“A Hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom” by Bob Dylan. When Huck frees himself from Pap, he has a choice to help Jim, he becomes the hero of the novel by being the one responsible for helping Jim become free. In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it is evident that Huck is the hero of the novel because of his bravery, his loyalty to Jim, and his ability to go against society.
Throughout The Adventures of Huck Finn, Huck is going against society’s values. At the climax of the book, Huck has a major moral decision whether to continue helping Jim. His conscience is torn between helping Jim escape from captivity or returning him to Miss Watson, but he knows he can’t please both. “All right, then, I’ll go to hell’—and tore it up”(162). Huck decides to free Jim and go against what society has taught him and that is that he’d go to hell if he did. During this time, Americans were justifying slavery with whatever means necessary, huck could’ve easily broke and accepted society’s values because even his own father, Pap was pro-slavery. “ I knowed he was white inside”(207). Huck recognizes Jim as a regular human being. Huck teaches Jim how to live away from society’s demands and rules and teaches Jim the value of friendship, values Huck uses to make decisions based on what his heart tell him.
In the novel Huck Finn, there is no greater loyalty than that which occurs between Huck and Jim. “People would call me a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don’t make no difference”(32). Huck then promising Jim that he’ll not tell his secret proving his loyalty to Jim. In the beginning Huck is hesitant and his conscience tells him that he should turn Jim in and that he’s not doing the right thing but his heart is what keeps Huck loyal, because Jim is almost a father figure to Huck. ‘Pooty soon I’ll be a-shout’n’ for joy, en I’ll say, it’s all on accounts o’ Huck; I’s a free man, en I couldn’t ever ben free ef it hadn’ ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won’t ever forgit you, Huck; you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had; en you’s de ONLY fren’ ole Jim’s got now”(67). Jim is very grateful that he has Huck as a friend, and is acknowledging that he is going to be free because of Huck’s loyalty and his willingness to stick with Jim.
Huck expresses his bravery time and time again throughout the novel, due to his passion of adventure and helping a runaway slave escape to freedom. Jim is being held captive at Phelps Farm and Huck goes through Tom Sawyer’s extremes to get him out. “He told me what it was, and see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine, for style and would make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed besides” (176). Huck knows that Toms plans are dangerous expressing that he could even
die due to it, but that doesn’t matter to Huck as long as Jim is free. During their journey, huck finds a ship wreck after the storm, Jim thinks its a bad idea to explore it, but huck finds no risk or no fun in going past it. “Jim whispered and said he was feeling powerful sick, and told me to come along”(51). Huck finds himself listening in to a gang of murderers, and Jim is extremely scared and worries for Huck but he sees it as an opportunity to steal their boat and leave the gang of murderers stranded. Hucks gets his bravery from his passion of adventure and risk.
In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it is evident that Huck is the hero of the novel. Huck battles through racism, society’s beliefs and his own moral decisions. In the end Hucks heart and heroism dealing with America’s lingering problems is what makes the novel a masterpiece of American literature. Huck is truly the character that stands above the rest.
