The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn essay sample

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was authored by Mark Twain in 1884 and is a sequel the novel Tom Sawyer. It describes the life of a poor boy of fourteen or fifteen years growing up in the state of Missouri. It depicts a boy who loves adventure and was easily bored by life under Mrs. Watson who was trying to raise him up in a civilized way. He eventually escapes from Mrs. Watson’s house but went back after being persuaded by his friend Tom Sawyer.

His drunken father ‘Pap’ kidnapped him from Mrs. Watson’s house demanding the six dollars that had been awarded to Huck when they discovered the loot in a cave as described in Tom Sawyer. Huck escapes in a canoe and rows off down the Mississippi River together with Jim Mrs. Watson’s slave who was escaping after overhearing the mistress saying she wanted to sell him off.

As they sail down the Mississippi they have many adventures and are separated on various occasions and always finding each other. Jim was captured and sold back into slavery and Huck was trying all he could to rescue him but eventually they informed by Tom’s Aunt Sally that Mrs. Watson had died and released Huck in her will. Huck was also free to return to St. Petersburg as his father had been dead for some time.

Through out the story the author depicts Huck as a carefree lad but one who was compassionate and devoid of racial bias that was dominant at the time. He is described as having learned a lot during his travels and adventures and this helped him acquire some positive attributes despite his disadvantaged back ground. This did not however change him much as he still sought adventure at the end.