Theme Of Racism In Huck Finn

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Racism is a big part of the book and the development of Huck’s view of the world. At the start of the book Huck has not yet expressed how he feels about racism, other than the brief interaction with Mrs. Watsons slave, Jim, but we see how society views it through pap. Huck and a drunken pap are going through town when they see a free mixed man. Pap rants on about how he is living a white man’s life, “why, looky here. There was a free nigger there, from Ohio; a mulatter…they said he was a p’fessor in a college, and could talk all kinds of languages, and knowed everything. And that ain’t the wust. They said he could vote” (Twain 21). People at this time viewed blacks as property and so seeing one walk free was a big deal. The first-time Huck really widens his view on slavery is when him and Jim are on the island and Huck sneaks off. Jim panics and looks for him through the …show more content…
Jim tells Huck, “my heart wuz mos’ broke bekase you wuz los’…en when I wake up en fine you back agin’, all safe en sound’, the tears come… en all you wuz thinkin ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie” (65). Huck feels terrible about lying to Jim he said he would even kiss his foot, “it was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger” (65) and after Huck had done it he was glad he had. Huck finally started viewing Jim as an actual human with real feelings. As the book goes on Huck and Jim grow closer. One night they get separated and Jim gets caught as a runaway slave. Huck has to make a quick decision and within a matter of minutes. Whether he is going to steel Jim or go to heaven. Huck decided he would rather go to hell then let Jim go back into slavery (162). This goes to show how Huck’s opinion has changed about slavery. Huck no longer views slaves as property. He has stepped back from society and grown and matured as he made his way down the

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