Character Analysis and Development of Jim in Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Depicted as a simple and gullible man, Jim embodies Leonardo Da Vinci’s mantra, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Jim proves to be an intelligible and noble figure to young Huck Finn despite his unfavorable portrayal in Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. Escaping from an alcoholic and abusive father, Huckleberry Finn gangs up with Jim, a runaway slave. As they head down the Mississippi River, they insinuate themselves into a series of circumstances. Twain depicts Jim’s simplicity as morality, his gullibility as compassion and loyalty, and superstition as intelligence and logic; Twain gradually reveals that Jim’s negative qualities serve him well as they contribute to his liberation from slavery. 

Others continuously characterize Jim as simple-minded and uneducated for his status as a slave. But below the surface, he has quite a complex and deep morality that progressively helps shape Huck Finn’s moral conscience. Changing Huck’s deformed conscience made Huck realize his fondness for Jim and his want to free him. On the raft, Huck contemplates his morality on the topic of stealing versus borrowing, Jim then brings up how he will liberate his family from slavery, “...when he got enough he would buy his wife...then they would both work to buy the two children, and if their master wouldn't sell them, they'd get an Ab'litionist to go and steal them” (Twain 151-152). Jim’s willingness to break the law to free his enslaved family exemplifies his profound morality because he acknowledges that freeing his family is worth persecution of the law. Huck realizes that his actions of helping Jim run away and Jim’s proposition were both against the law. Jim sharing this personal information sparks the beginning of Huck’s conflict of morals and ultimately leads to his climactic revelation. That, like Jim, Huck would rather go against the law and his religious teachings than allow someone he loves to subject to slavery. Not only does Jim’s complex morality result in Huck’s revelation, but also due to Jim’s gullibility. 

Jim’s gullibility takes form in complete trust and faith in Huck, who acknowledges this as he abuses Jim’s fidelity by pulling pranks on him. On the other hand, Jim begins to form a paternal bond with Huck as Jim performs selfless acts for him. Jim begins to entrust Huck with his feelings as their bond grows, “He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder and he was low and homesick; because he hadn’t ever been away from home before in his life; and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n” (Twain 252). Because of Jim’s gullible nature, he reveals his vulnerable side to Huck. Huck had been left with an unfulfilled father figure by his actual father, Pap. So, when Huck experiences the trust and selflessness of Jim, he is open to Jim’s affection and begins to reciprocate the feelings of father-son love. Huck not only realizes Jim’s humanity because of his willingness to be vulnerable with Huck but also because Jim fulfills the role of a father figure better than Pap ever has. Their bond continues to grow and at the capstone of their adventures together, Huck becomes fully aware of his love and loyalty for Jim. This epiphany emerges through Huck’s famous quote: “‘All right, then, I’ll GO to hell’” (Twain 344). Huck refuses to allow Jim to be sold back into slavery and shows great devotion, the kind a son would show to his father. Huck’s conclusion to save Jim resulted from the loyalty and devotion Jim taught Huck, which matured from Jim’s gullibility. Jim’s credulous nature and trust in others’ words cause him to be susceptible to superstition.

Jim and Huck blame most of their bad luck on urban legends and superstitions. This includes touching snakeskin, counting your food before dinner, and shaking a table cloth after sundown is bad luck. As a result of Jim’s superstitious disposition, Huck views Jim as ignorant and illogical. This continues until Jim makes a superstitious prediction, “Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting. Jim said it was a sign it was going to rain” (Twain 80). This proves to be true later on, “Pretty soon it darkened up, and begun to thunder and lighten; so the birds was right about it” (Twain 86). Though Jim is an undereducated slave, he proves his superstitions about the birds originate from his logic and experience. In actuality, birds can predict the weather due to their middle ear receptor that can detect a change in atmospheric pressure. Though Jim may have not known this extensively, his intelligence allows him to apply what he notices to his real life. Jim’s superstitions, which derive from his percipience, end up benefitting them during the storm and providing them with safety. Though Huck is street-smart, Jim proves to be even more intelligent and meticulous due to his experience. 

Despite others’ prejudice, Jim proves that his perceived “negative” traits: simplicity, gullibility, and superstition, evolve into a deep insight on morality, a loyal relationship, and a unique logical view. In this day, education is viewed as the gateway to achieving your goals in life, yet those who choose or do not have the opportunity to have a formal education are still capable of chasing their dreams. This idea has been disproved with the current rising of social media, people with untraditional attributes are shown reaching their aspirations ad being celebrated for their success. Previously hidden by society’s preconceptions, Jim’s sophistication and intelligence emerge as he embraces his simplistic, gullible nature.