The Symbolization of the River in Huck Finn essays

The Symbolization of the River in Huck Finn essays The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn has been widely recongnized as a great American novel. The book has many features which have helped sustain it over the years, but among the most important is the Mississippi river which carries Huck and Jim upon a winding path through a series od adventures. The river symbolizes many important aspects intrical to the novel's theme. These aspects include God or some other higher power, Huck and his irrepresible nature, and the change of characters in the novel as well as society in general. First and foremost the river symbolizes the novel's protagnist, Huckleberry Finn. The Likeness between the two is startling as one begins to examine the common trait. According to T.S. Eliot the most striking similarity that the two share is that like the river, Huck can not be contained (470). Throughout the course of the novel the river is constantly at flood, and all other powers pale in comparision to its awesome current. Evidence of this is found throughout Huck and Jim's journey in the form of swept away houses and smashed steam boats. Hucks personality is much the same. No matter how many times "respectable folk", like Miss Watson or Aunt Sally, try to civilze Huck or curb his extreme personality, Huck always breaks free and returns to his roots. Those of a poor, brazen country boy who speaks his mind regardless of the consequences. Huck refuses to compromise what he is and the principals for which he stands for the sake of others. Huck like the river will not except the bo undaries, rules, and practices which govern the rest of the world. A second comparrison which demonstrates this symbolization would be the fact that throughout the novel both Huck's path and the path of the River are circular in nature. T.S. Elliot put it sysnctally when she said; "Like Huckleberry Finn, the River its self has no beginning or end. In its beginning it is not yet...