincidental, but it is definitely not the only part that is. If you are going to criticize the ending because of this, you might as well condemn the whole book.
Another reason that some people disapprove of the ending is that Tom's romantic escape plan is inappropriate considering the gravity of Jim's situation. It may be inappropriate, but I think that Mark Twain meant it to be that way. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an absorbing adventure story, a picture of pre-Civil War America, and also a humorous tale rich with satire.
