FREE ESSAY ON THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKELBERY FINN

THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKELBERY FINN

Is This a Racist Novel?
Mark Twain wrote "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the 1800's. During this time
slavery was socially acceptable. Even in the church it was taught that there was nothing
wrong with slavery. Black people were often referred to as "niggers". Huck, even though
he was a friend of Jim, didn't even think twice about calling a black person a nigger.
Huck would say things like "Give a nigger an inch and he'll take an ell."(86) He didn't
see anything wrong with using language like this. He didn't see anything wrong with it
because he was taught to call black people niggers just like his dad did and everyone
else around him did also. During this period in history in the south, that is how people
talked. I think the meaning of the word nigger was different then than it is now.
The word nigger was used in this book because in the 1800's it was common language. It
did not have the same impact on a person back then as it does today. Jim even uses the
word nigger freely as if it does not have any meaning to it. He says, "I wouldn't 'low no
nigger to call me dat."(77) Jim does not seem to be offended by the word because he uses
the word himself. I think that the African Americans at this time are so prone to hearing
this word used that they do not even think about what the meaning of the word nigger is.
I do not think Huck really knew what the true meaning of the word nigger was. I think he
just thought it was another name for a person that was black. If there is anyone in this
novel that has an anti-racism attitude, it is Huck. He is the one who helped Jim escape
to freedom when nobody else would have cared. Huck was Jim's only friend and I think Jim
knew it. When Huck found Jim on Jackson Island, Jim trusted Huck enough to tell him what
he had done. Jim said, "...you wouldn't tell on me ef I 'uz to tell you, would you
Huck?"(42) Although Huck often pondered about whether or not he should turn Jim in, he
never did. Huck stuck by Jim's side the whole time even though Jim was black. Huck looked
beyond the color of Jim's skin and saw that he was a real person and not just a nigger.
It is kind if ironic that Miss Watson, a proper woman that attends church regularly who
calls herself a Christian, owns a slave. This just shows us that during this time people
were taught that there was nothing wrong with slavery. The simple fact that Jim belonged
to Miss Watson made it hard for Huck's conscience to help him escape from slavery. Huck
knew it was wrong to help a slave run away. He always felt bad about helping Miss
Watson's slave run away. He kept thinking, "What had poor Miss Watson done to you that
you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word?"(85)
But even knowing this, he helped Jim anyway. Huck had a caring heart, and he cared about
Jim. 
Huck's love and dedication to Jim helps us over look the frequent use of the word nigger.
Huck does not pay attention to the fact that Jim is black, and a nigger, and he befriends
him. He ignores what his society says at that time period in the 1800's about blacks. The
only reason for the use of the nigger in this book is because of the vernacular in this
area. Huck does not know that this word is bad because nobody ever told him it wrong to
say it. He grew up hearing it used excessively and therefore he used the word nigger in
his speech without even thinking twice about it.