1. Irony
Huck uses verbal irony in chapter 40 when he says "We was all glad as we could be, but Tom was the gladdest of all because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg". Tom was not necessarily happy that he was hurt, but he was excited that he had been involved in a real adventure. Tom's escape plan for Jim was ironic, too, because Jim was actually already a free slave. Mrs. Watson had made him free at her death, and both Tom and Huck knew about it. They just wanted to have a little game in how they let Jim escape. The journey down the river was ironic because it took two low members of society, a rascal orphan and a runaway slave, to develop morals and reject the ideas of what a civilized white person should be like. The escape of Huck from his father and Jim from slavery is similar to the way that Tom let Jim escape. Tom knew that he would not keep Jim forever, but he was holding someone captive that could have been free. The voyage down the river was necessary for Jim and Huck because it allowed Huck to grow and develop morals, and Jim, although free, didn't regret his time protecting Huck. Both grew to understand their morals and comprehend how southern society works, and making informed decisions about these ideas.
2.Characterization
In chapter 34, Tom believes that social morality about slavery shouldn't be questioned, whereas Huck, is trying to decide whether or not slavery is moral. The characterization of Tom has along way to go with maturity, but Huck is slowly starting to make educated judgments. Huck's character changes when Tom comes back into the story. He suddenly acts more immature and how he had before he had run away. Comparing and contrasting Nat and Jim, readers can see that they are both slaves, but Jim seems to be the only character in the book who is truly good and fatherly. Nat was not as morally developed as Jim either. The reason that Twain introduced Nat at this point in the story could have been to show how much Jim had grown throughout the book and to show that slavery was still a big problem.
Jim's relationship with Huck develops throughout the novel into a more father/son dynamic because Jim was the only one who had ever cared for Huck, and Huck may not have originally know what to do with a runaway slave, but he found that he loved Jim's company. I think that Jim may have kept Pap's death a secret because he wanted help running away, and once he was on his way, he realized that Huck needed someone to look out for him, and Jim enjoyed being with Huck. His concern for Huck was out of love, whereas, Pap's concern was out of greed. Jim was the most honest and caring adult that he had ever encountered because he took the time to teach, support and love him, even if he wasn't perfect. Everyone else had either dismissed Huck as a rascal, or hurt him.
3. Tone
The return of Tom in the end chapters of the book changes the tone. Huck goes from being a deliberate thinker to the rascal that he was before he ran away. Tom makes everything a game and brings the mood of child's play and rascal behavior to the story, altering the way that Huck acts. Huck still believes, however, that Jim would be better off with only the help from Huck. He understands that Tom may not have the moral development to protect and allow Jim to escape. Tom was the image of what Huck had decided that he did not want to act like.
4. Theme
The episode of freeing Jim is contributed to moral ambiguity because Tom and Huck know that he is free, but Tom wanted to make a game out of telling Jim that he was no longer a slave. Huck realizes that Jim was a kind, and completely disrespected person after tom had been shot. Jim wanted to help Tom with his wound, allowing Huck to see that even though they had played a trick on him, he still was a good person to those who were not good to him. This contributes to the themes of freedom and moral development. When Tom reveals his knowledge about Mrs. Watson's will, it completes the idea of moral ambiguity. Readers no longer feel sympathy for the wounded child, but instead for Jim, who was free all along.
5. Symbolism
The river in the story represents freedom for Jim and Huck. Jim is finally away from slavery and Huck is away from his abusive father. Together they grow and mature their morals to know how to use this new freedom. The towns represent the lessons that they learn while developing their morals. They meet new people and see new things, so they form controversial opinions about how civilization should be. In the last paragraph of the book, Huck says that it is preferable to avoid civilization because after what he had seen through the mistreatment of Jim, to the duke and the king, and many others. Twain's purpose for this is to show how uncivilized civilization can be. He thought that slavery was wrong, cons were bad, and many other things that occur in society that do not benefit anyone.
Huck uses verbal irony in chapter 40 when he says "We was all glad as we could be, but Tom was the gladdest of all because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg". Tom was not necessarily happy that he was hurt, but he was excited that he had been involved in a real adventure. Tom's escape plan for Jim was ironic, too, because Jim was actually already a free slave. Mrs. Watson had made him free at her death, and both Tom and Huck knew about it. They just wanted to have a little game in how they let Jim escape. The journey down the river was ironic because it took two low members of society, a rascal orphan and a runaway slave, to develop morals and reject the ideas of what a civilized white person should be like. The escape of Huck from his father and Jim from slavery is similar to the way that Tom let Jim escape. Tom knew that he would not keep Jim forever, but he was holding someone captive that could have been free. The voyage down the river was necessary for Jim and Huck because it allowed Huck to grow and develop morals, and Jim, although free, didn't regret his time protecting Huck. Both grew to understand their morals and comprehend how southern society works, and making informed decisions about these ideas.
2.Characterization
In chapter 34, Tom believes that social morality about slavery shouldn't be questioned, whereas Huck, is trying to decide whether or not slavery is moral. The characterization of Tom has along way to go with maturity, but Huck is slowly starting to make educated judgments. Huck's character changes when Tom comes back into the story. He suddenly acts more immature and how he had before he had run away. Comparing and contrasting Nat and Jim, readers can see that they are both slaves, but Jim seems to be the only character in the book who is truly good and fatherly. Nat was not as morally developed as Jim either. The reason that Twain introduced Nat at this point in the story could have been to show how much Jim had grown throughout the book and to show that slavery was still a big problem.
Jim's relationship with Huck develops throughout the novel into a more father/son dynamic because Jim was the only one who had ever cared for Huck, and Huck may not have originally know what to do with a runaway slave, but he found that he loved Jim's company. I think that Jim may have kept Pap's death a secret because he wanted help running away, and once he was on his way, he realized that Huck needed someone to look out for him, and Jim enjoyed being with Huck. His concern for Huck was out of love, whereas, Pap's concern was out of greed. Jim was the most honest and caring adult that he had ever encountered because he took the time to teach, support and love him, even if he wasn't perfect. Everyone else had either dismissed Huck as a rascal, or hurt him.
3. Tone
The return of Tom in the end chapters of the book changes the tone. Huck goes from being a deliberate thinker to the rascal that he was before he ran away. Tom makes everything a game and brings the mood of child's play and rascal behavior to the story, altering the way that Huck acts. Huck still believes, however, that Jim would be better off with only the help from Huck. He understands that Tom may not have the moral development to protect and allow Jim to escape. Tom was the image of what Huck had decided that he did not want to act like.
4. Theme
The episode of freeing Jim is contributed to moral ambiguity because Tom and Huck know that he is free, but Tom wanted to make a game out of telling Jim that he was no longer a slave. Huck realizes that Jim was a kind, and completely disrespected person after tom had been shot. Jim wanted to help Tom with his wound, allowing Huck to see that even though they had played a trick on him, he still was a good person to those who were not good to him. This contributes to the themes of freedom and moral development. When Tom reveals his knowledge about Mrs. Watson's will, it completes the idea of moral ambiguity. Readers no longer feel sympathy for the wounded child, but instead for Jim, who was free all along.
5. Symbolism
The river in the story represents freedom for Jim and Huck. Jim is finally away from slavery and Huck is away from his abusive father. Together they grow and mature their morals to know how to use this new freedom. The towns represent the lessons that they learn while developing their morals. They meet new people and see new things, so they form controversial opinions about how civilization should be. In the last paragraph of the book, Huck says that it is preferable to avoid civilization because after what he had seen through the mistreatment of Jim, to the duke and the king, and many others. Twain's purpose for this is to show how uncivilized civilization can be. He thought that slavery was wrong, cons were bad, and many other things that occur in society that do not benefit anyone.