SLAVES’ STRUGGLES IN AMERICA IN THE 1800S IN
MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES
OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
ADOLPHUS SATRIA KURNIAWAN
Student Number: 074214051
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
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SLAVES’ STRUGGLES IN AMERICA IN THE 1800S IN
MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES
OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
ADOLPHUS SATRIA KURNIAWAN
Student Number: 074214051
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
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NO FEAR
NO SHAME
NO SLOTH
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Dedicated to
My Beloved Father
and Mother, My
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LEMBAR PERNYATAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARANGAN ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN KAMPUS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa sanata Dharma:
Nama : Adolphus Satria Kurniawan Nomor Mahasiswa : 074214051
Demi kepentingan ilmu pengetahuan saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul Slaves’ Struggles in America in the 1800s in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta.
Pada tanggal : 21 September 2011 Yang menyatakan,
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ACKNOWLEDEGEMENTS
First of all I would like to thank the Lord for His blessing, so that I can finish my thesis. He always strengthens me. A deep gratitude goes to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum., for her guidance, time, suggestions from the beginning of this thesis until it is finished. I thank my co-advisor, Dr. F. X. Siswadi, M.A., for his time to criticize and give advice to this thesis. I thank her for the help. I also thank the lecturers and staff of the English Letters Department. I believe that without their patience, I cannot finish my study and this thesis.
My special gratitude goes to my beloved mother, father, sister, brother, and my niece. I also thank my aunt Adi Jemangin and uncle Jono. I thank them for the prayer, love, care, support, finance, and everything they have given. I also thank them for always being present for me.
The next gratitude goes to Van Deventer Maas Stichting for the scholarship so that I can finish my study and this thesis. My gratitude also goes to Pratomo Adi Saputro and his beloved family for the help, support, and advice. I thank Robertus Yudha Widya P., Kharisma Dhita R., and Stefani Dwi Astuti for the advice, references, and helps. I also would like to thank Stella Soehardi, Laurencya Helenne, and Umi Lestari. The last but not the least gratitude goes to staff and Mitra of Library of Sanata Dharma University.
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LEMBAR PERNYATAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ………..… vii
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ABSTRACT
ADOLPHUS SATRIA KURNIAWAN (2011). SLAVES’ STRUGGLES IN AMERICA IN THE 1800S IN MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
In the 1800s in America, Black people worked on plantations as slaves. In their daily life, oppression from White, as their owner, became the regular feature that made their life bleak. Because of the oppression, the slaves struggled in many ways. To understand the slaves’ struggles, the writer chooses Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
There are three problems formulated which are composed in this thesis. the first problem is to find out the characteristics of Jim. The second problem is to show the oppression that Jim experienced from White American society in the novel. The third problem is to reveal slaves’ struggles in the 1800s in America as represented by Jim.
The method of the study is library research. The writer uses the sociocultural-historical approach to examine the novel. While the theories which are used are theory on character and characterization, theory on setting, and the review on historical background about slaves’ past life and slaves’ struggle in the 1800s in America. The theory on characteristic is used to reveal Jim’s characteristics. The theory on setting and the review on historical background is used to reveal White’s oppression toward Black people and Jim’s struggles.
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ABSTRAK
ADOLPHUS SATRIA KURNIAWAN (2011). SLAVES’ STRUGGLES IN AMERICA IN THE 1800S IN MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Pada tahun 1800an di Amerika, orang-orang berkulit hitam bekerja di perkebunan sebagai budak. Dalam kehidupan setiap harinya, penindasan dari orang-orang kulit putih, sebagai pemiliknya, menjadi ciri umum yang biasa terjadi yang membuat hidup para budak tersebut menjadi suram. Karena penindasan tersebut, budak-budak tersebut bereaksi dalam berbagai cara. Untuk memahami perjuangan budak-budak tersebut, penulis memilih karya sastra milik Mark Twain yang berjudul The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah yang tersusun dalam skripsi ini. Rumusan masalah pertama bertujuan untuk mencari karakteristik dari Jim. Rumusan masalah kedua bertujuan untuk menunjukkan penindasan yang dialami oleh Jim dari masyarakat kulit putih dalam novel. Rumusan masalah ketiga bertujuan untuk mengungkap perjuangan budak-budak pada tahun 1800an di Amerika seperti yang digambarkan oleh Jim.
Metode yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah penelitian pustaka. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sejarah sosial dan budaya untuk membahas novel tersebut. Sementara itu, teori yang digunakan adalah teori tentang karakter dan karakterisasi, setting, dan tinjauan latar belakang sejarah tentang kehidupan masa lampau budak-budak dan perjuangan-perjuangannya pada tahun 1800an di Amerika. Teori tentang setting and tinjauan tersebut digunakan untuk mengungkap penindasan oleh orang kulit putih terhadap orang-orang kulit hitam dan mengungkap perjuangan-perjuangan Jim.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Basically, all people were born equal. From racial perspective, they cannot
choose to be born as a certain race. This phenomenon shows that all people should
be treated in the same way. In fact, there is discrimination that is still found in
social life. Even, the discrimination occurs in occupational things that people
always deal.
People have to work to fulfill their daily needs. Daily needs here can be in
the form of material goods or service that can lead people into prosperity.
Besides, the process of gaining will determine the history. This belief is supported
by this quotation, “Theses historians believe that the desire for material goods and
well being drives all people and determines history” (Kellogg, 1995:129).
The process will influence many aspects of life. It will influence cultural
and social aspect. Unfortunately, some people do not gain the daily needs in the
right way. It means that the way will create certain culture and social life based on
the process.
One example of the process is slavery. In the slavery, the labors are forced
by the owner to gain the profit. Here the labors are exploited and treated as
property that have to work hard to fulfill the owner’s needs.
There were White and Black people who were the main race which
involved in this slavery era. It is also stated that “The attitude that views African
American slaves as inferior beings establishes race, not class, as the divider
between white and black” (Kellogg, 1995:130). It means that black people are
the part who is exploited.
African Americans were brought to America for the first time in 1619.
They were brought to Jamestown. At that, time they worked in the tobacco fields
as Kellogg stated in his American History: The Easy Way that “Slavery was a
factor in American life since the first colony. African Americans were brought to
Jamestown in 1619 to help create wealth by working in the tobacco fields” (1995:
131). While in the 1800s, African American people worked on plantations as
slaves.
African American suffered because of physical violence they got from the
slave-owners. Besides, they were also traded. “On the whole, life for the slaves
was bleak” (Kellogg, 1995:131). This quotation implies that slavery resulted in
bleakness.
Oppression became the regular feature of plantation life. The slave-owners
used oppression to control their slaves. “The masters of these large enterprises
exerted severe control over their slaves” (Henretta et al., 1987: 102).
Because of all the treatments that slaves got, they reacted in many ways.
They expressed their discontent by working slowly and carelessly as stated by
Henretta et al. (1987:102) in America’s History to 1877 that “other slave
expressed their discontent by working slowly and carelessly, or they stole
Other slaves also ran away as quoted in the following
They forbade their black workers to leave the plantation without special passes and, to enforce these regulations, installed special night watches and rural patrols. Beatings and whippings become regular features of plantation life, and penalties for resistance-disobedience, refusal to work, running away-increased in severity (Henretta et al., 1987: 102).
Disobedience, refusal to work and running away become some reactions toward
the White’s bad treatments. Based on this condition, the topic was chosen to show
how slaves struggle to survive based on the condition.
To understand the slave’s struggles, the writer chose Twain’s The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because the novel tells about slavery as Short
states in his introductory of Four Great American Novels. He states
There can be no better way to absorb a knowledge of certain aspects of slavery, for instance, than through its pages, for unlike the statements in history books, what knowledge Huckleberry Finn gives, it gives completely, as full-bodied intuitions (1946: xxxviii).
Furthermore he explaines that the novel enables the reader to feel as if the reader
really experiences the adventure in the raft like Huckleberry and Jim.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a story about two characters who
try to escape from their own problems. The first character named Huck escapes
from his father because of the bad treatment he got. Huckleberry also escapes
from Miss Watson who tries to civilize him. While the second character named
Jim is a slave who escapes from his owner because he would be sold by his
owner. Furthermore, Jim tries to escape from slavery so that he can reach Cairo
where he can have better life. In Cairo, Jim hopes he can get money to save his
When Huck meets Jim in an island, Huckleberry decides to help Jim to be
free. The adventure was not that easy. During the adventure they meet so many
characters who will show depiction of White people’s oppression toward slaves
and they are very helpful to reveal the slaves’ struggles.
Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is story about Jim and
Huckleberry, the focus of this study is Jim. Jim becomes the focus due to his role
as slave. Besides, Jim becomes the focus because he is the character in the novel
who represents the life of slaves in terms of the oppressions he gets from the
Whites and the struggles he does to keep survive. His role as a slave will be used
to reveal slaves struggle in facing Whites treatments, while Huckleberry helps the
writer to reveal Jim’s characteristics by his speech related to his role as the
narrator of the story and friend of Jim during Jim’s running away.
The other reason why the writer chose this novel is because there are some
details that occur in this novel as well as occur in the 1800s in America. The
details are about the phenomena which the slaves meet during the slave period.
The examples of those details are the society which treats the slaves roughly, the
slave trade, and the use of dogs to hunt slaves. Therefore, this novel is the perfect
literary work to research the topic.
The writer discussed slavery in America in the 1800s because there was
not only exploitation occurring in the slavery, but also racial discrimination.
Besides, there is also the depiction of slavery as it was viewed from social and
cultural sides so that people can learn some things in relation to social and cultural
B. Problem Formulation
In order to make the study organized, the research questions below are
formulated as the guide and limitation of the subject that will be discussed.
1. How is Jim described?
2. How do White American society oppress black people in the 1800s as
reflected in the novel?
3. How does Jim struggle to survive from White American society’s oppressions
in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?
C. Objectives of the Study
There are three objectives of this study. The first objective is to find out
the characteristics of Jim. The second objective is to show the oppression that Jim
experienced from White American society in the novel. The last objective of this
study is to reveal slaves’ struggles in the 1800s in America as represented by Jim.
After the characteristics of Jim are revealed, the writer try to analyze the struggles
of Jim based on the oppression he got. After the struggles are revealed, the writer
D. Definition of Terms
There are some definition that writer wants to define in order to avoid
misunderstanding in the study.
1. Struggle
Based on Mifflin’s The American Heritage Dictionary of English
Language(1996: 1782), struggle is “to be strenuously engaged with the problems
or an undertaking, to progress with difficulty”. In the context of slavery, the form
of struggle usually deals with hope of finding greater opportunities and better
treatment (Franklin, 1988: 151). It means that the problem is enslavement. From
those two theories, the writer defines the struggle of slaves as finding greater
opportunities and better treatment in life from being a slave.
2. Slave
Slave is “one who is abjectly subservient to specified person or influence”
(Mifflin, 1996: 1694). From this definition, slave is someone who has to obey
certain person by force.
3. Slavery
According to Roth, Slavery is “a system in which one person is owned as
property by another person and forced to perform labor for the owner” (1995:
810). It means that slavery is kind of system which force somebody to work for
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
There are some related studies that have been done on Twain’s The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. One of them is an undergraduate thesis by
Wivina Thomas, the student of English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma
University, entitled The Characters’ Dialect and Their Social Background in
Mark Twain’ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This study reveals the social
background from the dialect of the character. In this study, the author uses Tom
Sawyer’s dialect which uses ain’t and hain’t. These words often occur in the
speech of the Southern areas and Black English. Besides, the author also uses
Jim’s dialect which also uses Black English to reveal the social background. He
said that those two characters are considered as low class in the English speaking
society because they use ain’tand hain’tinstead of isn’tand hasn’t. He stated that
“People who use these words (ain’t and hain’t) instead of the standard isn’t or
hasn’t are considered as lowest class in the English speaking society” (2007: 40).
This study can be used to reveal the characteristics of the characters because a
characteristic of character is influenced by the social background.
Another study, a study on freedom and equality, was done by Edelbertus
Witu in 1998. He wrote an undergraduate thesis entitled The Fight for Freedom
and Equality in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This thesis
focuses on how Huckleberry fights for freedom and equality. Besides, he includes
the fight of Jim as slave to be free from slavery. It is stated “Jim searches freedom
of being free from slavery” (1998: 32). By this quotation, it seems that Jim had a
bad treatment from someone else or other people. The character that treats him
badly is Miss Watson, a White American. This thesis will be appropriate to help a
researcher to find the treatment that slave got for further research because the
author shows the quotations that contains treatment which slave got. For example,
it is stated that “The reason Jim runs away to the river is shown in the text” (1998:
32).
Fransiskus Ransus also wrote his undergraduate thesis on Huckleberry
Finn entitled The Development of Human Self-Protection in Mark Twain’s The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In this study, he used moral philosophical
approach to analyze the novel. This novel reveals that Huckleberry Finn is a
portrait of human being who attempts to realize and actualize his potencies. Those
processes resulted in the cause of self-protection. Self-protection itself also is
influenced by two conditions that are crisis and awakening. Crisis will be the
entrance for self-improvement, while awakening will reform and change human
life smoothly and harmoniously to human life-protection. It is stated clearly in his
study that
It can be concluded that this study focus on human development by considering
some aspects or condition such as crisis and awakening that lead somebody into
self-protection.
W. H. Auden also writes about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in
his article entitled “Huck and Oliver”. He compares Mark Twain’s The Adventure
of Huckleberry Finn with Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist. He compares them in
order to see the difference concept between European reader and American reader
in some points.
The first point is the comparison about the attitude toward nature. He said
it in the following quotation.
One of the great differences between Europe in general and America is in the attitude towards nature. To us over here, perhaps, nature is always, in a sense, the mother or the wife; something with which you enter into a semi-personal relation. In the United States, nature is something much more savage; it is much more like-shall we say?-St. George and the dragon (Smith, 1963: 112).
The quotation shows that the nature, based on European reader perspective, the
image of nature in European literature is something semi personal, while nature in
American literature is something wild.
The second point is the comparison about culture. He talk about culture
derives from Huckleberry’s decision to save Jim from the slavery. He said that
what Huckleberry does is pure act of moral improvisation. Then he stated the
profound difference between American and European literature in the following
quotation.
law of some kind. That is to say there are certain things about human nature, and about man as a historical creature, not only as a natural creature, which are eternally true (Smith, 1963: 114).
While about American culture, he said, “Americans are often called, and
sometimes even believe themselves to be, liberal optimist who think that the
world is gradually getting better and better” (Smith, 1963: 114).
In drawing the conclusion between American and European culture,
Auden’s statement is slanted because he does not give the evidence from what
Oliver Twist does so that Auden can conclude that Europeans believe in doctrine
of natural law of some kind. He just makes a conclusion only from what
Huckleberry decides to save Jim.
My study entitled Slaves’ Struggles in America in the 1800s in Mark
Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will be different from those three
studies. My study will focus on slavery that is experienced by Jim. It will reveal
the struggle of slaves. This study will also include the characteristics of some
characters and oppressions from White people toward Black people as slaves
which are helpful to reveal the struggle.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
According to Abrams, characters are the persons presented in a dramatic
or narrative work. They have certain qualities called characteristics.
their dialogue and actions. It is similar to what Abrams stated in Glossary of
Literary Terms(1981: 20) as quoted in the following
Characters are the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do-the action.
From the quotation, the characteristics of characters on a literary work can be
interpreted by their dialogue and actions. It means that certain statements and
actions will express certain characteristics. This quotation implies that a
characteristic of a character will also be expressed by other characters’ dialogue
and action which refer to that character.
M. J. Murphy in his Understanding Unseen also explains the
characterization in some ways. There are nine points that Murphy explains.
a. Personal Description
What is meant by personal description is the characteristics of certain
character can be interpreted from his personal appearance and clothes. Certain
appearance and clothes will give clues related to his characteristics. He stated that
“The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes” (Murphy, 1972:
161). Besides personal appearance and clothes, personal descriptions also cover
the face, and skin (1972: 162).
b. Character as Seen by Another
Author also describes the characteristics of certain character using the
opinion of other characters. He stated that “instead of describing a character
directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another”
words and phrases such as unquiet eyes, dim smile, and rare sound of her voice.
(1972: 163).
c. Speech
Similar to what Abrams says in Glossary of Literary Terms, Murphy also
explains that the clues of the characteristics can be found through the speech of
the character. It can be seen in the following quotation.
The author can give us insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what that person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clue to his character (Murphy, 1972: 164).
From the quotation Murphy shows that giving opinion through the speech can be
the clue to reveal the characteristics.
d. Past Life
Past life here means that character’s experiences can shape the
characteristics of a character. It can be delivered to the reader through the direct
comment by the author, the person’s thought, through his conversation or through
the medium of another person. It is shown in this following quotation.
By letting the reader learn something about person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his conversation or through the medium of another person (Murphy, 1972: 166).
From the quotation it can be concluded that the story of the character’s past life
that can shape character’s characteristics can be delivered through the speech of
e. Conversation of Others
In this part, Murphy still explains the characterization through the
characters’ speech. He states it in the following quotation.
The author can also give us to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say often give as a clue to the character of the character of the person spoken about (Murphy, 1972: 167).
Here he explains that characteristics of a character can be revealed through other
character’s conversation.
f. Reactions
In this part, Murphy explains almost similar to what Abrams explains
related to the character’s action. Murphy states that “the author can also give us a
clue to a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various
situations and events” (1972: 168). From the quotation, it can be said that action
here is in the form reaction. Reaction is explained as a clue to know the
characteristics of a character.
g. Direct Comment
To know the characteristics of a certain character, an author can give a
comment about him directly. It is similar to what Murphy said in Understanding
Unseen. He stated that “the author can describe or comment on a person’s
character directly” (1972: 170). It means that the author states directly what the
h. Thought
A characteristic also can be revealed through what he thinks. From what
he thinks we can know his characteristics directly. It is explained in the following
quotation.
The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel we accept this. The reader then is in privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged into the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel (Murphy, 1972: 171).
In this quotation, the writer concludes that although the character gives direct
opinion, the reader still needs to interpret what kind of qualities the character has.
i. Mannerism
Besides the reactions, an action of character can be in the form of
mannerism. From the character’s manners, the characteristics will be revealed.
Murphy stated that “the author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits, or
idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character” (1972: 173).
He gives an example of a manner from what Dickens uses such as smiling (1972:
173).
Harmon also explains the theory of character and characterization in A
Handbook to Literature 9th Edition. According to him, character is a brief
descriptive sketch of a personage who typifies some definite quality (2003: 87). It
means that character is like a sketch of somebody who has certain characteristics.
Harmon divides characterization in three divisions. There are direct
exposition, action, and representation within character (2003: 88). According to
While an action without any comment by the author is expected that the reader
will conclude the characteristics through the action itself. Out of the action with or
without direct comment, he explains that characteristics can also be revealed
through other characters. Harmon stated that one of characterizations is the
representation from within a character, without any comment from author, of the
impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner self (2003: 88). It means
that the characteristics of the character can be seen from other character’s point of
view.
2. Theory on Setting
Setting according to Abrams is concerned about the time and place of an
action occurs. He said,
the setting of a narrative or dramatic work is the general locale, historical time and social circumstances in which its action occurs; the setting of an episode or scene within a work is the particular physical location in which it takes places (1981: 175).
In the quotation Abrams stated that social circumstances is included as part of
setting. If social circumstances is part of setting, it means that society where and
when the action takes place also influences the literary work.
In a literary work, setting influences the personalities, action and way of
thinking of the characters. There are some literary works which are influenced by
the setting but there are also some literary works which are not influenced by the
setting. Each era will make certain characteristics of characters in literary work.
Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel (1972: 141) as quoted in the
following.
The setting of the novel is the background against which the characters live out their lives. In some novels the setting is important, whilst in others it is less so. The setting can be concerned with the place in which the characters’ live and also the time in which they live. These have a great effect upon the personalities, actions and way of thinking of the characters.
In the quotation, Murphy stated that the background which the characters live
influences character’s personalities, actions and way of thinking. Setting is not
always important in certain literary works.
Society in the novel can be the reflection the society in the real life.
Although it is a reflection of the society in the real life, the society in the novel is
not always absolutely the same as the society in the real life. It means that the
detail is not always exactly the same. This fact is similar to what Elizabeth
Langland stated in Society in the Novel. She stated in the following quotation.
If society is a concept and construct in art, it is also a concept and construct in life. Society in novels does not depend on points of absolute fidelity to an outside world in details of costume, setting, and locality because novel’s society does not aim at a faithful mirror of any concrete, existent thing (1984: 5).
She stated that the society in art is also concept in life. This statement shows how
society in the novel becomes reflection of society in life. But the society in the
novel is not the same with the society in life absolutely in details such as the
C. Review on Historical Background
1. African American Past Life
In general, there are some acts that can be called an oppression. An act is
categorized as an oppression when it is against humanism. It is similar to Freire’s
quotation, “An act is oppressive only when it prevents men from being more fully
human” (1973: 42). Here, he stated that an act which makes somebody far for
being human is an oppressive act.
Dehumanization according to Freire is a distortion of vocation of
becoming more fully human (Freire, 1973: 28). Then admitting dehumanization
will lead the oppressed into cynicism and despair. Admitting dehumanization will
raise struggles. Struggles will be possible if dehumanization is not given by
destiny but the result of unjust order that raises violence in the oppressor. This
process will automatically dehumanize the oppressed. Freire stated the similar
thing in the following quotation.
This struggle is possible only because dehumanization, although concrete historical fact, is not given by destiny but the result of an unjust order that engenders violence in the oppressors, which in turn dehumanizes the oppressed (1973: 28).
Here, implicitly, in the oppression there is an element that occurs from the
oppressor. The element is violence that leads into dehumanization.
Humanism itself is a study of human beings as human beings. Holman
and Harmon said, “Humanism suggest any attitude that tends to exalt the human
element or stress the importance of human interest, as opposed to the supernatural,
1986: 242 ). It means that humanism is concerned about how human being is
really treated as a human, not as anything else, as animal for example.
Another expert, Professor Mary Ann Leiby, in her article entitled “Three
Form of Oppression” defines oppression as the systematic exploitation of one
social group by another for its own benefit. It involves institutional control,
ideological domination, and the imposition of the dominant group's culture on the
oppressed group. He gives examples of oppression such as sexism, racism,
enslavement and classism.
(www.elcamino.edu/faculty/mleiby/worddocs/forms_of_oppression.doc 4:27 pm
4 October 2010)
While in narrower scope, oppressions found in slavery will be discussed
to show the oppression in the period of slavery in America in the 1800s. This
period of time is taken because the setting of the novel which is examined here is
taken in the slave period in the 1800s in America. It will start from the growth of
cotton as the background of the birth of slavery in America.
As stated in the previous paragraph, slavery started from the growth of
cotton which required heavy labor. The heavy labor was supplied by the slaves.
The slaves were African Americans. They were brought to America for the first
time in 1619. They were brought to Jamestown. At that time they worked in the
tobacco fields as Kellogg stated in his American History: The Easy Way that
“Slavery was a factor in American life since the first colony. African Americans
were brought to Jamestown in 1619 to help create wealth by working in tobacco
African American came as indentured servants at that time. It was believed
that this arrival was the beginning of slavery. This fact was “While these first
African American probably arrived as indentured servants, the system of slavery
was soon established” (Kellogg, 1995:131). From those quotation, it can be
concluded that the beginning of slavery began when African American were
brought to Jamestown to fulfill the need of heavy labor.
Besides the need of fulfilling heavy labor, slavery was established for
economic reason. This fact was stated by Kellogg in his book entitled American
History: The Easy Way(2nd ed.). Kellogg stated that “the reason for owning them
was to make money. Slaves did greatly affect the social and political life of the
South” (1995: 131). African Americans were brought to America for economic
reason. Furthermore, he stated that although they affect the social and political life
of the south, they did so because of the economic importance. “The reason they
did (worked in plantation) so because of their economic importance” (Kellogg,
1995:131).
In the 1790s and 1800s, cotton and sugar crop rose and the spread of
tobacco to new areas increased the dependence of the south on slave labor. Slaves
did not only work in the plantation but they also became commodities.
Ten to 20 slaves were used for every 100 acres of cotton, and they became valuable “commodities”. In 1800, the average cost of a slave was about $50; by 1850, it was more than $1,000 (Wiegand, 2001: 126).
This quotation stated that slave was valuable commodities who are traded. The
From the cultural sides, the maintenance of a sense of identity and African
traditions are shown through their clothing and musical instruments. Kellogg
stated that “However, the slaves were able to maintain a sense of identity and
build on their African traditions, which are seen in everything from their clothing
style to musical instruments” (1995:131).
Furthermore, hope of being free during that era influenced their religion.
They chose Christianity because for them it was a religion of hope and salvation.
That is why many slaves adopted Christianity. “Many slaves adopted Christianity,
which for them was a religion of hope and salvation for all” (Kellogg, 1995:131).
There were some free Blacks in the North, but they were also at risk
actually. Children, especially, were at risk of being kidnapped and sold to South
as slaves. Wiegand in his U.S. History for Dummies, stated that “Free Blacks in
the North, especially children, were also at risk of being kidnapped and taken to
the South to be sold as slaves” (2001: 127).
Besides overworked, the daily life of slaves themselves was harsh for all
slaves. It was influenced by the treatment they got in food, clothing, and housing.
Life was harsh for all slaves, food was monotonous, clothing was scare, and housing was inadequate. Slaves were viewed paternalistically as inferior beings that need to be protected (Kellogg, 1995: 130).
Here he said that treatments that slaves got made them to be an inferior beings that
2. Slaves Struggles
For thirty years before the Civil war, Negroes were migrating to the north
and west from the South. Both slaves and free Negros went there to have a greater
opportunities and better treatment. The essential difference between the North and
The south is the latter section Blacks had more of the law on their side. Therefore,
they can resist encroachments on their rights. Northern Negroes organize and fight
for what they believed to be their rights, and there was substantial group of White
citizens who gave them both moral and material support (Franklin, 1988: 154).
In Genovese’s The World the Slave Made, there is an explanation how
slaves struggled to survive from slavery. He said that slaves ran away for freedom.
There were also some places where slaves usually went to. They ran away to the
North, Canada, and Mexico. He stated that
The boldest slaves struck the hardest blow an individual could against the regime: they escaped for freedom. During the 1850s about a thousand slaves a year ran away to the North, Canada, and Mexico. The slaves in the border states, especially the extreme northern tier, had a much better chance to escape than did those in Mississippi or Alabama (1974: 648).
It is also mentioned that they ran away to avoid punishments from their
masters or their owners. Not only for avoiding punishments but they also ran
away for avoiding owner’s anger that will result in violence. Still, Genovese in his
The World Slave Madestated that
There are some reasons why slaves ran away. Besides, there were some
functions of running away. One of them is to find their parents or children and
also their wives. It is similar to what Genovese said in his The World Slave Made
in the following
A large if undetermined number of slaves ran away to rejoin loved ones from whom they had been forcibly parted. Newspaper advertisements frequently contained such words as “he is no doubt trying to reach his wife”. Slaveholders had great trouble with newly purchased slaves who immediately left to try to find parents or children as well as wives (1974: 650).
Slaves struggle in the form of running away was usually done by
escaping through the rivers and woods. But there were some obstacles for them to
run away. The obstacles were some things about their lack of elementary
knowledge of geography and no means transportation. Genovese stated that “even
many skilled and relatively sophisticated slaves lacked an elementary knowledge
of geography and had no means transportation at their command” (1974: 650).
Lack of elementary knowledge of geographical made them not knowing the way
to go. He also stated that “after all, their slaves had a long way to go to get free
states, hardly knew the way, faced trying conditions in the woods, and sooner or
later-usually sooner-would come home” (1974: 653).
Running away becomes worse when slaves had to face Whites who used
hounds to track them. It is stated that hound were used to track runaway slaves in
the following
fierce hounds trained to track down runaways-but many more enlisted those belonging to poor whites who earned a living as professional slave catcher (Genovese, 1974: 651).
There was also a fact that the hounds were successful enough in tracking the
runaway slaves. It is stated that “on the whole, the dogs did excellent work for the
slaveholders. They tracked down and caught large numbers of runaways and
discouraged many others from running off at all” (1974: 652).
Besides the hounds, there was also a difficulty in running away through
the woods. Some slaves try to avoid the cold so that they can survive in their
running away by making fire. But unfortunately they could not do it. The fire
would attract White’s attention. It is shown in the following
When safely in the woods, the runaway faced a new set of troubles. If a cold snap set in, he (ex slave) found himself reluctant to build a fire, for it might attract white attention. If he had to slip deep enough into woods to avoid dogs, informers, slave catchers, and hostile white farmers and poor whites, he probably had gone too far to get food and supplies from fellow slaves. Many consequently fell seriously ill from hunger and exposure and either had to drag themselves back to the plantation or welcome capture (Genovese, 1974: 652).
Not all Whites treated them roughly. Some of Whites helped slaves to
struggle. The fact is shown in this following
D. Theoretical Framework
All the theories will be used to answer the problems formulated in
chapter one. The first problem will be answered by using theory of characters.
This theory is applied to find out the description of Jim. By this theory, the
characteristics of Jim can be revealed. The characteristics will be used to
determine his responses towards oppressions that lead him to struggle.
The second problems will be answered by using the theory on setting and
the review on historical background of African American past life and slaves
struggles. By using the theory on setting, the writer could analyze the connection
between the historical background the setting of the novel. The writer could
compare the social life in America in the 1800s and the setting of the novel.
The last problem will be answered by using review on slaves’ struggles.
Theory of struggle will help the writer to find out the form of slaves struggles in
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. The Object of Study
The object of the study is Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn.This novel dealt with slavery in America. Twain began to write in 1876 and
finished in 1884. The novel that writer used was published by Penguin Books in
1966. This novel consists of forty three chapters. In the beginning of the novel
there is a statement by Huckleberry that makes this novel seem like a companion
book to Twain’s previous novel entitled The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
There are also some films that are adapted from this novel. One of them is
a film directed by Stephen Sommers entitled The Adventures of Huck Finn.In the
beginning screen play it was written clearly that this film is adaptation of Mark
Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Generally, this novel is a story about a boy about thirteen who decided to
run away from his cruel father. In his running away he met Jim. He is a runaway
slave of Miss Watson. From the story it can be implied that it is story about the
searching for freedom.
There are some things that can be explored such as human development of
characters, social dialect, and slavery. The writer chose slavery as main object of
the study. Some characters were examined to help the writer to gain the objectives
of this study.
B. Approach of the Study
Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature stated
that “critics whose major interest is the sociocultural-historical approach insist
that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that
produced it” (1971: 9). It implies that sociocultural-historical approach focuses on
the relation between literary work and the society where the work is produced.
The civilization here means the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people.
The critics also point out that literature takes attitudes and actions as the subject
matter (1971: 9). Furthermore, Rohrberger and Woods stated that “it is necessary
that the critic investigate the social milieu in which a work was crated and which
it necessarily reflects” (1971: 10).
In short, sociocultural-historical approach analyzes the relation between a
literary work and the society where the work is produced. Besides, it also analyzes
the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people. This approach enables
researchers to examine sociocultural and historical facts behind the work.
The approach is suitable for this research because this research focuses on
the actions and attitudes of a group of people that is White American Society in
the 1800s who treated Black people as slaves to reveal the reactions of slave
toward that society. In other words, by using the sociocultural historical approach,
the sociocultural and historical facts will be very helpful to reveal slaves’
struggles toward White American society in the 1800s in Mark Twain’s The
C. Method of the Study
The method used in this research was library research. The primary source
of this study was Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Other
sources were books about the intrinsic elements of a work and history of slavery
in America. Besides using books, the researcher also took some sources from
educational website. The researcher took only from educational sites because it is
more reliable.
Reading the novel was the first step of this research. The reading was
needed to make the research more familiar with the novel so that the researcher
could analyze the novel deeply. Then the researcher determined the topic and
found the sources that closely related to the topic and the work. All of the sources
were in order to help the researcher to answer the problems that were composed.
To answer the first problem, the writer would examine Jim’s
characteristics. The second problem would be answered by examining White
character’s actions in the novel which show oppressions toward Jim. The third
problem would be answered by finding the facts of struggles that Jim did to keep
survive from White oppression. Then the writer would relate them with the
characteristics of Jim and the historical facts. The last step was drawing the
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer divides the analysis into three parts based on the
problem formulations. In the first part, the writer gives the descriptions of Jim in
the novel. In the second part the writer gives the portrait of how the Whites
oppress Black people in the 1800s as reflected in the novel. In the last part, the
analysis shows how Jim struggles to survive from White American society’s
oppressions in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
A. Jim’s Characteristics
Murphy in Understanding Unseen stated that the characteristics of a
character can be known from the speeches. As stated in the Chapter II, there are
many kinds of speech. One of the speeches is a speech which is stated by another
characters. It means that the characteristic is revealed through the conversation of
others (Murphy, 1972: 167).
Apart from the conversation of others, the characteristics can be revealed
through what the characters say. According to Abrams in Glossary of Literary
Terms, the characteristics can be expressed through what the character said (1981:
20). It means that certain speeches of characters can be a clue to determine what
characteristics he has.
From Huckleberry’s speech and Jim’s own speech, Jim is described as
Miss Watson’s slaves. He is Black. It is shown in the beginning of the novel when
Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer pass Jim when they want to go out.
Huckleberry said, “Miss Watson’s big nigger, named Jim, was setting in the
kitchen door; we could see him pretty clear, because there was a light behind him”
(p. 53).
Jim is described as poor. From what Jim knows about the signs, it is
revealed that Jim is poor. It is delivered when Jim talked about hairy arms and
hairy chest. Jim said that people who have hairy arms and hairy chest is going to
be rich. Jim has hairy arms and hairy chest as seen his conversation with
Huckleberry. But on the contrary he is poor in fact. “Have you got hairy arms and
hairy breast, Jim? What’s de use to ax dat question? Don’ you see I has? Well are
you rich? No, but I ben rich wunst, and gwyne to be rich agin” (p. 99). According
to Abrams, dialogue can be a tool to reveal character’s characteristic (1981: 20).
Jim’s way of thinking, it shows that Jim is uneducated. When people are
educated, they will know the form or the vagaries of government. At least people
know about the form and what the people in a government do. While in the novel,
it is written that Jim asks some question to Huckleberry about what king, duke and
earls do and how they get much money. It shows that Jim does not know the
vagaries of government. It is stated in the following quotation.
How much do a king git? Get, I says; why, they get a thousand dollars a month if they want it; they can have just as much as they want; everything belongs to them. Ain’t dat gay? En what dey got to do, Huck? They don’t do nothing! Why how you talk. They just set around (p. 133)
In Chapter II, it is stated that characteristics are not only shown through
the speech but also through the action. In Chapter II, Abrams, Murphy and
means that certain action will determine certain characteristic. From the novel,
there are some characteristics of Jim as composed below.
1. Inferior
Further than just a slave, in the novel Jim is told as a runaway slave
because of the treatment of his owner as seen in the previous paragraph. That Jim
runs away is shown clearly from what he said to Huckleberry when they met in
Jackson’s Island. When they meet in Jackson’s Island, Huck asks Jim how he
comes to that island. Huckleberry said, “How do you come to be here, Jim, and
how’d you get here?” (p. 96). Then Jim answered “I-I run off” (p.96). From his
running away, it is concluded that he is inferior. If he is superior probably he will
not run away but he will face Miss Watson to defend.
In the novel it is told that Jim never says a word when Huckleberry asks
him to get up and tell that people hunt them. Huckleberry says that it shows that
Jim is scared. It shows that Jim is inferior. It means that what Jim does is keeping
silent and obeying what huckleberry says. He does not do anything to defend or to
offend back. Huckleberry said,
Git up and hump yourself, Jim! There ain’t a minute to lose. They’re after us! Jim never asked no questions, he never said a word but the way he worked for the next half an hour showed about how he was scared (p. 117).
2. Smart
In the story it is told that Jim runs away using a raft. He used the raft
because he does not want to leave a track. If he used the skiff, people would track
him because people think there must be a lost skiff used by Jim to runs away.
Here he said in this following quotation.
Well, when it come dark I tuck out up de river road. En went ‘bout two mile er more to whah dey warn’t no house. I’d made up my mine ‘bout what I’s gwyne to do. You see ef I kep’ on tryin’ to git away afoot, de dogs ‘ud track me; ef I stole a skift to cross over, dey’d miss dat skift, you see, en dey’d know ‘bout whah I’d lan’ on de yuther side en whah to pick up my track. So I says, a raff is what I’s arter; it doan’ make no track (p. 97).
From what Jim did it is known that Jim is smart. If he is not careful about this
step, he may be caught because he will leave the track.
That Jim is smart is also shown when he and Huckleberry wanted to find
information in the town. First he suggested Huckleberry to go in the dark and look
sharp. Then Jim gave Huckleberry an idea to pretend like a girl so that even in day
time people would not recognize Huckleberry.
Next morning I said it was getting slow and dull, and I wanted to get a stirring up, some way. I said I reckoned I would slip over the river and find out what was going on. Jim liked that notion; but he said I must go in the dark and look sharp. Then he studied it over and said, couldn’t I put on some of them old things and dress up like a girl? That was good notion, too. So we shortened up one of the calico gowns and I turned up my knees and got into it (p.108).
Then he added, “Jim said no body would know me, even in the daytime, hardly”
(p. 109). According to Murphy’s theory on characterization as stated in the
3. Superstitious
Mark Twain also uses the conversation of others to characterize Jim. In
some parts of the novel, there are some speeches that show Jim is superstitious. It
is revealed from the hairy ball he has and his ability to read natural signs. The
hairy ball is told by Huckleberry. Huckleberry said that Jim uses the ball for
magic and there was a spirit inside it. It can be seen from this quotation.
Miss Watson’s nigger, Jim, had a hair-ball as big as your fist, which had been took out of the fourth stomach of an ox, and he used to do magic with it. He said there was a spirit inside of it, and it knowed everything. So I went to him that night and told him Pap was here again, for I found his tracks in the snow. What I wanted to know, was, what he was going to do, and was he going to stay? (p. 67).
When Jim is in the middle of his adventure with Huckleberry, Jim talks
about some signs about nature and myth. First he talks about the bird and the
chicken. He said that bird is a sign it was going to rain. It is stated by
Huckleberry.
Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time lighting. Jim said it was a sign it was going to rain. He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same way when young bird done it (p. 98).
Jim also told Huckleberry that catching the birds and chickens means death.
Huckleberry said, “ I was going to catch some of them, but Jim wouldn’t let me.
He said it was death. He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them
4. Illogical hund’d times. So Balum he tuck en give de ten cents to de po,’ en laid low to see what wuz gwyne to come of it. Well, what did come of it, Jim? Nuffin’ never come of it. I couldn’ manage to k’leck dat money no way; en Balum he couldn’. I ain’ gwyne to len’ no mo’ money ‘dout I see de security. Boun’ to git yo’ money back a hund’d times, de preacher says! If I could git de ten cents back, I’d call it squash, en be glad er de chanst (p. 100).
From the conversation it is revealed that Jim does illogical thing and he just
accepts the meaning of what the preacher said unconditionally.
Another prove that shows Jim is illogical is when he talks about the
Frenchman’s language which is different from Englishman’s language. Jim does
not know that the language of Frenchman and Englishman are really different but
he make an analogy about cow and cat to compare the language. He thinks why
both Frenchman and Englishman are human but talk in a different way. He said it
in the following quotation.
Is a cow a man? –er is a cow is a cat? No, she ain’t either of them. Well, den, she ain’t either of them. Well, den, she ain’ got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of ‘em. Is a Frenchman a man? Yes. Well, den! Blame it, why doan’ he talk like a man? You answer me dat!(p. 136)
From the quotation it is shown how Jim is illogical by comparing the human
5. Compassionate
One day, Jim and Huck found a dead man. The death man was naked with
some clothes surrounds him. At first Jim called him but there was no answer.
Then he recognized that the man is dead. Jim examined the man and said to Huck
not to look at the dead man. It can be seen from Jim’s conversation with
Huckleberry.
There was something lying on the floor in the far corner that looked like a man. So Jim says: ‘Hello, you!’ but it didn’t budge. So I hollered again, and then Jim says: ‘De man ain’t sleep-he’s dead. You hold still - I’ll go en see.’ Hewent and bent down and looked, and says: ‘it’s a dead man. Yes indeedy; naked too. He’s ben shot in de back. I reck’n he’s ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face – it’s too gashly.’(p. 103).
In the end of the novel, Jim told Huckleberry that the dead man is his father. He
told him in the following quotation.
Doan’ you ‘member de house dat was float’n down de river, en dey wuz a man in dah, kivered up, en I went in en unkivered him and didn’ let you come in? well, den, you k’n git yo’ money when you wants it; kase dat wuz him (p. 369).
From those two quotations, it can be seen that Jim did not tell Huckleberry
directly that the dead man is his father. It shows that Jim is compassionate.
6. Energetic
Through Murphy’s theory about mannerism, Jim is revealed as an
energetic person. He dances and says, “Dah’s Cairo!” (p. 145). Huckleberry
continues by saying that Jim talks about what he is going to do when he comes to
the Free States loudly. Huckleberry said, “ Jim talked out loud all the time while I
to a free State he would go to saving up money and never spend a single cent” (p.
146).
From the way Jim escapes from Miss Watson’s plantation, it can be
revealed that Jim is energetic. He is so splendid and fast in finding the way to
escape so that he is save from the white. He is very active and he has a lot of
energy to make his own safety. It can be seen in the following quotation.
But I didn’ have no luck. When we ‘uz mos’ down to de head er de islan’, a man begin to come aft wid de lantern. I see it warn’t no use fer to wait, so I slid overbroad, en struck out fer de islan’. Well, I had a notion I could lan’ mos’ anywheres, but I couldn’t-bank too bluff. I ‘uz mos’ to de foot er de islan’ b’fo’ I foun’ a good place. I went into the woods en jedged I wouldn’ fool wid raffs no mo’, long as dey move de lantern roun’ so. (p. 98)
Jim said that it is no use to wait and he slid overbroad afterwards show how
energetic he is. He is so active and has a lot of energy to do this very quickly.
7. Brave
His plan to save his wife and his two children shows that he is brave and
not selfish. He plans to save them after saving the money by buying them. If the
owner does not sell them, he will call an abolitionist and steal his children. It can
be said that he is a brave person because Jim still has the bravery to go back and
face the White people. It is not a proof that he is superior because here it is stated
that he will be back after he has enough money to buy or steal wife and his
children. If he is superior, probably Jim will run off with his wife and children.
Then he is not selfish or selfless because he still think of his own family.
buy the the two children, and if their master wouldn’t sell them, they’d get an Abolitionist to go and steal them (p. 146).
That Jim is brave is also shown from his return to aunt Sally’s plantation.
Although many people hunt Jim after his running away together with Huckleberry
and Tom Sawyer, he decides to help the doctor and go back to Aunt Sally’s
plantation. It can be seen from Huckleberry’s speech in the following quotation.
But before she could break it open she dropped it and run-for she see something. And so did I. it was Tom Sawyer on a mattress; and that old doctor; and Jim, in her calico dress, with his hands tied behind him; and a lot of people. I hid the letters behind the first thing that come handy, and rushed. (p. 359)
From this episode, it is revealed that Jim is brave because he go back to face the
Whites while on the other hand they hunt Jim. Although Jim is brave, he does not
do anything to defense. He just follows the White and accept all what they do
toward Jim. Finally he is chained again. He only gets bread and water for his food.
8. Loyal
After a huge steamboat crashes Jim’s raft, Huck and Jim are separated.
Then Huck is taken care of by one of White families who employ Black,
Grangerfords family. Huck does not know where Jim is. Finally he found Jim
when Huck goes to a place that looks like a wood. It is not clear about what place
it is because Huck only states that he goes to a little flat piece of land which was
dry and very thick with trees and bushes and vines (p. 171).
That Jim follows Huck into the Grangerfords family shows that Jim is
loyal. He still cares about Huck although it is dangerous for him to follow Huck
‘I got hurt a little, en couldn’t swim fas’, so I wuz a considable way behine you, toward the las’; when you landed I reck’ned I could ketch up wid you on de lan’ ‘dout havin’ to shout at you, but when I see dat house I begin to go slow. I ‘uz off to fur to hear what dey say to you – I wuz ‘fraid o’ de dogs – but when it ‘uz all quite again, I knowed you’s in de house, so I struck out for de woods to wait for day. Early in de mawnin’ some er de niggers come along, gwyne to de fields, en dey tuck me en showed me dis place, whah de dogs can’t track me on accounts o’ de water (p. 171).
This quotation shows that Jim is a loyal person because it shows that Jim still
manages to find Huck as his friends. He did not leave Huck anyway.
9. Adaptable
Jim’s ability to adapt is also shown when he arrives on the Jackson Island.
In his running away he does not bring any other stuff but his pipe, cheap tobacco
and some matches. To be able to continue his struggle he has to face the cold by
making a fire. Jim’s fire is found by Huckleberry. He said “But by-and by, sure
enough, I catched a glimpse of fire, away through the trees. I went for it, cautious
and slow. By-and-by I was close enough to have a look, and there laid a man on
the ground” (p. 94). It means that Jim is able to adapt from the weather in the
woods. If he cannot adapt, perhaps his struggle will fail because he will be sick.
It is told that Blacks in that place bring him truck to eat. Jim said, “ en dey
tuck me en showed me dis place, whah de dogs can’t track me on accounts o’ de
water, en dey brings me truck to eat every night, en tells me how you’s gitt’n
along” (p. 171). That other Blacks bring him food every night shows that Jim is an
adaptable person. If he cannot adapt, perhaps the other Black will only ignore
him. But in the novel there is no explanation how he manages himself so that the
10. Naive
After the episode of the Grangerford family, Jim and Huck met two people
who pretend to be Duke and King. The meeting reveals that Jim is naive.
Spontaneously Jim bugged out his eyes when the man said that he is a duke. It can
be seen in the following quotation.
‘Gentlemen’,’ says the young man, very solemn, ‘I will reveal it to you, for I feel I may have confidence in you. By rights I am a duke!’ Jim’s eyes bugged out when he heard that; and I reckon mine did, too. Then the baldhead says: ‘No! you can’t mean it?’ (p. 183).
His spontaneity to bug shows that he is naive.
Jim also asks the king to talk French as what Huckleberry said.
Huckleberry said “I found Jim had been trying to get him to talk French, so he
could hear what it was like; but he said he had been in this country so long, and
had so much trouble, he’d forgot it” (p. 196). From Jim curiosity, it shows that
Jim is naïve. He still believes that the king is really a king from French so that he
wants to hear how Frenchman speaks French. It can be said that Jim still claims
the king is really the king of France.
11. Kind
After Jim and Huck met Duke and King, they have kind of watch
schedule. One day Huck has a middle watch but he is sleepy enough. Then Jim
says that he will stand for the first half. It shows that Jim is a kind character who
is shown by his action. Huckleberry said, “I had a middle watch, you know, but I
