Huck Finn is a very clever at thinking up ideas, even sometimes when he has no time to think. This theme is shown throughout the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He always seems to have a clever solution for squeezing his way out of a tight situation that either he or Jim gets into.
One example of HuckÃÂs cleverness is when he gets locked in the cabin by his drunkard father. Huck takes his time in figuring out an elaborate plan to escape from the clutches of his father. Not only does he figure out how to saw his way out, he thinks it out all the way through, making sure there are no flaws in his plot. He makes it look like he has been killed and the cabin has been robbed, so nobody would bother to go looking for him, only his dead body. This is an example of how Huck is a very bright and devious boy.
The cover of the first edition of Adventures of Hu...
Illustration of Jim and Huckleberry Finn, by EW Ke...
mark twain Category:Mark Twain imagesAnother example of HuckÃÂs cleverness is when he and Jim are floating down the river and need to figure out where they are. So Huck decides to go ashore to ask a couple of men. The men are looking for run away slaves and insist upon looking at the raft, but Huck tells the men that he is with his father who is sick with smallpox so the men will have nothing to do with getting near the raft. Huck makes it seem that he wants the men to go to the raft and help ÃÂhis fatherÃÂ, when actually he wants the exact opposite. He even ends up getting quite a bit of charity money from the two men. This adventure shows what quick thinking skills Huck has. When put in a pickle, he thought of a way to make the whole situation run along smooth and safely. He also show that he is a true friend towards Jim, because even though he knew it was morally wrong to help free an escaped slave, he never gives away JimÃÂs position.
The whole novel shows more and more situations where Huck shows his ability to be very sly by getting away scotch-free in dangerous situations. Almost always he outsmarts almost every one he comes upon, and he is only a mere child. Huck is always trying to get him and Jim down the river, as safe as possible. He never gives in to giving Jim up and saved him many times. At some points in the novel, it seems as all hope may be lost for Huck, but he figures a way around any obstacle. Huck Finn is one determined and bright young boy.
Reference: "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain
English: Illustration from Adventures of Huckleber...
Traditional raft, from 1884 edition of Adventures ...
Huck and jim on raft