The main character of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn undergoes a moral revolution because he has to make life-changing decisions throughout the novel. At the beginning of the book, Huck basically has no morals because he grew up in a household with a drunken father. Fortunately, Huck is eventually aided by the guidance of Jim, a runaway slave who joins him on his flight from civilization and helps Huck gain his own sense of morality. Throughout Huck's adventures, he is put into many positions where he must look within himself and use his own judgment to make important decisions that will affect his morals for the rest of his life.
Miss Watson and the widow have been granted custody of Huck, an impolite and wild boy who has little morals due to his rearing. Huck's role model at this time is Tom Sawyer, a civilized troublemaker who wants to start a gang. If a boy desires to join this gang, they have to agree to murder their own families as punishment for breaking the rules. One of the boys points out that Huck doesn’t have a family to murder so they had to figure out what they were going to do. “They talked it over, and they was going to rule me out, because they said every boy must have a family or something to kill, or else it wouldn't be fair and square for the others. Well, nobody could think of anything to do- everybody was stumped, and set still. I was most ready to cry; but all at once I thought of a way, and so I offered them Miss Watson-they could kill her” (17-18). This is the lowest point of his morals in the book. It’s from here that the reader can see the end of Huck’s spiral down and the start of his exponential growth as a person.
2 comments:
I was pretty amused by your title. But in all seriousness, I think your mention of Huck going through a “moral revolution” is good. I kind of made a similar point in my blog but I think calling a moral revolution is a pretty accurate way to describe what happens to Huck. The best point you made was Huck being at his lowest point morally with the situation with Tom Sawyer and the gang. I agree that this is one of his lowest points morally and it offers good insight as to where Huck is in terms of his identity at this point in the novel.
Great job stating that Huck’s “moral revolution” occurs because of the innumerable adventures he undergoes. If it weren't for the different situations he faced, he wouldn't be the interesting, round character that he is. I love how you pointed out the influence Tom and his "gang" have on Huck. I most certainly agree that this event heavily impacts Huck's personality and mindset. You are on the complete right track when you said, "This is the lowest point of his morals in the book",for from this point on Huck's mind begins to develop and advance rapidly. It seems that we both see his identity shift begin at the same time period.
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