Symbolism of the Mississippi River in Huckleberry Finn

Rivers are often associated with freedom and growth as they are vast and constantly moving and progressing. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is no exception as Mark Twain beautifully paints a picture of a boy who grows significantly during his journey down the Mississippi River. In the beginning of the novel, Huckleberry Finn yearns for his freedom from people who hold him down such as the Widow Douglas and Pap. Ironically, he finds freedom in a place nearby: the river. When he first begins to travel down the river, Huck is more or less self-involved with his own personal motives in mind when running away. He complains about boredom and loneliness when what he really wanted in the first place was to be left alone. When he comes†¦show more content†¦In this case, Twain employs the run-on sentences to hopefully let us feel the length that they are traveling during the nights. The lazy days and active nights are underlined beautifully with the author’s use of descrip tion and literary techniques. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there is much talk of being alone or being cast away from society. This is most understood when Mark Twain describes the vastness of the river. His narrative devices and literary techniques help us feel these characteristics. Loneliness is a reoccurring theme as well and how better to feel the loneliness that Huck is experiencing than to describe the slow-moving life on the large, open Mississippi River. Twain does a beautiful job of this throughout the novel and especially in this passage. What we are left feeling for Huck is hope, Hope that he finds the freedom he is looking for. Hope that he can help Jim to the free states, and hope that he will never be lonely again. Work Cited Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, London: W.W. Norton and Company,Show MoreRelatedEssay Symbolism: the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1207 Words   |  5 Pageshave used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The AdventuresRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1212 Words   |  5 Pageshave used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). 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