The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain portrays the journey of Huck Finn and Jim, an illiterate slave. They go on a remarkable adventure that leads to their personal development. Throughout the novel, both characters undergo continuous changes in their thoughts and skills. Twain presents Huck Finn as a main character who frequently depends on his own talents, has faith in his intuition, and prioritizes his own wishes above everything else. These characteristics contribute to his independent personality, self-centeredness, and overall immaturity.
Huck Finn exhibits the traits of a romantic hero, starting off as immature but maturing through the situations he encounters in this novel. Notably, his transformation does not commence here but originates in a previous novel by Twain called Tom Sawyer. In Tom Sawyer, H
...uck's character is portrayed as submissive rather than being a leader or sophisticated individual.
What is intriguing in this scenario is that Huck admires a younger boy, highlighting his immaturity. This relationship can also be observed in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, where Huck joins Tom Sawyer's gang. Together, they not only surprise children at a church picnic to pilfer their food but Huck revels in it and believes the endeavor is worthwhile.
If Huck and Tom had not been separated for most of the novel, it could have easily been a story focused on Tom instead of Huck. The separation between them allowed Huck to have his own adventures and grow as an individual, which is a common theme for a romantic hero. Like in other romantic literature, the hero in this story still shows some immaturity, as seen at the
end when Huck continues to idolize Tom and rejects attempts to civilize him by an elder.
Huck demonstrates a significant romantic quality through his progressive understanding. This means that he continuously learns new concepts and ways of understanding the world, whether they are factual or superstitious. In the novel, Jim is bitten by a snake after warning Huck not to touch an old snake skin due to his superstitious beliefs. This incident leads Huck to make a firm decision to never touch a snake's skin again.
Taking Jim’s words without questioning them intellectually is a common trait of a romantic hero. This behavior is evident in both Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck embodies the essence of an American romantic hero, with abundant evidence supporting this assertion. I strongly believe that Huck is the quintessential romantic hero, and my enjoyment of the book solidifies this belief.
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