“The Form of Freedom In Huckleberry Finn” (1970) by Alan Trachtenberg is an interesting analysis of the class structure within antebellum society. Alan takes a long analytical look at the book and reaches a conclusion on the idea of “freedom”. When Huckleberry helps Jim the slave, he discusses how Huckleberry is going against his societal norms where even being friends with a slave was considered taboo. Through these actions, Alan concludes that Jim’s freedom from slavery was nothing compared to Huckleberry’s “freedom” from societal norms. Although Alan Trachtenberg does admit Huckleberry is a naif, Alan’s analysis can be contested on the basis that Huckleberry’s “freedom” may not have been truly earned as by the end of the book as he still is the same, literal naif narrator.
To understand Alan Trachtenberg’s reasoning, we can look back at the raft scene. After Huckleberry tricks Jim in thinking that the fog was a dream, Jim says, “I was so happy that I wanted to get down on my knees and kiss your feet. But what were you thinking? Only how you could trick old Jim and make him seem to be a fool.” (Twain 52) Based on the passage, one can assume that Huckleberry learns that Jim has feeling for him and through this event Huckleberry becomes more tolerant. Initially this reasoning may seem valid, it completely disregards the ending in which Huckleberry narrates, “I may leave for the Indian Territory without waiting for Tom and Jim because Aunt Sally wants to make me her son and raise me in a proper manner, and I cannot endure that. I’ve been there before.” (Twain 157) To summarize, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ’s ending has Huckleberry Finn planning to leave to go out west because he does not want to be adopted by Aunt Sally. After all of Huckleberry been through, he is still not “free” from the southern society’s norms. The simple fact that he allowed Tom to take advantage of Jim’s circumstance is representative of his misunderstanding of how south society's policies are flawed. Additionally, Huckleberry ends his story by saying he is going to move west. Huckleberry’s words make the situation seem meanless. He dismisses the fact that he almost had Jim go back into the institution of slavery. Huckleberry’s casual remarks shows that he has not grown much as a character and is not truly “free”. Lastly, if Huckleberry Finn had the “freedom” that Alan Trachtenberg describes then would Huckleberry apologize to Jim? This makes Huckleberry the same, naif narrator proving he is not “free”.
Alan Trachtenberg points on “freedom” are valid to a certain extent as Huckleberry does learn to see a Jim as a person. For a time where the rampant racism and class structure of south made blacks seem inferior this is a step up from complete prejudice. This raises the question is this enough to sway a child like Huckleberry Finn from the childhood of the racial superiority of the whites? The answer is still no has Huckleberry still can not understand how this superiority effect people like Jim. Some can interpret this as Mark Twain’s comment on the southern society and how the society might have been still unable to get away from the class structure even if presented a way out.
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