An interesting aspect of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the lesson Huck learns from each of his encounters. For instance, when Huck meets the Duke and the long lost son of King Louis XVI he initially believes everything they tell him. However, during the course of their travels together Huck comes to realize that appearances are not always what they seem. The lesson Huck learns from his adventures with the Duke and Dauphin allows him to continue to grow and mature as a person.
When Huck first encounters the Duke and the Dauphin, he is a young and naïve boy who feels privileged and honored to be asked to serve royalty. As time passes, Huck realizes that the Duke and Dauphin are frauds. Huck makes the decision not to confront the Duke and Dauphin because their dishonest identity is initially advantageous to him. However, Huck soon realized that the advantages were being outweighed by the pain and suffering that their dishonesty could bring to those who participated in the pair's deception.
The cover of the first edition of Adventures of Hu...
Illustration of Jim and Huckleberry Finn, by EW Ke...
mark twain Category:Mark Twain imagesThe realization forced Huck to confess the truth about the Duke and the Dauphin to the distraught Wilks family. The confession puts Jim's freedom in jeopardy when the Dauphin captures him and turns Jim in for the monetary reward. Huck is overcome with guilt and grief when he realizes his actions with the Duke and Dauphin were the result in Jim's capture. Huck learns that his dishonesty and his association with deceitful people like the Duke and Dauphin can only bring him harm. He learns that he must trust his own instincts and depend on no one but himself.
Ultimately throughout the story, Huck learns a new lesson every time he encounters an adventure. When going off on your own at such a young age, people are destined to make mistakes. The best way to get through life is to learn from the mistakes that are made and realize that it is something to grow from and learn every time you make a mistake.
English: Illustration from Adventures of Huckleber...
Traditional raft, from 1884 edition of Adventures ...
Huck and jim on raft