Significance Of Mississippi River In Huckleberry Finn

Stephen Gardiner, an English bishop, and politician during the English Reformation period, wisely pointed out “What people want, above all, is order”. Mark Twain's adventurous novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, follows a young boy named Huck on his journey down the Mississippi River. Huck, an immature troublemaker feels more at home on the river while riding a raft with an escaped slave, Jim. The book follows their actions down the river and when they go on to land chaos ensues. Thus, the Mississippi River and the shore are juxtaposed as when they are on the river, it is calm, free, and joyful while on the land it is violent, chaotic, and cruel to Huck and Jim. To begin, the Mississippi River is shown to be relaxing, free, and happy by Huck’s characterizations during the journey. For instance, while gently sailing down the waterway Huck describes how they “had mighty good weather as a general thing, and nothing ever happened to us at all, that night, nor the next, nor the next” (Twain 52). The river gives a calm sanctuary to Huck and Jim, they are able to put their guard down as nothing ever happens. …show more content…
The river is shown as a peaceful-happy place with freedom to Huck and Jim by the descriptions they give of the atmosphere around them. Then, the land through the shooting of Boggs, the death of Buck, and the tarring and feathering of the king and the duke display the shore as hostile, hysterical, and inhumane. Through these symbols Twain communicates an important message, humans cause calmaties on land, as nature never truly bothers Huck and Jim. This is apparent in our own world with how humans pollute and harm the Earth and each other even though numerous times they have done nothing to warrant brutality. Thus, above all humans desire order on earth, but many want the adventure of