Huck's Perspective

Here is Jim and I on the river together. I was thinking that Jim is just property and an ignorant slave that is below me, but now I feel that Jim is my good friend, and an equal. You see, I was raised in a society that devalued the individuality and humanity of slaves. Around here, slaves are property to be owned, who can't think for themselves, not actual humans with feelings and thoughts. I have pulled numerous pranks on Jim. After the incident where Jim and I got separated in the fog, I thought that Jim was stupid enough to believe that none of it had happened, and that Jim had imagined it all. Jim called me insensitive for this, for feeling superior to him.

Later though, my feelings change after experiencing a lot of trials with Jim. I learned to respect and care for him as a human being, and as an equal. I even feel like he's white inside. Jim's a great traveling partner; he's almost like a father to me. Pap always taught me the virtues of a life not worth living, while Jim gives me the proper support, compassion, and knowledge for me to become a man. Although we come from separate racial backgrounds, our time together has allowed us to surpass the ethnic segregation and become true friends, even family.

I ran away because pap came back to town and forced me to move out of the Widow Douglas' and back in with him. Pap is an alcoholic who is abusive and only seeks to take my money. He locked me in the house so I won't run away, but I found a way out and killed a pig, to smear it's blood all over, and make it look like I was murdered. Pap considers himself to be more civilized than the slaves and me to be the snobby one all because I can read. In reality, he is as low-class as they get, and though he considers himself to be above slaves, at least Jim truly loves