Lying Vs. Truth In Huckleberry Finn

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March 15, 2012 Huckleberry Finn In the novel Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain describes American society and how lying verses the truth has become a double standard. Lying has been taught and made out to be a terrible act that is looked down upon. Lies usually turn out to be a lot more complex and rather difficult, than just telling the truth. People use lying as an easy way out, they use it to escape troubles and avoid difficult situations. Generally it’s acceptable to lie to protect yourself but at the same time many take advantage of that. As you live you learn when and when not to lie. In Mark Twain’s novel, Huckleberry Finn he uses the character of Huck to examine the complexity of lies versus truth. There are several scenes throughout the book where Huck and Jim encounter sticky situations where they question telling the truth or to continue lying. After meeting Mary Jane and discovering that she is a genuine person Huck decides that…show more content…
Several times in the book he questions if he should be truthful and turn Jim in as the law expects. Often Huck thinks “…why me? I couldn’t get that out of my conscience. Who is to blame for Jim achieving freedom?” (pg.66 ch.14) He tries to convince himself Jim is just as equal as he and any other white person is and that he isn’t in the wrong “I tried to make out to myself that I warn’t to blame.” (pg.66 ch.14) Throughout the book Huck discovers that Jim is a person. He now realizes that Jim, even though he is of color, still feels and loves the same as any white person, and should have equal treatment just as Huck does. By the end of the book Huck feels that Jim deserves his way to freedom. Mark Twain uses many scenes throughout the book to show us the issue between being truthful and lying. Huck Finn and the runaway slave, Jim, begin their voyage down the Mississippi and show us the process of learning when its socially acceptable to lie and when its time for

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