Hypocrisy In Huckleberry Finn

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Religion is considered a lifestyle for its followers, believing solely in its validity and disregarding reality. Beliefs based upon religion have been the root for numerous conflicts in the past, making excuses for lack of morality. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn religion is often satirized to show it’s irrational views. Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist, is brought up in a household strictly following preachings, yet is skeptical of it himself. Religion has yet to prove to be worth it for Huck, never seeing the outcome wanted after prayer. More so, religion did more harm than good, promoting immoral behavior as long as the bible is followed. Although Twain critiques the hypocrisy of society as a cause of immoral behavior, religion is …show more content…
Huck finds a family to take him in, The Grangerfords, yet is caught in the middle of a long lasting family feud. Despite what was about to conspire just hours later, the two feuding families attend church, listening to the service with their guns between their knees. The service was “all about brotherly love...and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith and good work” (Twain 83). This is morally confusing for Huck. Religion was often associated with hypocrisy, with the intent of practicing brotherly love while the reality does not match. The service had no impact on them, and they went about their day. Their is no evidence of brotherly love. Religion during the time did not do anything to show being against inhumane actions, not questioning one family killing another. As long as one attended Church every Sunday, their actions are just. Seeing this, Huck is skeptical of religion and its views. Time and time again, the hypocrisy in religion is demonstrated. While Huck was still staying with Ms. Watson, he practiced religion every day, Ms. Watson including the slaves in on it, as “…they fetched the niggers in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed”(Twain 3). It is thought that slaves will reach redemption through …show more content…
Religion plays a part in Huck’s difficulty to justify helping Jim. When Huck finds Jim on Jackson’s island, he is torn on what to do in regards of helping or turning him in. People’s views were associated with religion and he knew, “people would call me a low-down abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum – but that don't make no difference” (Twain 32). He soon realized that religion does not matter. This symbolizes Huck’s coming of age as well, with the ability to get away from the institution responsible for the creation of immoral behaviors. By saving Jim, it is known that he will go to Hell for it, yet Huck does it anyway. Huck finds morality by straying away from a society who promotes the immoral act of slavery. Huck, influenced as expected, by religion tries to retract on his actions and turn Jim in. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get himself to see it as being the right thing to do, so he turned to God to help him. Despite his best efforts, Huck knows, “deep down in me I knowed it was a lie, and He knowed it. You can't pray a lie – I found that out” (Twain 168). He realized that he could not continue to be a part of religion of he helped free Jim, yet he is okay with it. He accepts his fate as going to Hell, since he can not help but help Jim. Huck
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