The Adventures of Huck Finn

The Adventures of Huck Finn

By

Mark Twain

Summery of the book

Aunt Douglas, who is a widow, tries to raise Huckleberry Finn, by making him, more civilised. In order to be civilised he isn't allowed to smoke or swear and he learns how to read and write. He dislikes his new life and decides to run away.

Tom Sawyer, his best friend, manages to bring him back, by promising to start a band of robbers. During their adventures, Huck and Tom find a box of gold. Soon after, Huck recognises footprints in the snow as his father’s and he realised that Pa has returned to claim Huck Finn’s money that he found after defeating Injun Joe. He quickly runs to Judge Thatcher and sells his share of money for an amount of a dollar. Pa catches Huck and takes away the dollar and threatens to beat Huck if he ever goes back to school again. He is forced to live with his father, a boozer, but has never really loved him. Huck really cannot stand it, because he is kept enclosed by his father during the days and he has to care about him when he comes home drunk and very lately.

After Huck makes the impression that he is killed, by leaving bloodstains, he flees to Jackson's Island in the Mississippi. On the island he meets Jim, one of Miss Watson's slaves. He ran away because she sold him, as a result he is supposed work on a plantation, but he fled. Huck promises not to betray him and that he will go through hell to keep Jim out of slavery.

Some days later Huck, disguised as a girl, sneaks in the village for getting some information. While talking with a woman, he learns that both, Jim and his father are suspected for his murder. The woman tells Huck that she thinks that a slave is hiding out on Jackson Island. When Huck hears that, he immediately returns to Jim and together they leave the island in their own-made raft.

Huck and Jim flow downstream, becoming close friends. Their goal is to reach Ohio, where slavery has been abolished and where Jim can be free and save. After having a boat accident, Jim and Huck lose each other. Huck can reach the waterside and tries to find help at the next house. From that on, Huck lives with the Grangerford family for a while. They seem to be friendly and civilised people, but it turns out that they have a big feud with the family of Shepherdsons. Huck is just able to escape, before he becomes a victim of the feud as well. He starts to admire Jim, because he is honest, caring and faithful.