The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain - 3807 Words

Racism still exists in some forms of modern society today. Racism encompasses the beliefs that â€Å"inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or independent achievement† along with the belief that one race is inferior to another (Dictionary.com). Mark Twain bases a large amount of conflict off of racism in his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain reveals the significant differences between†¦show more content†¦When traveling on the river Huck has the freedom to be who he wants and to do what he wants. Here he does not have to â€Å"accept society’s treatment of Jim† which also shows his individuality. Huck also treats Jim like any other friend of his while they travel on the river, because he isn’t under the critical eyes of society. While off of the river and on land Huck changes his actions, even his identity, in order to fit into society. A large part of him doing so is in order to protect Jim. In particular, slavery acts as an inhibitor to the majority of instances of racism in the novel, especially since Twain sets his novel before the American Civil War. Considering slavery in America dates back to America’s beginning years, the official slave trade beginning in 1619 and progressing to move over 12 million slaves by the time it came to an end in 1850, one cannot ignore Twain’s deliberate choice of setting (National Parks Service). Although slavery is not the sole cause of racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it occurs frequently throughout the novel. Mark Twain characterizes Huck Finn as one of the few dynamic characters who was not raised by racists, which leads him to hold a true friendship in a time of harsh racial discrimination. The use of racism throughout the novel helps to show how different levels of society interact and how one boy defies the social norm. Mark Twain uses the motif of racism to develop a theme of