Notes

Huck’s decision in Chapter 16 affects him as a character because it leads him to reevaluate the moral correctness of continuing his journey with Jim, which was considered nonconformity in the “civilized” society that his overall upbringing was from. Such an impact can be observed when Huck argues with himself about the morality of actively hiding an escaped slave from persecutors: when Huck reflects on the situation, he notes that “‘[he] knowed [Jim] was running for his freedom, and [he] could a paddled ashore and told somebody,’” (Twain 91). It is clear that the viewpoints of the society he generally grew up in have affected his thinking and his debates about his moral rationale, even if he doesn’t truly belong to the “civilized” world and does not strongly identify with the rules of it. Huck’s previous decision regarding Jim’s freedom did not affect him to this extent or in this way, and Huck was even willing to be shunned for behaving like an abolitionist if it meant he could help Jim. These two instances show Huck’s growth by demonstrating how Huck’s continued isolation from the civilized world is beginning to draw his attention to the societal standards of it, such as turning in a runaway slave when given the opportunity.