Jim and Huck- Father and Son

After Huck runs away from Pap, he feels an onset of loneliness.  However, that loneliness fades away once he encounters his fellow runaway Jim.  Huck, instead of having feelings of hatred and contempt for Jim like he does for his father, actually cares about Jim. There has been many a time when Pap was angry and violent towards Huck; the most memorable when Pap declared that Huck was the “Angel of Death” and chased him around trying to kill Huck. On that fateful night, Huck decided that if Pap started coming after him again, he would kill him. “I slipped the ramrod down it to make sure it was loaded, and then I laid it across the turnip barrel, pointing towards Pap, and set down behind it to wait for him to stir” (Twain 37). Huck has never touched on the thought of murdering Jim, as Jim and Huck have a good time whenever they’re together.  Huck’s affection towards Jim is just as passionate as Huck’s hatred towards Pap.

Huck interacted with Jim previously during his stay with the Widow Douglas. While Jim was a slave, Huck and Jim kept their relationship on a more “professional level”.  Over time, Jim has come to care for Huck as a son, more so after being in hiding together. He cares about the health and well being of Huck, giving or doing anything that would make Huck happy.  He tries to give Huck a better life; he does this by giving Huck his knowledge of superstitions, giving Huck advice on what would be wise things to do, and spending quality time with Huck. Jim’s elated outburst after he thinks Huck’s alive shows just how much he cares about the boy.  “Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? En you ain’ dead- you ain’t drownded- you’s back ag’in? It’s too good for true, honey, it’s too good for true. Lemme look at you chile, lemme feel o’ you. No, you ain’ dead! You’s back ag’in, ‘live en soun’, jis de same ole Huck- de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness (Twain 87)! He’s truly and honestly elated that Huck’s alive- like any other father would be if his son got separated from their boat on a stormy river. Pap would only feel upset about losing Huck because of Huck’s worth in money. Jim was actually upset that someone he cared about was potentially dead.