Huckleberry Finn River Symbolism

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In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Huck and a runaway slave, Jim, try to get to Ohio via the river on a raft. The river’s symbolism changes throughout the book as Huck develops morally, from a symbol of slavery and oppression, to a symbol of freedom and equality. For example, in chapter fifteen Jim says, “Now ain’ dat so, Boss- ain’t it so?” This quote reveals that Jim believes that Huck is better than him, by referring to Huck as his boss. Here, the river symbolizes the oppression that goes along with slavery. In chapter sixteen the river also symbolizes slavery and oppression by stating, “The river was very wide, and was walled with solid timber on both sides; you couldn’t see a break in it hardly ever, or a light.” In this

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