The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn (1884) by Mark Twain is one of the truly classic American
novels, loved by children, adults and critics alike. The book
tells the story of “Huck” Finn, his friend Jim, and their
journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. Both are on the
run, Huck from his drunk and abusive father, and Jim as a
runaway slave. As Huck and Jim drift down the river, they meet
many interesting characters and have a great many adventures.
The essence of the story, however, is the friendship between the
two protagonists. A recurring theme throughout the story is
Huck’s internal conflict between what he has been taught, that
helping a runaway slave is a sin, and what he truly believes,
that Jim is a good man and it would be abhorrent not to help the
poor guy. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was unique at the
time of its publication in 1884 because it is narrative style
(first person) and is written in the numerous dialects common to
the area in the time in which