Throughout the story of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck faces an inner struggle of whether or not to turn in Jim. This issue is first explored in depth after Huck returns to his raft from the larger raft he had been eavesdropping on. Huck thinks to himself, "I begun to get it through my head that he [Jim] was most free--and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I couldn't get that out of my conscience, no how nor no way." However, in this instance, Jim begins to rant about how good of a friend Huck is, and that he's "de only fren' ole Jim's got now." Huck just cannot take the guilt, so he protects Jim yet again by making up a lie to ward off a couple of nosy sailors.
As the novel progresses, the close bond between Huck and Jim becomes more evident. For example, while Huck is staying with the Grangerfords', his slave, Jack, shows him where Jim has been hiding. When Huck sees Jim, he automatically becomes concerned, asking why he had not told Jack to fetch him sooner. Another example occurs after the big Shepherdson-Grangerford fight that results in the demise of Buck, his brother, and his Pa. Disturbed from what he has just witnessed, Huck screams out, and just then: "It was Jim's voice--nothing ever sounded so good before." Also, Jim calls Huck "honey", a common, affectionate pet name.
While all this reflects Jim and Huck's care for each other, Huck also reveals a condescending attitude towards Jim. Several times Huck corrects Jim on things that he has no knowledge of. For instance, Jim and Huck hear a few men out on the river one night, but they comment that because they were unable to see these men, it appeared as if they were spirits. Huck narrates, "Jim said he believed it was spirits; but I says: 'No, spirits wouldn't say, 'dern the dern fog.'" Huck is not an expert on spirits, but he automatically takes on the role of telling Jim he is wrong. Another example of this occurs when the Duke and Dauphin enter the story. Huck thinks to himself, "It didn't take me long to make up my mind that these liars warn't no kings nor dukes, at all, but just low-down humbugs and frauds...and it warn't no use to tell Jim, so I didn't tell him." The fact that Huck feels obliged to hide this fact from Jim shows that he doesn't want to hurt his feelings, but it also shows that he does not think Jim to be very intelligent.
Overall, Huck and Jim have a very affectionate relationship, yet Huck's subconscious arrogance still surfaces throughout the text.
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“and I said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now; and then I happened to look around, and see that paper.
It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself:
“All right, then, I’ll go to hell”-and tore it up.” Pg. 257
I agree with this post in the fact that Huck and Jim develop a close relationship and care deeply for each other. During that time period it would clearly not be acceptable for a white boy and black man to have the type of relationship Huck and Jim share. However, even though society tells Huck it is wrong, he decides to rip up the letter he wrote to turn Jim in. He cares too much for Jim to do that to him. I do not however, agree with the part of the post that says Huck is condescending. I think he was in the beginning, but towards the end I think Huck and Jim become more equal. This passage shows that when it talks about them being best friends. In a best friendship one person is usually not more powerful than the other. They tend to be equals, hence the idea of friendship. Huck does not say one is taking care of or leading the other, but that they are friends, working together.
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