Huckleberry Finn - Survival

In literature, authors have created characters that have traits

that contributes to their survival in society. The qualities of shredders,

adaptability, and basic human kindness enables the character Huckleberry

Finn, in Mark Twain's novel The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn to survive

in his environment. The purpose of this paper is to depict the importance

of these traits or qualities to his survival.

Huckleberry Finn is able to confront complex situations because he

is shrewd. Nothing is more natural or more necessary than his ability to

lie. In certain situations I will discuss how he must lie because the

circumstances forced him to deception and lies and evasions are the only

weapons he has to protect himself from those who are physically stronger

than he. The creativity, common sense, and understanding of people of

different classes give him the edge he needs to survive in a rather harsh

society.

Living with Ms. Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck has adjusted his

life to that of a civilized society. Huck illustrates his shrewd thinking

when he see signs that indicates his father is back. Being afraid of his

father, he gives all of his money to Judge Thatcher to avoid being

persecuted by his father. Protecting himself was his number one priority;

he knew that if his father got the money he would get drunk and in return

would abuse him. His father drunkenness become a threat to his life later

on in the story and by stopping him from getting the money, he stopped his

father from being an abuser at that point and time.

Pap, Huck's father returns to town to get custody of his son

because he here of Huck's fortune, finally resorting to the kidnapping.

Huck is locked in the cabin when Pap is not around; once he was locked up

for three days. At this point and time Huck was being neglected and abuse;

his father had no idea what his abusive behavior was doing to Huck until he

escapes. Pap became so abusive(not realizing it because of he is always

drunk), that he almost kills his son in the cabin, thinking he was the

angel of death. This incident forces Huck to realize that his father is an

immediate threat to his life and he must escape. His plan to escape is one

of common sense combined with shrewdness and imagination. He creates a

bloody scene with the blood of a pig he shot, smashed the door, left some

his hair on a bloody ax, and left a trail of food, creating the impression

that he was killed by robbers; his plan is a success.

Huck must enter the world after his death in disguises, born as a

new person repeatedly to conceal his real identity. Dressing as a girl to

go ashore to gather information is just one of the identities he must

assume through out his whole journey. This example shows how ingenious and

innovative Huck is in creating a creditable story that will camouflage his

real identity. In the act of meeting a lady who had recently settled in

town, he dresses as a girl, makes up a name and a convincible story, "

trusting providence to put the right words in my mouth when the time come."

He finds out that her husband was going to Jackson Island to see if he

could find Jim. He is fortunate enough to get this information or else they

would have been caught by suprise.

The capsizing of Jim and Huck's raft, creates a situation in which

Huck must go ashore. He finds himself in the midst of barking dogs in front

of the Grangerford's home. Trusting providence again, he introduces himself

as George Jackson and that he fell overboard from a passing steamboat. He

is welcomed into the Grangerford's home because his identity and story is

convincible. After a day there, Huck forgets his new name. Understanding

Buck, the youngest of the family, desire to show off, Huck gets him to

spell his name revealing his new identity. Getting Buck to spell his name

because he understands his personality, is just one of Huck's qualities

that help him to survive on the frontier.