In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn is constantly struggling between his sound heart or his deformed conscious and his battle extends McMurphy’s conflict in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. It extends his conflict of the heart and his fight against authority. Huck’s conflict of the heart represents a conflict between human nature and society which has brought upon his deformed conscious. While battling this conflict, Huck is rebelling against society by helping a black slave escape, who eventually becomes his friend and acts as a “father-figure” to him. His flight from society exemplifies Huck defying the popular belief of the southern people which is against African Americans. His deformed conscious tells him to turn Jim in and give in to society, but his sound heart tells him to go against society, follow human nature, and help his friend on his thrust for freedom. Mark Twain uses Huck and Jim’s relationship as a proxy for his social commentary on Huck’s moral dilemma.
Throughout his journey towards freedom, Huck and Jim meet many different people who cause him to lean towards either his sound heart or deformed conscious. When he meets the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons, Huck witnesses their feud with no motive which results in a massacre. Twain seems to be saying here that society is cruel, unjust, and is always fighting. Huck decides life is better on the raft where it’s free, easy, and comfortable (chapter 17-18). He also meets the king and the duke and here, Huck debates whether or not turn Jim in and he decides he will do whatever comes “handiest” at the time. He ends up sticking with his sound heart by lying for Jim and it appears his sound heart is winning.
When Huck becomes involved in the Wilk’s scam because of the king and the duke, Huck finally decides enough is enough Kindness towards Huck from the Wilks girls has opened Huck’s eyes to the harsh reality of society and because of this his sound heart has beat out his deformed conscious. The Wilks girls treat Huck with respect and kindness, but meanwhile all he can think of how he is helping the King and the Duke rob them and, “[he] says to [himself], this is another one that I’m letting him rob her of her money,” (Twain 160). This makes Huck realize how cruel and greedy the King and the Duke are being. His sound heart takes over as he starts to feel bad for the girls and decides to confess the lies to the girls instead of doing whatever comes “handiest” at the time. The realization of society’s cruelty and the kindness causes Huck’s sound heart to win over.
Another person who shows kindness towards Huck and contributes to the winning of his sound heart is Jim. Huck’s sound heart is affected by Jim’s affection towards him throughout the novel by having his back, acting as a father-figure, and Jim saying “Huck: you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had; en you’s de only fren’ ole Jim’s got now,” (Twain 83). All of this is what causes Huck to decide he will “go to hell” to save Jim after he has been captured (Twain 195). The kindness from both Jim and the girls show to have caused Huck’s sound heart to win out and both show that a little kindness can go a long way.
The eventual victory of Huck’s sound heart is caused by his interpersonal relationships. His heart has won in a society where it’s easier for your deformed conscious to take over. According to Twain, it took the darkness of society from the cruelty of the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons to the greed of the king and the duke for his sound heart to win. The victory of his sound heart is a victory for nature. By defying his deformed conscious, Huck has rebelled against society.
Throughout his journey towards freedom, Huck and Jim meet many different people who cause him to lean towards either his sound heart or deformed conscious. When he meets the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons, Huck witnesses their feud with no motive which results in a massacre. Twain seems to be saying here that society is cruel, unjust, and is always fighting. Huck decides life is better on the raft where it’s free, easy, and comfortable (chapter 17-18). He also meets the king and the duke and here, Huck debates whether or not turn Jim in and he decides he will do whatever comes “handiest” at the time. He ends up sticking with his sound heart by lying for Jim and it appears his sound heart is winning.
When Huck becomes involved in the Wilk’s scam because of the king and the duke, Huck finally decides enough is enough Kindness towards Huck from the Wilks girls has opened Huck’s eyes to the harsh reality of society and because of this his sound heart has beat out his deformed conscious. The Wilks girls treat Huck with respect and kindness, but meanwhile all he can think of how he is helping the King and the Duke rob them and, “[he] says to [himself], this is another one that I’m letting him rob her of her money,” (Twain 160). This makes Huck realize how cruel and greedy the King and the Duke are being. His sound heart takes over as he starts to feel bad for the girls and decides to confess the lies to the girls instead of doing whatever comes “handiest” at the time. The realization of society’s cruelty and the kindness causes Huck’s sound heart to win over.
Another person who shows kindness towards Huck and contributes to the winning of his sound heart is Jim. Huck’s sound heart is affected by Jim’s affection towards him throughout the novel by having his back, acting as a father-figure, and Jim saying “Huck: you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had; en you’s de only fren’ ole Jim’s got now,” (Twain 83). All of this is what causes Huck to decide he will “go to hell” to save Jim after he has been captured (Twain 195). The kindness from both Jim and the girls show to have caused Huck’s sound heart to win out and both show that a little kindness can go a long way.
The eventual victory of Huck’s sound heart is caused by his interpersonal relationships. His heart has won in a society where it’s easier for your deformed conscious to take over. According to Twain, it took the darkness of society from the cruelty of the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons to the greed of the king and the duke for his sound heart to win. The victory of his sound heart is a victory for nature. By defying his deformed conscious, Huck has rebelled against society.
Another person who has decided it is best to live away from society is Henry David Thoreau: